The Incomplete Vision
of Affirmative Action

In the ongoing discourse surrounding affirmative action, the complexities and nuances of gender equity often take a backseat to racial considerations. While it is crucial to address the historical injustices faced by marginalised racial groups, it is equally imperative that the framework of affirmative action does not sideline women, particularly women of colour, who inherently experience intersecting forms of discrimination.

Affirmative action emerged as a necessary policy to rectify systemic inequalities and ensure equal opportunities for underrepresented groups. However, the emphasis has predominantly been on race, often neglecting the fact that women also face significant barriers in education, employment, and economic advancement. Excluding women from affirmative action initiatives undermines the very essence of diversity and inclusion that these policies intend to promote.

The argument for a gender-inclusive approach to affirmative action is not only a matter of fairness but also one of effectiveness. Women, especially those from minority backgrounds, are disproportionately affected by issues such as wage gaps, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and access to quality education. By excluding women, we overlook a vast segment of the population that bears the brunt of economic disparities and social injustices. To achieve genuine equality and social justice, policies must reflect the full spectrum of marginalised experiences, recognising that race and gender are not mutually exclusive identities. Moreover, research consistently shows that diverse teams foster innovation and better outcomes in various sectors, including business and politics. When women are included in affirmative action policies, organisations and institutions benefit from a broader range of perspectives and ideas, ultimately leading to more robust and effective solutions to societal challenges. The omission of women from these policies not only perpetuates existing inequalities, but also limits the potential for progress and change.

In this edition we showcase some of the most talented women who have scaled corporate South Africa.

Enjoy the read.

Sincerely,

Prof. Onkgopotse JJ Tabane

Driving INSETA forward

Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gugu Mkhize is a multi-award-winning business leader under whose tutelage the organisation has bagged the global Best Insurance Training Institute Award.

Since her almost four-year tenure as CEO, Mkhize has personally won multiple awards including Business Leader of the Year, Global CEO of the year in Insurance Training, CEO of the Year from the World Business Outlook Awards, Legend of Empowerment Award by Top Empowerment Companies, Business Leader 2023 from the Institute for People Management as well as the Public Sector Leader of the Year from Standard Bank Top Women Awards.

These awards are a true affirmation of her leadership prowess which, according to her, centres around “leading from the heart and empowering those around you.”

Besides being a talented leader – as seen from the accolades she received from various quarters including both the private and public sectors – Mkhize is a seasoned business leader with expertise amassed through working in various fields including construction and home building regulation, project financing, education and skills development, project management and corporate consulting.

Some of the key leadership roles Mkhize previously held include Executive: Corporate Services (National Home Builders Regulatory Council), Chief Executive Officer (Excelle International Pty Ltd), Executive Manager: Corporate Services (Mining Qualifications Authority), Senior Manager: Corporate Services (Johannesburg Social Housing Company) and Senior Corporate Manager (KZN Growth Fund Managers).

Mkhize’s diverse work experience has enabled her to navigate her career with humility and resilience whilst dealing with multiple stakeholders across various levels of the various organizations.

Some of the skills she has acquired in her professional travails include strategic leadership, corporate governance, human capital development policies and strategies, strategy and policy development, stakeholder relations, strategic business planning and organizational performance.

BBQ spoke to Mkhize discussing a variety of issues including her leadership style, her vision for INSETA, skill development (which is the organisation’s key focus) women empowerment and the much-needed transformation in the insurance industry as it is in other such critical sectors.

Could you share the key milestones in your career and education that have significantly influenced your approach to business leadership?

Gugu Mkhize: The foundation of my career has been my educational background and being intentional about continuous learning in my leadership journey. The cumulative experience I have acquired has seen me achieving many milestones both personally and for the organisations I have worked. Some the milestones include ground-breaking innovations which contributed to elevating the previous organisations brands.

In my current role, one of the highlights of my leadership is the Insurance Sector Student Fund which has benefited many young people who had dreams of being in tertiary institutions but no means to fund their education. This is first of its kind and innovative initiative aimed at enabling young people (especially from disadvantaged backgrounds) to acquire critical and future skills enabling them become part of the digital revolution that the country and the world at large is going through. This initiative is driven by an understanding that the world as we know has been completely altered. Every sector must rethink the kind of skills required currently and in the future.

In 2022 we implemented a mentorship and skills transfer programme named the Retirees and Repurposing Programme – wherein retired industry professionals mentor and transfer skills to upcoming insurance professionals. This is run in partnership with the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) and Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA). This multi-layered skills development programme targeting managers and executives. The programme also promotes the transformation of the insurance sector by increasing the pool of professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our target is also to support 2000 leaders in leadership programmes by 2026.

Leadership development in the insurance industry is key and we have geared programmes as a contribution to the transformation of the sector for the employees who come from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. We are in partnership with higher education institutions to deliver multiple leadership programmes so that we can reach and exceed our target above. The objective remains ensuring a comprehensive transfer of technical knowledge and leadership skills, thereby enhancing the participants’ professional development. The programme is also aimed at imparting leadership skills enabling the participants to become effecting leaders with the ability to deal all kinds of work environments.

How has INSETA's operational strategy evolved this year, and what key performance indicators are you focusing on to measure success?

Gugu Mkhize: Our journey to excellence has been marked with many “highs” as well as some lows. This is part of an evolving organisation, and we have embraced the changes with the intention of promoting brand INSETA. Our strategy is anchored on the recently launched Excellence Model which is founded on four pillars, namely, mandate, people, systems and impact.

The People pillar relates to internal and external stakeholders who are the force behind the achievement of whatever milestone the organisation sets itself for. Mandate is about the organisational core functions that define the organisation’s reason for existence. Systems are about an enabling infrastructure for operational excellence. Impact relates to the lives touched and transformed by the value the organisation creates.

The cultivators of our Excellence Model are Recognition of Employees; Peer to Peer Recognition; Communication and Feedback as well as Awards (Recognition).

We are conscious that the value proposition of our entity must benefit the insurance industry and the financial services sector. The success of our strategy is measured through the impact we make to our beneficiaries. During the last financial year 2023/2024, we impacted 17,696 beneficiaries in our programmes.

Which strategic objectives have been essential for INSETA this year, and what strategies are in place to address any upcoming challenges?

Gugu Mkhize: Our enabling strategies for INSETA’s mandate include, but are not limited to, rural development, digital inclusion, supporting transformation through leadership programmes, promotional of insurance through career guidance, technical insurance skills support and worker programmes as well as the support we offer to Small Medium Micro Enterprises.

These strategies are implemented in partnership with our skills delivery partners. With the high levels of unemployment in the country, we remain committed to support unemployed youth and aspiring entrepreneurs, however, sometimes it is impossible to provide the necessary funding due financial constraints. We continuously are pursuing alternative sources of funding to increase our revenue to overcome this challenge.

What strategies does INSETA employ to strengthen stakeholder relationships?

Gugu Mkhize: Our stakeholder engagement strategy focuses on sector specific engagements to ensure alignment with the ever-changing demands of skills. We have segmented our engagements to address specific issues relating to compliance, application processes, product knowledge, research and innovation. Our engagements strengthen the relations with a myriad of stakeholders in the financial services sector. Engaging our stakeholders is central to the supply and demand of skills. Our strategy is also driven by our understanding of how critical stakeholder engagement is when it comes to strategic planning. This is because it is important that our stakeholders understand why we exist, where we want to go and how we are going to get there. Furthermore, it’s essential that our key stakeholders are aligned with and buy into our strategic direction. This way they can become advocates of our vision and mission.

