Ecco Chamber
Fortnightly Italian news made in South Africa
I edition August 2025
Calling All Vendors:
Be Part of Italy in Town
Zimbali Lakes
Business Presentation
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ItalCham is pleased to share an invitation to the Zimbali Lakes Business Presentation, hosted by the Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN) and Forvis Mazars on Tuesday, 19 August 2025 at Forvis Mazars, Melrose Estate, Johannesburg.
This high-value networking and presentation evening will highlight Zimbali Lakes as a premier local and international investment destination, positioning the development alongside KwaZulu-Natal’s most significant catalytic property projects.
Date: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Venue: Forvis Mazars, 54 Glenhove Road, Melrose Estate, Johannesburg
RSVP: Christina Wiese at marketingmanager@zimbali.co.za
by Friday,15 August 2025
This event is a powerful platform for forging strategic connections, unlocking investment opportunities, and contributing to KwaZulu-Natal’s economic growth vision.
Spaces are limited, ensure your place at this exclusive gathering of business and investment leaders.
Driving Business Forward:
The 4th European Chambers
Golf Day Tees Off in Cape Town
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ItalCham is delighted to join its European counterparts for the 4th Annual European Chambers Golf Day, taking place on Friday, 7 November 2025 at the scenic Metropolitan Golf Club in Cape Town.
This exclusive event brings together members of the European business community for a day of strategic networking and friendly competition.
Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Seaboard, the Golf Day offers more than just a game — it is a curated platform for fostering transnational business relationships, engaging with industry leaders, and championing the collective strength of Europe’s economic presence in the region.
Hosted in partnership with the Belgian, British, Spanish, Netherlands and Portuguese Chambers, this is more than just a game of golf — it’s an opportunity to drive business forward and strengthen European ties in South Africa.
Mark your calendar and get ready to swing into new business opportunities.
View our sponsorship packages for the golf day
If you would like to participate or to become a sponsor contact Anna-Maria:
Italy in Town 2025
Vendor Application
22-23 November
🍝 Be Part of Cape Town’s Biggest Italian Celebration!
Italy in Town is back on 22–23 November 2025 at the Cape Quarter — and we’re expecting 10,000 visitors in just two days!
This is your chance to showcase your products, connect with thousands of potential customers, and be part of a vibrant Italian experience filled with food, wine, music, and culture.
Spaces are limited — secure your stand today!
📧 Fill out the application form below and send it to enquiries@italcham.co.za to register.
Recap: Employment Equity Legislation & What This Means for Your Business
ItalCham recently participated in an informative policy briefing on the Employment Equity Amendment Act and the upcoming 2025 Employment Equity Regulations, hosted by Strata-G Labour Solutions in collaboration with the SAPCC, British Chamber of Commerce, Belgian Chamber of Commerce in South Africa, BusinessNL-SANEC, Nordic-South African Business Association (NSBA), and SwissCham Southern Africa. The session took place at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.
The session brought together business leaders, HR professionals, compliance officers, and transformation managers from designated employers to gain clarity on:
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Key legislative changes and their practical implications
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Updated compliance obligations under the new framework
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Actionable strategies for integrating amendments into workplace policies
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The potential impact of the Democratic Alliance’s legal challenge to Section 15A of the Amendment Act
Key Takeaways:
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Businesses that fail to comply may face penalties of R1.5 million or 2–10% of their annual turnover, whichever is greater.
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A valid compliance certificate is now required to secure any government contracts.
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Your B-BBEE rating will now be directly influenced by your employment equity compliance.
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Act now — your 5-year Employment Equity Plan must be finalised by 1 September.
Expert speakers, Jennifer Da Mata (CEO, Strata-g Group), Adv. Tertius Wessels (Managing Director), and Mandilakhe Gcilitshana (Employment Equity Specialist), provided valuable insights into navigating the evolving employment equity landscape, equipping attendees with both the knowledge and tools to meet upcoming compliance requirements.
Itacham extends its appreciation to all participants for their active engagement, and to our speakers for delivering a thought-provoking and solution-oriented discussion.
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Welcoming Our New Member
FX ONE
Founded in 2009, FXOne was established to assist importers, exporters and individuals with effective foreign exchange advice and improved pricing. Acting in both an advisory and intermediary capacity, we are a licensed financial services provider (FSCA 40215), as well as recognised by the South African Reserve Bank as a foreign exchange intermediary.
At FXOne, we pride ourselves in a personalised service, which makes foreign exchange simple to understand and transact, while having direct contact with the client. We specialise in analysing the requirements of individuals and enterprises, creating customised solutions to minimise risk associated with foreign exchange. Improved pricing is achieved through our collective pricing agreements with our authorised dealer banks.
Our services include individuals remitting and receiving money from offshore, corporate forex needs for importers and exporters, cash deposits, and expert risk management and advisory services. We have a team of experts dedicated to ensuring every transaction has exchange control assistance and advice (SARB approvals, exchange control regulations) and provide administration assistance throughout the entire payment process.
