Cape Town - Yusuf (Joe) Emeran, who was president of the Cape Chamber of Commerce during the Fifa World Cup year of 2010, has passed away at the age of 76.
Emeran matriculated at Trafalgar High School and obtained a diploma in intellectual property law at the City of London Polytechnic during his years in exile in the UK. He returned to South Africa in 1994 and served on the Small Business Council and the Provincial Tender Board.
He was chair of Clotex, an NGO for small and medium enterprises in the clothing industry. In 2001 he was appointed as deputy chair of the Overberg Water Board by the Minister of Water Affairs and later became chair.
In 1997 he was vice president elect of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He chaired chamber committees and in 2009 he was elected president of the chamber and served in this capacity during the World Cup year.
In 2004 he became honorary consul for the Royal Kingdom of Morocco.
Emeran represented the chamber on the board of the Cape Town Partnership, the public and private sector organisation which provides intensive management for the city centre. He was involved in many community projects.
Emeran was a strong believer in the role of the chamber as a sounding board for government at both local and provincial levels and as an active participant in the International Chamber movement.
Janine Myburgh, president of the chamber said “Joe’s demise is not only a loss for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which he served in many capacities as well as holding the highest office at the chamber as the president in 2010, but also for the society as a whole".
“He was selfless in his time and commitment given to assist others which he did continuously over many years. I will always remember Joe as being feisty he would stand up for that he believed in no matter what. He was a man of true conviction,” she said.
Michael Bagraim, who succeeded Emeran as president of the chamber, said he had learned a great deal from his predecessor: “He always made time to sit down and talk through issues with me. We had a warm relationship. He was a real mensch.”