In addition, our stakeholders could have a wealth of relevant knowledge and experience that as strategic leaders may want to take into consideration to help us be more impactful and viable in the long-term. What all this means is that–with stakeholder needs changing and the conventional way of working, the future of INSETA lies in achieving a deeper understanding of our stakeholders, operational excellence, digitisation of skills development and adapting to the industry’s shifting talent needs. As INSETA we will need to initiate robust stakeholder engagement to align the needs of the sector with the skills agenda in the insurance sector. We must make the sector attractive to the youth, and the current workforce, and build an adequate talent pool for the future.

What are the core competencies that set INSETA apart in the industry, and how do you leverage these strengths to achieve business growth?

Gugu Mkhize: We are an organisation of many “firsts”, this is evident in the eight accolades that INSETA has been awarded. We strive for excellence, innovation, and continuous learning. We have introduced rural programmes for unemployed youth, funding opportunities for fin-tech and insure-tech innovations, we have introduced a digital innovation hub model which seeks to establish a digital footprint provincially to allow unemployed youth to acquire digital skills. We currently have edutainment film which has been shown to more 10,000 high school learners about the top 10 insurance careers. A pilot project for capacitating claims management and administration employees in drone technology will be implemented during the current year. Our skills strategy will continue to be responsive as technology shifts and changes the face of some occupations.

As South Africa celebrates 30 years of democracy, what role do you believe INSETA should play in promoting equity and inclusion within the industry?

Gugu Mkhize: INSETA has a responsibility to ensure that the principles of equity and inclusion are deeply embedded in every aspect of the insurance sector through skills development. Our initiatives contribute to increasing access to education and training for historically disadvantaged communities, ensuring that our programs are accessible to all. Our focus is on advocating for policies that support the representation of diverse groups within leadership roles in the industry, reflecting the democratic values of our nation. Whilst there is still a lot to be done, we must be proud of the significant inroads that our young democracy has brought from people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Furthermore, about 76% of the beneficiaries of our programmes are below 35 years of age and we are intentional about supporting the unemployed youth.

What lessons from South Africa’s journey over the past 30 years can be applied to leadership and governance at INSETA?

Gugu Mkhize: "South Africa’s journey teaches us the importance of resilience, inclusivity, and the power of collective effort in overcoming challenges. For INSETA, these lessons are applicable in that the organisation has undergone significant changes which have fostered a culture of resilience and agility. Some valuable lessons for us have been the deliberate creation of a leadership culture that is transparent, accountable, and committed for continuous improvement. The engagement with stakeholders has been our main priority to promote open dialogues.

Reflecting on the transformation of South Africa’s insurance sector over the past 30 years, how do you plan to continue driving positive change and transformation within INSETA?

Gugu Mkhize: "The rate of transformation in South Africa’s insurance sector has been particularly slow, and an aggressive approach must be adopted to realise real transformation. Under my leadership, INSETA is well positioned to drive skills development that responds to transformation imperatives and inclusivity of many marginalised communities. It is also important that focus is made to the technical insurance skills, compliance skills as well as the digital skills as the industry is changing at a rapid pace because of the technological changes.

On the other hand, INSETA must continuously consider future platforms we build, and develop transformation plans that extend across functions. Our success depends on being more responsive in skills development through building effective partnerships.

Having said so, I fervently believe, my contribution to the organisation and the support I have enjoyed from the Board and our stakeholders, has accelerated many innovations and new skills initiatives for the industry. I remain committed to ensuring that the organisation transforms inside out, to position INSETA as a skills development leader through research and innovation, responsive learning programmes and excellent execution.

Personally, transformation continues to remain high on my agenda. I believe leveraging the strength of diversity will ensure business success.

As INSETA approaches its future, how would you like to see the organization contribute to South Africa’s legacy of democracy and development in the next decade?

Gugu Mkhize: I envision INSETA contributing to South Africa’s legacy of democracy and development by being a leader in promoting social equity and economic empowerment through skills development within the insurance sector. Over the next decade, I would like to see INSETA spearheading initiatives that address the skills gaps in underserved communities, supporting small and medium enterprises in the insurance industry, and advocating for policies that ensure the sector remains inclusive and representative of all South Africans. I look forward to seeing INSETA being recognized not just as a training authority, but as a champion of transformation and development in our democracy."

How would you ensure that INSETA actively promotes gender equality and empowers women within the organization and the insurance sector as a whole?

Gugu Mkhize: Since inception, INSETA has built its brand on gender parity, inclusivity and support especially in support for women and persons with disability. Our programmes support more than 65% of women, we have special projects focusing on training the youth and persons with disabilities. Our very own organisation employs 71% of women and we introduced the mentoring and coaching programme to empower aspiring women leaders. Furthermore, we have women in leadership programmes aimed at accelerating the career paths of women in the industry. Through our partnerships with the industry employers, we have funded countless programmes to support women.

What initiatives would you introduce to support work-life balance for women at INSETA, particularly those balancing professional and family responsibilities?

Gugu Mkhize: "Supporting work-life balance is crucial for retaining and empowering women in the workforce. We have introduced a remote working policy which allows our employees to work from home when the need arises. We have recently introduced an INSETA School Programme which will support beneficiaries in primary, senior primary and high school. Furthermore, we take health and wellness very seriously in our organisation and have made some inroads in supporting our workforce. Looking into the future, there are some additional support mechanisms that we will introduce to retain and reward our employees.

Research has shown that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships, but it can also improve employees’ productivity and ultimately performance. Put simply, if your people don’t view work as a chore, then they will work harder, make fewer mistakes and are more likely to become advocates for your brand. Work-life balance is about effectively fine-tuning the scale weighing work demands and personal responsibilities like, health, family, hobbies, self-care and relaxation. For us women juggling the demands of one’s career and personal life can lead to high stress levels, negatively impacting our mental and physical health. It is therefore important to achieve the balance between work and life. This allows us to navigate the challenges of our profession while safeguarding our well-being.

According to research achieving that balance can benefit us by: minimizing work-related stress; improving productivity; enhancing decision-making and (most importantly) building and maintaining personal relationships. Achieving a work-life balance also allows us–as women leaders- to allocate time for family, friends, and social activities, fostering meaningful connections, vital for a fulfilling life.

Such research also shows that when a woman leader actively practices a healthy work-life balance, the impact on the company can be transformative, influencing various aspects positively. As the research posits – embracing work-life balance is not only about personal fulfilment – it’s about reshaping the entire corporate ecosystem.

How would you address the challenges that women face in the insurance sector, such as gender-based discrimination or harassment?

Gugu Mkhize: Addressing gender-based challenges requires a proactive and zero-tolerance approach. At INSETA, we have created a safe culture and will continue to create awareness for our employees on issues of gender-based discrimination and harassment. We have a sexual harassment policy which is widely communicated to employees and the hotline for reporting such incidences. Furthermore, we embrace our diversity and unique abilities in the workplace in line with our corporate values of respect of professionalism, respect and accountability.

There are ,however, sociologists who argue that the most effective way of ending gender discrimination is through mainstreaming women issues in whatever we do.

This includes the usage of gender-sensitive language and gender specific data collection and analysis. Creating structures wherein men and women are equally involved in decision-making instead of women being brought in as a special grouping.

This approach is in line with the United Nation’s adoption of gender mainstreaming as a global strategy for gender equality and women’s rights and empowerment. Most notably, the transformative potential of gender mainstreaming was reaffirmed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its call for accelerated implementation.

This was complemented by and explicit acknowledgement by the UN members states that sustainable development cannot be achieved in any area without gender equality and women’s rights and empowerment.

This new strategy is perceived as a way to move beyond the earlier fragmented “women in development” project-based approach towards a deeper and more sustained impact on development policy and practice. As part of this approach, the Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming for Gender Equality results has been developed with the aim to encourage and support more systematic and effective mainstreaming implementation for the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment throughout the United Nations system and within all sectors. It is intended for use by practitioners, policymakers, gender focal points and technical managers with various levels of awareness and knowledge of gender mainstreaming. It is also a resource for gender specialists and advisors, who play a critical role in guiding and mainstreaming for gender equality results.