For further information, please contact us at:
luke.r@fxonefa.co.za or visit our website at www.fxonefa.co.za
ECOMONDO 2025
Hosted Buyers Programme
Join the Italian-South African Chamber’s hosted delegation to ECOMONDO 2025, Europe’s benchmark event for the green, blue and circular economy, organized by IEG – Italian Exhibition Group. Following the success of our 2023 and 2024 missions, we are now recruiting 8 South African companies to visit this premier international exhibition.
Here's what ECOMONDO 2024 looked like:
*1,620 exhibitors
*International operators from more than 120 countries
*650 hosted buyers from 65 countries
*Over 200 conferences and workshops
Why Join?
ECOMONDO 2025 will showcase a renewed and expanded format with 7 thematic areas and 6 exhibition districts, covering the full spectrum of environmental technologies and green innovation:
Circular and Regenerative Bio-Economy
Environmental Monitoring & Earth Observation
SAL.VE - Cleaning and Waste Disposal Vehicles Expo
ECOMONDO is the leading platform to meet key players in the green and circular economy and discover the latest sustainable technologies and solutions. The 2025 edition will focus on today’s most urgent environmental challenges, bringing together innovation, business opportunities, and expert insights through a rich exhibition and a high-level conference programme.
Buyers Programme - What’s Included:
Selected companies will receive the following benefits:
• 3-night hotel accommodation (B&B treatment, 4-start hotel) for 1 buyer per company
• Cash reimbursement of maximum € 300,00 as partial coverage of the flight ticket for 1 buyer per company
• Transfers Bologna Airport – Hotel / Hotel – Bologna Airport
• Daily transfer from the hotel to the expo venue, and back
• Free entrance ticket
• Lunch at the exhibition centre
Buyers will have to undertake:
• To schedule at least 10 B2B meetings with Ecomondo exhibitors using the online “My Agenda by IEG” platform. These 30-minute meetings will take place on November 6. If the quota is not met in advance, additional appointments must be arranged directly at the expo;
• To submit the appointment diary, duly completed and signed by all exhibitors met;
• To complete an online satisfaction survey at the end of the meetings;
• To return to the exhibition on November 7 to explore additional companies of interest.
Apply by 12 September 2025
Limited spots available – applications will close as soon as the delegation reaches full capacity.
Eligibility Criteria
- The company representative who will attend Ecomondo must be a decision maker.
- All companies with a turnover of at least ZAR 20.000.000 or with concrete projects in progress or in the start-up phase can apply. The project must be well explained in the dedicated section of the application form.
For more information:
📧 italy@italcham.co.za
📞 Cell: +27 66 598 9396 | WhatsApp: +39 345 421 4440
SIGEP World 2026
Hosted Buyers Programme
Join the Italian-South African Chamber’s hosted delegation to SIGEP WORLD 2026, the leading international event for the Foodservice Community, uniting top professionals from the worlds of Gelato, Pastry & Choco, Coffee, Bakery and
Pizza. This high-energy exhibition offers a unique insight into the industry's future, showcasing ground-breaking innovations, emerging trends and new consumer experiences.
From ingredients and products to equipment, furnishings, packaging and cutting-edge technologies, SIGEP is the ultimate platform for networking and discovering top-tier business opportunities. Every encounter is a gateway to evolve, innovate and drive your business forward!
Here's what SIGEP World 2025 looked like:
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1,300 exhibiting brands
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30 halls and 138,000 square meters of exhibition space
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545 hosted top buyers from 79 countries
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More than 5,500 meetings
Why Join?
SIGEP World offers direct access to the latest innovations and trends shaping the global out-of-home foodservice industry. The event is a high-value networking opportunity across 5 different sectors:
The 2026 edition will combine business opportunities, expert insights and professional development through direct interaction with companies and specialists across the entire out-of-home sector.
Buyers Programme - What’s Included:
Selected companies will receive the following benefits:
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3-night hotel accommodation (B&B treatment) for 1 representative per company*
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Cash reimbursement of maximum € 300,00 as partial coverage of the flight ticket for 1 representative per company
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Transfers Bologna Airport – Hotel / Hotel – Bologna Airport
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Daily transfer from the hotel to the expo venue, and back
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Free entrance ticket and lunch at the exhibition centre
Applicants will have to undertake:
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To schedule at least 10 B2B meetings with SIGEP exhibitors using the online “My Agenda by IEG” platform. These 30-minute meetings will take place on January 18. If the quota is not met in advance, additional appointments must be arranged directly at the expo
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To submit the appointment diary, duly completed and signed by all exhibitors met
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To complete an online satisfaction survey at the end of the meetings
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To return to the exhibition on January 19 to explore additional companies of interest*
*It will be possible to extend the stay to a fourth night, provided that the company’s representative also visits SIGEP on January 20 in addition to the planned days mentioned above.
Apply by 31 October 2025
Space is limited - the registration period will close early if the delegation reaches its maximum number of participants.
The company representative who will attend SIGEP must be a decision maker.
For more information:
📧 italy@italcham.co.za
📞 Cell: +27 66 598 9396 | WhatsApp: +39 345 421 4440
job board
View the new job vacancy below:
Italian-Speaking Customer Service Advisor - Remote - CPT
View other job vacancies on the SMILE website
via this link - CLICK HERE
If you are currently hiring,
please take a look at SMILE-vetted candidates HERE
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Alla prossima!