When asked what her goals and vision for the future are Mkhize said, “Mr role will be meaningless if there is no impact to the stakeholders I serve. Leadership is about empowering others, it’s about lifting others and it’s about change that results from consistent efforts. I will continue to manifest authentic and courageous leadership.”added Mkhize.

Driving INSETA forward

Breaking Barriers: the women leading South Africa's transformation

Linda Tom had the privilege of sitting down with some South African powerhouse ladies to find out their thoughts on the journey of women to success.

As a young woman navigating the ups and downs of various industries, I am constantly inspired by the strength, resilience, and determination of women who have made their mark in fields traditionally dominated by men.

South Africa’s journey over the past 30 years of democracy has seen many triumphs and challenges, particularly for women striving to build their careers in spaces where they were once excluded.

To gain a deeper understanding of how these changes have shaped women’s roles, I spoke with a group of remarkable women who are not just participants, but pioneers in their fields.

These conversations were eye-opening, each one revealing how South Africa’s democracy has impacted their personal and professional lives. Their stories highlight that, while progress in gender equality has been achieved, the journey is ongoing, and significant challenges remain. Yet, these women are undeterred. They continue to push boundaries, break barriers, and uplift the next generation of women leaders.

Reflecting on 30 years of democracy and gender equality

I began by asking each woman how South Africa’s three decades of democracy have influenced their roles in their respective industries.Their responses were deeply moving and thought-provoking. Many acknowledged that, although progress has been made, systemic issues still hinder the full realisation of gender equality.

Nonetheless, the landscape has undoubtedly shifted, with more women now occupying leadership roles and driving change in sectors that were once inaccessible.

They shared stories of perseverance–navigating spaces that were not designed for them and rewriting the rules in boardrooms, media, science, and beyond.

These women have not only witnessed change but have been key players in driving it. From overcoming gender biases to championing policies that promote diversity and inclusion, their journeys reflect South Africa’s broader narrative of transformation.

Advice for future women leaders

As our conversation turned toward the future, I asked these trailblazing women what advice they would offer to the next generation of female leaders.

Their insights were powerful, shaped by years of overcoming obstacles. They stressed the importance of staying true to oneself, embracing authenticity, and not being afraid to challenge the status quo. The work is not done, and progress requires continuous effort. They encouraged young women to be bold, seek out opportunities, and, crucially, to lift others as they rise.

They highlighted the value of mentorship, advocating for equal opportunities, and paving the way for more women to succeed. Building strong support networks and fostering collaboration among women were also seen as key to driving change.

Celebrating strength and resilience

The stories of these incredible women remind us of the power of resilience and the unbreakable spirit of those who refuse to be held back by barriers. While progress has been made, the fight for equality continues, and every step forward matters in creating a future where women can thrive.

As we reflect on 30 years of democracy, we must also celebrate the outstanding contributions of women who have been at the forefront of change. Their successes are not just personal wins but part of a collective legacy of transformation that will inspire future generations.

To all the women reading this: your journey matters, your voice is powerful. Together, we are shaping a South Africa where every woman has the opportunity to lead, succeed, and leave a lasting impact.

I had the privilege of sitting down with some South African powerhouse ladies to find out their thoughts on the journey of women to success. Here are those thoughts:

Dominique van Wezop: General Manager of the
Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre in Johannesburg

Over the past 30 years of democracy in South Africa, I've witnessed significant progress in gender equality and opportunities for women in the hospitality industry. When I started my career, women were underrepresented in leadership positions, but today, I see more women in management roles. However, there's still room for improvement. I've experienced first-hand the challenges of breaking through the glass ceiling, but I've also seen the impact of mentorship and support from other women in leadership. The industry has become more inclusive, with more opportunities for women to advance and take on leadership roles. To the next generation of women leaders, I would say: be bold, be fearless, and be authentic. Don't be afraid to take risks and challenge the status quo. Surround yourself with mentors and peers who support and uplift you. Stay true to your values and vision, and use your platform as a leader to drive positive change. Remember, leadership is not about titles or positions, it's about impact and influence. Continue to push boundaries, innovate, and collaborate with others to drive progress and transformation in your respective sectors. And always remember to lift each other along the way.

Aviwe Ntunja: Senior Strategist | Group Stategy for Old Mutual

As a woman in the financial services sector and having worked in a number of fields within the sector, the biggest impact that our democracy has driven for the benefit of myself and many women in industry is the institutionalisation of gender equality through legislative reforms and promotion of sound labour practices. Since the dawn of democracy, South Africa has been celebrated for its world-leading Constitution, and whilst we may at times fall short in ensuring the fulfilment of the principles of this constitution, there has certainly been an active push on the part of government and captains of industry to ensure inclusion of women in the highest levels of leadership in industry.

On a personal level, I have observed how the female share of voice has grown over time around executive boardroom tables. I have had the immense privilege of working closely with powerful women such as Mary Vilakazi, Celiwe Ross, and Kim Potgieter. Watching them navigating the complexity of male-dominated environments with grace and effortlessness, in spite of the inherent challenges that undoubtedly come with occupying such roles, has modelled to me the fundamental role of female leadership. That privilege of having forebearers who wear multiple hats and are thriving in industry would have never been possible had it not been for an enabling macro environment which promotes the advancement and recognition of women as equals in industry. So whilst there is undoubtedly more work to be done to balance the scales, it is important to acknowledge that good breeding ground exists in post democratic South Africa. With ~33.8% of board seats currently being held by women (a figure comparable to the developed world) we are certainly in good stead to continue on our growth path.

You must also never shy away from owning and actively promoting your successes in the workplace. South Africa is a very conservative society and in the ambit of that conservative culture exists a promotion of modesty and suppression imposed mainly upon young women, particularly amongst our indigenous cultures. It is so subtle and entrenched that many women aren’t even aware when they are downplaying their ability.

I myself had to learn the hard way throughout my career growth path that to get ahead you need to be your own advocate above all else. I would implore young women to identify their unique value add (their superpower) and not be afraid to lead with and promote it actively. There is a difference between modesty and humility, whilst the latter is a virtue, undue modesty could rob you of operating at your greatest level of potential, so don’t hold back.

Sisonke Mapuma: General Manager of Bluewater Bay Sunrise Hotel, Gqeberha

Over the past three decades, I have witnessed significant strides towards gender equality in our sector. The commitment to empowering women has opened doors that were previously closed, enabling many of us to step into leadership roles that were once dominated by men. This shift has not only enhanced our representation, but has also brought diverse perspectives that enrich our industry. Key changes I've observed include increased access to education and training programmes specifically aimed at women, as well as initiatives that support female entrepreneurship. The establishment of mentorship programs has also fostered a supportive network, encouraging women to pursue careers in hospitality with confidence.

Moreover, policies promoting gender diversity in the workplace have led to a more inclusive environment. Organisations are increasingly recognising the value of diverse teams, which has resulted in better decision-making and innovation. As a General Manager, I am proud to be part of a movement that champions gender equality. It is inspiring to see more women in leadership positions, not just in hospitality but across all sectors. However, while progress has been made, there is still work to be done. Continued advocacy for equal pay and opportunities is essential to ensure that the gains we've made are sustained and expanded. The journey of democracy in South Africa has profoundly impacted my role and the opportunities available to women in our industry. I am hopeful that we will continue to build on this foundation, paving the way for future generations of women leaders. Now, as we look to the future, it's crucial to empower young women to drive progress and transformation in their respective sectors.

Zodwa Velleman: Group Executive of Corporate Regulatory Affairs at Oceana Group Limited

As an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa with over 20 years of experience, I’ve witnessed significant progress in advancing women, particularly black women, into leadership roles within law firms and corporate South Africa. At the age of 36, I was appointed as the Legal and Corporate Security Director at Brandhouse, a joint venture between Diageo PLC, Heineken PLC, and Namibia Brewery LTD. I was the first female and the first African to hold this executive position, working alongside senior male peers who were predominantly white.

A 2013 study by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice and the South African Legal Fellows Network revealed that only 5% of African women held leadership roles in private practice and in-house legal departments. While the situation has improved since then, with a higher number of female partners and general counsels–though predominantly white women–the representation of women in these roles still falls short of 30%. A follow-up study, ‘Advancing Women in the Workplace’, released in February 2024 by PLUS94 Research in collaboration with the same entities, explored the current status of senior leadership positions held by black women in both the public and private legal sectors. It highlighted ongoing challenges such as discrimination, sexual harassment, unconscious bias, and the impact of motherhood on women's career progression. Despite these obstacles, women remain resilient and determined, continually pushing for change. The recent appointment of Justice Maya as Chief Justice is a powerful testament to their perseverance and progress in the legal field.

We also need to remember that the journey is long and challenging, much like a marathon, but collaboration allows us to achieve more at a faster pace. Mentorship and sponsorship are crucial, serving as key building blocks for sharing knowledge and gaining deep insights into one’s profession or industry, which leads to visible progress. For emerging professionals, seizing these practical learning opportunities is essential for accelerated growth and development.

When it comes to transformation, promoting diversity and inclusion is fundamental and non-negotiable for building inclusive communities. At the 30 Years of Constitutional Democracy event this August, organised by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Shamila Batohi, National Director of Public Prosecutions, suggested a philosophical shift from a rights-based to an obligations-based approach. She asked, “What is my obligation to the next person?” This perspective invites us to reconsider how we can achieve true transformation, diversity, and inclusion. It certainly gave me a lot to think about.

New CEO brings
a new dawn for ELIDZ

Thembela Zweni has hit the ground running as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ)

Situated in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), which includes East London, Bisho, and King Williams Town, the ELIDZ is one of South Africa’s pioneering industrial development zones (IDZs).

It offers a prime location for export-oriented manufacturing and processing, benefiting from its proximity to key transportation routes. The ELIDZ is a leading Eco-Industrial Park, established to promote economic growth and job creation, and offers a highly conducive environment for both local and international businesses to thrive. Spanning over 400 hectares, the ELIDZ features six fully serviced sub-Zones tailored to specific manufacturing requirements. Its commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation has earned it recognition as a leading Industrial Eco-Park by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

The ELIDZ specialises in attracting and facilitating investment in key sectors such as automotive, agro-processing and aquaculture, ICT and BPO, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, logistics, and general manufacturing.

The Zone provides world-class infrastructure, including advanced logistics facilities, utilities, and a supportive business ecosystem tailored to meet the needs of various industries. Businesses operating within the ELIDZ benefit from various incentives, including tax breaks, duty-free imports, and streamlined regulatory processes.

Moreover, the ELIDZ plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation and skills development in the Eastern Cape region. With a focus on sustainability and technology, the Zone is committed to driving industrial growth and enhancing the competitiveness of the local manufacturing sector.

The ELIDZ also actively collaborates with government entities, educational institutions, and industry leaders to create a dynamic environment that supports economic transformation and development. The ELIDZ currently hosts 41 operational investors and has created 5, 205 active jobs, contributing significantly to the region's economic development. Their commitment to good governance is reflected in their achievement of nine consecutive clean audits. Additionally, they have secured R8.7 billion in private investment and R579.9 million in new private sector investment in the 2023/24 financial year.

Introducing Thembela Zweni

On 1 July 2024, Thembela Zweni was appointed as the CEO of the ELIDZ. His journey with the ELIDZ spans over 18 years, during which time he has held various executive positions, including serving as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) since 2016. Zweni has been deeply involved in attracting and facilitating investment in key sectors, diversifying the ELIDZ’s offerings to investors, and driving operational excellence.

“My focus has always been on fostering sustainable development and enhancing stakeholder engagement. These efforts have significantly improved our operational efficiencies and renewed our commitment to sustainable growth,” Zweni explains.

Prior to my engagement with the ELIDZ, he served as a corporate banker with the Corporate and Investment Banking division of Standard Bank Group and later as the CEO of the Uitenhage Dispatch Development Initiative (UDDI), a Local Economic Development Agency. Zweni holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and an Honours degree in Economics, along with additional certificates in leadership and management. His extensive experience in the industrial development has equipped him with the skills and insights needed to leverage the ELIDZ's strengths, attract investment, stimulate job creation, and propel economic development in the region.

“I am excited to lead the ELIDZ into a new era of growth and innovation, building on our solid foundation and forging new pathways for success,” he adds.

Zweni’s vision for the ELIDZ under his leadership involves turning it into a preeminent investment destination that is an oasis of thriving, sustainable businesses.

“My leadership style is transformational, aiming to revolutionise the ELIDZ through innovation and development. We strive to motivate and inspire our employees to continually raise their standards and achieve what they once thought impossible, breaking new ground in the process,” Zweni avers.

“Our goal is to create an environment where everyone is empowered to reach their full potential.”

In terms of his immediate priorities, Zweni has already managed to stabilise the leadership of the organisation to ensure alignment with the ELIDZ’s vision. This has positively impacted everyone in the organisation. The aim is also to raise the profile of the ELIDZ through strategic engagement with key stakeholders and role players, while he feels there is a need to increase visibility in the target market by participating in strategic outbound and inbound missions. Furthermore, Zweni wants to continue breaking new ground in innovation through the Science and Technology Park (STP). “The ELIDZ stands out as the only SEZ in South Africa to feature a STP,” Zweni explains. “It also supports industrial research and development, technology incubation, knowledge transfer, and the growth of emerging technology industries.”

Value proposition

The ELIDZ is strategically located close to key transportation hubs, including the Port of East London (9km), East London Airport (2km), and the N2 highway. This proximity to essential infrastructure facilitates efficient transportation and logistics, ensuring timely delivery of products to global markets and enhancing the competitiveness of businesses within the Zone.

The ELIDZ is at the forefront of technological innovation, developing robust ICT infrastructure that includes high-speed internet, a state-of-the-art data centre, and support for emerging technologies.

This makes the Zone an attractive destination for tech companies and digital enterprises, fostering a culture of innovation and growth. A range of incentives is also offered by the ELIDZ to attract investors. One of the key benefits is the preferential 15% corporate tax rate. To qualify, companies must derive at least 90% of their income from activities within the SEZ and avoid specific restricted industries. Investors can also access various grants and incentives, including income tax allowances, VAT exemptions, and customs duty rebates, while employers can claim the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) for hiring low-salaried employees, without the usual age restrictions.

The 12i Tax Incentive further supports both new industrial projects and expansions of existing ones, offering aid for capital investment and training.

These incentives significantly enhance the profitability and competitiveness of businesses operating within the ELIDZ.

Challenges and opportunities

One of the primary challenges Zweni foresees is the decrease in both domestic and Foreign Direct Investment due to global economic pressures that deter corporate investments. To overcome this, the plan is to increase visibility within target markets, conduct thorough research, and package projects with compelling value propositions. Additionally, the ELIDZ will adopt a solutions-oriented approach that appeals to their target markets.

In terms of opportunities, the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents a significant opportunity for companies to establish businesses at the ELIDZ, serving as a gateway to this vast market. “We are conducting studies to better understand the products in this market, enabling us to advise targeted corporates accordingly,” Zweni explains.

“Our manufacturing incubation programme through STP will help the ELIDZ develop and sustain both domestic and global value chains, further upgrading our sectors to become more competitive and attractive for investment.

“Additionally, we aim to leverage our first-mover advantages as one of the leading Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in South Africa.

“The adoption of an Eco-Industrial concept approach, which encourages sustainable development, has also enhanced the attractiveness of the Zone as an investment destination.”

Sustainability and innovation

With an emphasis on sustainability and innovation, the ELIDZ is committed to minimising its environmental footprint through green technologies and sustainable practices. This includes promoting energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conservation within its facilities. The ELIDZ also supports the development and adoption of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy. Innovation is at the core of the ELIDZ’s strategy, with a focus on creating an ecosystem that fosters technological advancement and competitiveness.

The zone actively encourages research and development (R&D) initiatives, particularly in sectors like advanced manufacturing, ICT, and green technologies. Collaborating with academic institutions, industry partners, and government bodies, the ELIDZ drives innovation and ensures its infrastructure and services align with global best practices.

“Renowned for its commitment to green energy initiatives, the ELIDZ is recognised globally for fostering a sustainable future. Recently, it was awarded the title of the leading Eco-Park in the world by the Global Africa Eco-Parks under the UNIDO. This accolade highlights the ELIDZ's role as a beacon for Eco-Industrial Parks in South Africa and underscores its dedication to environmental stewardship and sustainable development,” Zweni avers.

In addition, digital transformation will enable the ELIDZ to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), helping the organisation retain critical business knowledge and enhance productivity and operational excellence. It will also ensure that their products and services are tailored to meet the needs and demands of clients and stakeholders.

Investment and growth

Given the slow recovery of investment in sectors where Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plays a crucial role, the demand-side stimulus effect of greenfield investments remains dampened, impacting productive capacity growth. To attract new investments to the ELIDZ, Zweni and his team have adopted a multifaceted approach, starting with a comprehensive review of their investment promotion strategy to streamline efforts.

He explains: “Our streamlined processes make it easy for investors to establish their projects, emphasising the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business here, which directly impacts their bottom line and long-term sustainability.

“Equally important is supporting and retaining our existing investors and tenants through tailored support programmes, regular feedback mechanisms, and continuous improvement initiatives.”

Investor uncertainty and risk aversion continue to exert significant downward pressure on global FDI flows to South Africa, particularly affecting the Eastern Cape. These external factors will likely subdue pipeline growth in both quantity and quality, delay the operationalisation of current pipeline investors, and impact on the ability of the ELIDZ to diversify tenant portfolio risk.

“To address these challenges, the ELIDZ will continue to engage with funders to assist investors in reaching financial close,” Zweni adds.

“We will also develop attractive investment opportunity profiles, including de-risking projects through various in-house incentives.”

The ELIDZ also supports the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing access to cutting-edge facilities, technical expertise, and training programmes. This approach not only enhances the region’s economic resilience, but also ensures that sustainability and innovation are integral to the long-term success of the Zone and its investors.

Risk management and adaptability

The ELIDZ manages risks and uncertainties through a structured approach, ensuring the organisation is prepared for various challenges. This includes scenario planning to anticipate market and environmental changes, allowing the ELIDZ to adapt its strategies as needed. By diversifying investments across sectors, the ELIDZ reduces the risk of over-reliance on any single industry, such as the automotive sector, which constitutes 52% of its investor portfolio.

“The organisation maintains strong relationships with stakeholders, including government bodies and industry partners, to stay informed and address risks collaboratively,” Zweni says.

“Additionally, the ELIDZ invests in infrastructure upgrades to enhance resilience, particularly against climate-related risks, and follows a formal risk management framework to regularly assess and mitigate potential risks.”

The ELIDZ employs a proactive strategy to remain competitive and attract investment. This includes regularly modernising their industrial infrastructure to enhance climate resilience and building strong partnerships with local and international businesses, ensuring alignment with international best practices.

In conclusion, Zweni states: “We focus on high-potential, export-oriented sectors with long-term sustainable growth prospects.

“In addition, we work closely with government agencies to ensure that policies and incentives are optimised for attracting and retaining investors.”

Women’s contributions have always been erased from history

As we mark the end of Women’s Month, let us accept that women’s contributions have always been erased from history, writes Bonang Mohale.

Since time immemorial, women have not just been left alone. Roman visitors in ancient Egypt often marvelled at how differently women lived. Roman Law only required a man to raise his first-born daughter and he could leave any others to die. To the Romans’ surprise, the Egyptians didn’t have a common practice of infanticide of unwanted girls. Women’s participation in the economy was another culture shock. Well before the Ptolemies took power, Egypt had expanded women’s legal rights. A woman could choose her husband and, if desired, divorce him and keep her dowry. Married, widowed, and divorced women were allowed to operate businesses and loan money. As much as a third of the economy in Ptolemaic Egypt belonged to women.

Men and women of equivalent social status were treated as equals in the eyes of the law. This meant that women could own, earn, buy, sell, and inherit property. They could live unprotected by male guardians and, if widowed or divorced, could raise their own children. They could bring cases before, and be punished by, the courts. And they were expected to deputise for an absent husband in matters of business. Everyone in ancient Egypt was expected to marry, with husbands and wives being allocated complementary but opposite roles within the marriage. The wife, the ‘mistress of the house’, was responsible for all internal, domestic matters. She raised the children and ran the household while her husband, the dominant partner in the marriage, played the external, wage-earning role. According to the ancient Egyptians, the entire universe was made up of masculine and feminine elements, maintained in a state of perfect balance by the goddess Maat. Her numerous fellow deities included a male earth god and female sky goddess. From queens to battle commanders, Queen Ahhotep I, Hatshepsut (c. 1479-1458 b.c–the sixth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, one of the few and by far the most successful women to rule Egypt as pharaoh.

Evidence of her remarkable reign did not begin to emerge until the 19th century. But by Winlock’s day, historians had crafted the few known facts of her life into a soap opera of deceit, lust, and revenge and Queen Cleopatra VII and others gave their all for ancient Egypt. The accomplishments of these female rulers run deep in history. Hatshepsut may have been keenly conscious of her exceptional place in history and aware that she might be forgotten or that her actions would be misunderstood.

Toward the end of her reign, she erected a second pair of obelisks at Karnak. On one the inscriptions reads: “Now my heart turns this way and that, as I think what the people will say–those who shall see my monuments in years to come and who shall speak of what I have done.”

Women warriors led their troops into battle, strategising and inspiring. At times, political and military leadership even belonged to women, who became strong, well-regarded female rulers. The world knows of almost 21 female pharaohs–it begins with the last pharaoh to rule an independent Egypt, Cleopatra VII, and ends with Meryt-Neith, who 5 000 years ago was probably one of the first women to rule.

Hatshepsut, Cleopatra VII, and Nefertiti being the most famous among them. The most revered in this modern era is Cleopatra the Great–both the one immortalised in Shakespeare's play and her identically named predecessors–has become virtually synonymous with the term ‘female pharaoh’ and yet Mark Antony's famous wife was merely the culmination of three millennia of lesser known women pharaohs who paved the way for their more famous successors.

All 12 people who walked on the moon were white men and part of the reason why NASA has not sent any women to the moon until now is likely down to good old-fashioned sexism and the undervaluing of women. But among the more than 400 000 people who made it possible, there were numerous unsung women, from computer engineers and mathematicians to secretaries and seamstresses.

Today, as America contemplates a return to the moon, there is resolve to ensure women are not in the background but are instead, the astronauts leading the way. Monday, 12 April 2021, marked the 60th anniversary of human spaceflight, or 60 years since the Soviet pilot and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to go to space. Following this moment in history, NASA launched the first American into space and in just a few short years, landed the first humans on the moon. Throughout NASA's Apollo programme, 12 different astronauts stepped out onto the lunar surface. In the agency's first decades, the astronaut profile was extremely rigid; most astronauts were test pilots in their 30s and all were white men. Fifty years after Apollo, like David Smith, we must all tell the stories of some of the women who helped put a man on the moon. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were prepared and in the right frame of mind to make history on the moon because of numerous unsung women–from computer engineers and mathematicians to secretaries and seamstresses.

In the late 1950s to mid 1960s when NASA hired the batches of astronauts who ended up going to the moon, there were simply no women test or military pilots simply because women would not become test pilots until much too late for Project Apollo. When NASA was organising for the Mercury missions, they did establish a women's astronaut corps, called First Lady Astronaut Trainees (FLAT), consisting of some truly talented women to this programme. The Mercury 13, as they were known, went through the same tests at Lovelace in New Mexico as the male astronauts did and they passed all the tests, precipitating the filming of the movie, ‘The Right Stuff’. All of the lady astronaut trainees for Mercury lobbied for a chance to be the first woman in space and some of them warned the USA Congress that if they did not send a woman into space, the Russians would do it first.

This turned out to be true, when in 1963 the Russians sent Valentina Tereshkova on a solo orbit mission around the Earth with her call sign as ‘Sea Gull’. The FLAT programme was eventually disbanded but gathered in 1995 to celebrate the launch of a Space Shuttle mission with the first female commander on board, Eileen Collins. These women were more than ready for space. The US space programme just wasn’t ready for them yet, but they blazed the trail for the women who followed, such as Sally Ride, Eileen Collins, Mae Jemison–the first black woman in space–and others.

Tereshkova’s flight was later documented in several books, including one she wrote recently. With a single flight, she logged more flight time than the combined times of all American astronauts who had flown before that date.

She had some nausea but still did 48 orbits, and unlike American astronauts, she had to bail out of her ‘Vostok 6’ capsule with a parachute on the way down which was standard procedure. After she landed, she had dinner with some local villagers and they helped her get out of her space suit. She is still a national hero in Russia today. Since then, the thin definition of what it means to be an astronaut has expanded, society as a whole has grown and, slowly, that astronaut profile has evolved to include a wider variety of qualified space explorers. Now, with NASA's latest crewed moon landing program Artemis, the agency aims to return humans to the lunar surface, this time including women.

This step comes over half a century into the agency’s history and, according to NASA's own astronauts, historians and the agency itself, landing a woman on the moon will not be the final or ultimate achievement for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in space–however, it is the next natural step.

I am looking forward with great anticipation to the day when we all are going to someday live in a world where it does not make the news that there is an all female spacewalk. That it does not make the news that a woman is finally walking on the moon. The reality is that gender inequality, amongst many other inequalities, exist in the world and throughout spaceflight. For these reasons, it is still important to highlight the success and accomplishments of women and marginalised groups in and STEM fields and spaceflight as this representation shows younger generations what is possible for not only them, but all of us.

Bonang Mohale is the Chancellor of the University of the Free State, former President of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), Professor of Practice at the Johannesburg Business School (JBS) in the College of Business and Economics, and Chairman of two listed entities.

The Freedom Park
for Africa and beyond

South Africa’s turbulent and traumatic past magically (think Madiba Magic!) evolved into a free and democratic society that is applauded the world over. Only fitting, then, that South Africa should play host to its own world-class Freedom Park, based in Pretoria.

Our vision really is to become an icon for humanity and freedom, and we do this to preserve and honour the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom that we enjoy today,” said Dr. Jane Mufamadi, CEO of the Freedom Park.

“Most of the work that we do here is focused on preserving this memory, but we also want to ensure that the background is relevant to present as well as future generations. Our slogan is ‘interpreting the past, reflecting in the present and imagining a future’, and that’s because we see a connection between the past, the present and the future, while we preserve the historical memories and the heritage of a country.”

The Park also runs a number of programs that serve to reflect the current challenges being experienced by South Africans. Situated on Salvokop in Pretoria on a stunning piece of land with wonderful landscape views, the Park offers dramatic and relaxing spaces for visitors to enjoy during their time at Freedom Park. The Park has also made a major effort to be part of the digital world.

“We have created a program called the discussion forum within our website, where there is a section where anyone can raise a question or a topic and get people to discuss in terms of our history, our heritage, and where we are as South Africans. Our tour guides don’t just lead you around the precinct… they are storytellers, and this is important because storytelling is a participatory process. There are no spectators. We're all part of the story being shared.”

The museum section is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to aid in the storytelling, with touch screens to encourage interactivity and touch, which is what Dr Mufamadi highlights as being so important to drawing young people into the story and the narrative.

“The children love it a lot, but we are also always looking to engage with our elders, and we recently had a dialog where we reflected on various issues and we allowed the elders to state their view first, after which the young people also shared their views and perspectives. It created a wonderful intergenerational mix and experience.

“If an elder comes and as they walk around, they want to share their experiences and add value to the story, we have a recording booth where we engage with them. So it really is a living museum, a living memorial, where we keep on adding, improving on the story and the content.”

The museum celebrates South Africa’s heritage and serves as a centre of knowledge aimed at deepening the understanding of the nation, including a memorial decorated with a list of the names of individuals killed in the South African Wars, World War I, World War II as well as during the turbulent years of apartheid conflict. There are also numerous long and short videos that visitors can enjoy and learn from, including documentaries, short films, short stories and even some animations, all of which have been created at the Park from their vast research archives.

“When we conceptualised Freedom Park, our aim was that the content must inform the container… the content being the storyline, but the container being the story itself. If you look at our museum design, it symbolizes a big boulder or a big rock and it's actually one of the biggest copper buildings in Africa, and there was a deliberate effort into design it in such a way that, with time, it will rust and blend in with the environment.”

There are large open spaces to enjoy, from the Memorial building to the Wall of Names, the Garden of Remembrance. The Park caters beautifully for anyone who loves the indoors as well as for people who love the outdoors, and its garden spaces features uniquely South African and indigenous fauna and flora.

“There is a project that we are working on now which we are going to launch in a big way shortly. It's our Pan African archives, which are dialogic and digital. These are digital archives where we are archiving and documenting information related to the resistance and liberation heritage, including, obviously our culture and spiritual diversity. We already have some of the full and complete collections that we are going to launch as part of launching the Pan African archives.

“We are very excited about that, and we are part of the University of California's digital ephemera project, which is also digitising and putting the stories into a larger platform for the consumption of larger audiences.”

The Park will also soon be launching their Gala of Leaders, which will honour more than 14 national, continental and international leaders.

“These are leaders who inspired our understanding and the concept of Freedom and humanity, whom we feel have influenced the liberation struggle and the Freedom that we have through their support, but also through the works they did within their own countries that inspired many South Africans to keep on fighting.”

At present 76% of visitors to the Park are local, while the rest are spread across an international audience, but the largest number of post-covid of international visitors have been from the USA and Germany, overtaking China, which had earlier drawn the greatest amount of foreign interest.

“One critical issue, of course, is the evolving nature of technology, and we will keep on improving to ensure that, as technology advances, we also move with the time in order to reach the wider audience. As the same time, we understand the important of continuing to evolve in terms of the dialogs. We want Freedom Park to be the lesson point. We want the leadership of that time to come to Freedom Park to learn about how we went about resolving our conflicts, eventually starting with conflict and armed struggle, but eventually using dialog as a tool for resolving our conflict.

“We would love Freedom Park to become a reference point, and that makes it relevant across generations, but we have also launched what we call Community Engagements. We want Freedom Park to be the center of communities. We want to take Freedom Park to the people, because we realise that not everybody will be able to visit. While it is our dream that at least South Africans, once in their lifetime, should visit Freedom Park, but where that is impossible, we want to take Freedom Park to the people.”

Their plan is to have a mobile exhibition that can be taken to communities, and Dr. Mufamadi and her team are working with religious communities as well as schools and traditional leaders.

“Traditional leaders are the custodians of our heritage and culture, and we believe they need to be part of the sustenance of Freedom Park,” adds Dr. Mufamadi, who has been involved with the Park since its earliest days as the Head of Heritage and Knowledge Department, which was then all the museum’s exhibitions were first conceptualised.

“I feel proud that we have managed to make Freedom Park a centre for dialog, where, through emphasis, of various government institutions, communities, and traditional leaderships, they will be able to utilise Freedom Park as their home, because this is what we should be about. Anyone should look at Freedom Park and identify with it. And we're beginning to see the fruits of that investment."

Honouring Steve Biko: a reflection on legacy and commitment during heritage month

As September unfolds, we find ourselves at the intersection of two pivotal celebrations: Biko Month and Heritage Month. This dual recognition offers a profound opportunity to honour the enduring legacy of Steve Biko and to reflect on our heritage as a nation and as individuals, writes Linda Tom.

As a young black businesswoman dedicated to carrying forward the values Steve Biko championed, I am inspired to explore how his vision continues to resonate in our lives and work.

Biko, a visionary leader and staunch advocate for black consciousness and empowerment, remains a monumental figure in our history. His unyielding commitment to social justice and equality laid the groundwork for the freedom and opportunities we enjoy today. As we commemorate his life and contributions, we are reminded of his call for a more inclusive and equitable society–principles that guide us as we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.

September also marks Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich tapestry of South Africa's cultural and historical legacy. This month is not only a tribute to our diverse heritage, but also a call to action to ensure that the values and achievements of our past continue to shape our future. In this spirit, we reflect on how Biko's ideals of self-determination and empowerment are vital to our journey.

The Xhosa/Zulu phrase, ‘Ma kube njalo Kude kube Ngunaphakade’–which translates to ‘May it be so, until it is forever’–encapsulates our commitment to Biko's vision. It is a reminder that our dedication to his principles should be steadfast and enduring. Biko's message of resilience and self-reliance serves as a beacon for us as we strive to make a lasting impact in our respective fields.

As a young black businesswoman, I am deeply committed to ensuring that Biko's ideals are not merely remembered but actively lived. This involves embracing opportunities for growth and transformation, particularly in sectors that drive economic development and social progress. By aligning our efforts with Biko's vision, we contribute to a legacy that supports not only our success, but also the broader advancement of our communities.

In this month of reflection and celebration, let us honour Steve Biko by embracing his vision with unwavering resolve. As we celebrate our heritage and the enduring impact of Biko's legacy, let us commit to carrying forward his ideals with dedication and purpose. May our efforts be a testament to the values he championed, and may we continue to strive for a future where these ideals are realised in every aspect of our lives.

Linda Tom is the BBQ Awards Project Manager.

SA Tourism: sustainability key to the sector

Celebrating South Africa's stature as a leading Sustainable Tourism destination that offers incredible cultural diversity and natural beauty, along with a unique heritage and warm people, South African Tourism is proud to present Setšong Africa Tea Crafters, one of South Africa’s many extraordinary offerings that highlight people and places that tourists can enjoy in a truly sustainable manner.

In South Africa, the integration of sustainable practices into the tourism industry is a testament to this belief. The World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report consistently ranks South Africa among the top countries for tourism competitiveness. This ranking is influenced by the genuine warmth and welcoming attitude of the South African people towards foreign visitors, a trait that enhances the allure of this beautiful nation.

Community-based ecotourism: empowering and preserving

At the core of South Africa’s sustainability efforts lies community-based ecotourism. This approach empowers local communities, allowing them to benefit from tourism while safeguarding their cultural and natural heritage. Community-owned businesses in South Africa exemplify the transformative power of tourism in uplifting and empowering communities. By integrating local populations into the tourism industry, these businesses ensure that the economic benefits are shared equitably among community members. This model also fosters a sense of pride and responsibility among residents, encouraging them to actively participate in the sustainable management of their resources.

One shining example is the Setšong Tea Crafters, an award-winning agri-business located in the rural areas of Limpopo. Setšong, meaning ‘culture’ in Sepedi, is a vehicle for the development of natural indigenous flora. This enterprise collaborates with rural cooperatives, developed by Siyaphila Youth Support Services, to stimulate the economy and promote sustainable practices. Setšong’s operations are deeply intertwined with the cultural narratives of the Bapedi people in Limpopo, reflecting a harmonious blend of culture, community, and nature.

Setšong tea crafters: a model of female empowerment and sustainability

Setšong tea crafters is a female-run and owned business, highlighting the importance of female empowerment in the tourism industry. At its heart, Setšong is a community-run business that celebrates indigenous knowledge systems, honors South Africa’s unique biodiversity, and focuses on the healing power of nature. The enterprise produces eight artisanal tea blends, each a handcrafted infusion that highlights the indigenous African flora found in the natural landscapes of Limpopo.

Setšong’s commitment to sustainability and innovation has earned it several accolades, including:

• • Most Progressive SMME by Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce–Global Business Accelerator
  
• • Bio-Entrepreneur of the Year by AfricBio
  
• • Top Female Run Enterprise at the SA Innovation Summit–SEDA Pitch and Perfect Competition
  
• • 2nd Runner Up in Agro-processing at the Eskom Business Investment Competition
  
• • Food Lover’s Market Seeds of Change Winner 2022
  

These awards reflect Setšong’s inclusive business model and its dedication to sustainable practices. By empowering women and promoting cultural and natural heritage, Setšong Tea Crafters is not only a successful business but also a beacon of sustainable tourism in South Africa.

Sustainable agriculture and
farm stays: embracing the
bounty of the land

In addition to community-based ecotourism, sustainable agriculture and farm stays are gaining popularity in South Africa. These initiatives allow visitors to engage with local farming practices, learn about sustainable agriculture, and experience rural life firsthand. Sustainable agriculture practices, such as regenerative farming and permaculture, are being adopted by South African farmers to enhance soil health, promote biodiversity, and reduce the environmental impact of farming.

Farm stays offer tourists a unique opportunity to connect with nature, learn about sustainable farming, and enjoy locally produced food.

Visitors can participate in activities such as planting, harvesting, and cooking, gaining a deeper understanding of the agricultural process and the importance of sustainable practices. These experiences not only provide economic benefits to the local communities but also educate visitors about the significance of sustainable living.

Charting the course for
sustainable tourism in south africa

As South Africa continues to chart the course for sustainable tourism, the focus remains on the people as the greatest asset. By prioritizing their well-being, preserving their heritage, and protecting the natural environment, South Africa ensures that tourism remains a force for good in the country for generations to come. This requires a collaborative approach involving government bodies, tourism operators, community leaders, and travelers.

Government and policy initiatives

Government policies and regulations are crucial in promoting sustainable tourism practices. By setting standards for environmental protection, labor rights, and community involvement, the government provides a framework that supports sustainable tourism development. Initiatives such as the National Tourism Sector Strategy and the Responsible Tourism Guidelines offer a roadmap for sustainable tourism in South Africa, emphasizing community participation, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.

The Role of tourism operators

Tourism operators, including hotels, tour companies, and transportation providers, also play a significant role in promoting sustainability. By adopting eco-friendly practices, supporting local communities, and educating visitors about responsible tourism, these operators contribute to the overall sustainability of the industry. Many operators in South Africa are already leading the way by using renewable energy sources, reducing waste, supporting local artisans, and promoting cultural heritage.

Empowering informed travelers

Travelers themselves have a responsibility to make sustainable choices. By choosing eco-friendly accommodations, supporting local businesses, and respecting the cultural and natural heritage of the destinations they visit, travelers can contribute to the sustainability of the tourism industry. Educational campaigns and awareness-raising initiatives can inform travelers about the importance of sustainable tourism and encourage them to make responsible choices.

Conclusion

Sustainable tourism in South Africa is not just about preserving the natural and cultural heritage; it is about empowering people and creating a better future for all. By focusing on community-based ecotourism, sustainable agriculture, and the well-being of the people, South Africa ensures that tourism remains a positive force in the country for generations to come. Together, we can chart a course for a sustainable tourism industry that benefits everyone, making South Africa a leading example of sustainable tourism in action.

From the Tech-Space to beauty and cosmetics entrepreneur

Thabo Kwakwa’s opulent taste in scent enthused the birth of TLK Oud Boutique, writes Rethabile Botsane.

The Festive Season in South Africa is one of the most exciting times, particularly for children due to the potential for new clothes, hairstyles, and family gatherings.

However, for 16-year-old Thabo Kwakwa, he went a different route. He opted for perfumes over what was a tradition in his household. “One day while we were out shopping for Christmas clothes with my parents, I asked them to buy me perfume instead of clothes like they normally would.” Little did he know that he would establish a fast growing fragrance business.

From IT to entrepreneurship

Kwakwa has always loved the technology space, because of its continuous evolvement. “I love the fact that the IT world is innovative and forever developing, hence I pursued it,” he said. He holds a qualification in IT from the Central University of the Free State. During his studies, Thabo was among the lucky students who went to Germany on a six-month student exchange programme to further ripen his career in the IT sector. A day tour in Paris, France awarded him an opportunity to explore the perfume museum, and that ignited his passion for the perfume industry. “If I did not visit the Parisian perfume museum, I think I would still be buying perfumes and not producing the finest ones as I am,” he explained. Following his return to South Africa, he quickly landed a job in the IT sector. He gradually revolutionised his Paris experience to learn more about fragrances and sales, and said that he is glad to have done so.“I strongly believe that it is one powerful skill for one to acquire, because if you know how to sell, how can you go to bed on an empty stomach?”

A nosey business

Kwakwa certainly leveraged his education and overseas experience to launch TLK Oud Boutique–a range that supplies South Africa with premium fragrances. TLK currently offers a range of 50 highly concentrated, exclusive scents that are available either as perfumes or diffusers. “Scent plays a vital role in memory, hence I often create fragrances that are motivated by my past adventures.”

Creating employment

With the country’s crippled economy, where many are hungry for employment, Kwakwa took an unfashionable decision and resigned from his tech job to give full attention to his rising business to make it lucrative, and create employment for the youth. South Africa’s unemployment rate is sitting at 33.5% in Q2 of 2024, according to Business Tech. However, to help combat unemployment, TLK Oud Boutique has created employment for more than 400 people across South Africa, through a distribution system. “The distribution channel is not to make people millionaires, but it is rather to help them with their basic need such as groceries, electricity, your Wi-Fi, just things that you’ll need to top up during the month,” said Kwakwa.

TLK to the world

The vibrant founder said that his software development background helped him understand how pivotal technology is in promoting business.

“I was taught to understand how a computer thinks as a programmer, which ultimately teaches one to also understand how the next person feels and provide a solution for them.” As much as technology has made life easier for everyone, Kwakwa said it is equally important for his clients to know the face behind the brand in order to build trust. “I am on social media, but I also do mall displays, events, and fairs, so that my clients can get to know that I am legitimate,” he said.

Thabo uses oils imported from UAE and France to create the luxurious oud scents. He admitted that the fragrance industry in SA is challenging, however, that has not deterred him from his dream of going international one day. “I always ignore the noise and focus on my vision. I am grateful to everyone who supported my business, I wouldn't be here without you,” he concluded.

Rethabile Botsane is a freelance journalist.

Redefine your business loss towards a trajectory of greater heights

Life, as we know it, is cyclical by nature. As such, so are the various facets that encapsulate it, of which any business is no exception.

Whether you are joining a new business, or are part of an existing one, it is critical to understand your business’ life cycle phase as it can significantly shape your performance, regardless of the ambitious goals that may have been predefined.

While none of these phases can be avoided, it is vital for your business to establish strategies for each phase to help ensure a healthy sense of longevity for all stakeholders.

Tebogo Moraka, Founder of Home Of Nula™–a wellness e-commerce platform that brings together a variety of home-grown wellness brands to consumers who seek convenient shopping solutions in their wellness journey – shares how her entrepreneurial experience of working with businesses across all life cycle phases has prepared her for her current role of running the digital retail business. Moraka highlights that while profit is the goal for all businesses, it is evermore essential to have strategies in place for periods of loss, regardless of whether they are anticipated or not.

She states that having such strategies entails asking questions like what the core drivers of value are? How reliable or vulnerable are these drivers? How can both costs and revenue be optimised sustainably? Which contributing factors are fixed or variable?

How best can these elements be aligned into a business model that all relevant stakeholders can support?

Loss, when loosely defined, refers to the coming to an end. In your business, however, it can be an invitation to transform into a new direction. Such was the case for Moraka when she realised that the businesses that performed well within her portfolio of investments, were unintentionally centred around wellness in one way or another yet, as independent businesses, it was increasingly becoming a challenge from a marketing perspective to compete for the same consumer’s limited attention on separate budgets. Her next task was then to strategically consolidate this common challenge experienced by many other local wellness brands in a manner that made business sense due to the similar goal that these individual businesses had around solidifying their place in the market. That is how Home Of Nula™ then came about.

Having observed how saturated the consumer market is – with only a few large retailers at the helm, it was cleverly identified how local wellness brands needed to find new ways of penetrating the market that did not further spread the consumers’ already limited attention span.

Moraka further emphasises that the environment within which your business operates ought to be continuously managed and accommodated for. This is to help minimize loss, given how one’s environment contributes substantially to overall performance.

Some insights learnt from Moraka’s experience and current journey with Home Of Nula™

1. 1. The market’s response is where the key to your success lies.
   

Every business begins with an idea, driven by the perceived market dynamics. However, we all know of businesses that did not last long enough to enjoy enduring success, despite their promising intentions. Investing in reliable and ongoing market monitoring efforts, as well as responding timeously to new consumer insights is crucial in highly competitive markets. What this further highlights is the need for a healthy dose of flexibility to achieve this. Moraka’s genesis skincare brand, Nula Skincare™, as well as her eco-friendly computer accessories brand, BamBoost® both taught her the importance of not being too attached to just one approach to growth and that employing a collaborative approach in your decision-making journey is a competitor-proof marketing strategy that is worth employing. After realising that both brands could be housed together given the similarities in their customer profiles, the benefits were that consumers gained more benefit from a search and shopping convenience, whilst internally, the distribution and marketing costs could be streamlined and better optimised.

1. 2. Contingency planning is for all businesses, big and small.
   

Due to the prominence of unpredictability in how business continues to be done, a contingency plan is no longer just useful for institutional financing. Instead, it is helpful to have it being regularly referred to and updated for the management of your business. The financial provision for such plans is also no longer just the responsibility of your business insurance provider as we can never be totally certain how long a period of loss may be. For Home Of Nula™ , it has been highly useful to have independent eyes contributing to such a plan to better prepare for potential blind spots – case in point being when one of the suppliers was behind with their supply of stock that had been ordered by a customer. This was curbed by establishing a minimum stock order level for every product category and ordering this minimum stock with cash and not consignment.

1. 3. Governance practice is far more useful outside of the boardroom.
   

Managing the operations of your business optimally at all times requires a holistic approach where all facets of your business are kept in alignment not just from a strategic perspective, but a tactical one too. This has proven to fast-track recovery periods at Home Of Nula™ , most notably in the performance management of the marketing team where deviations from the shared strategy were promptly addressed and corrected before they could severely affect upcoming campaign launches and financial commitments that had already made.

1. 4. Investing in reliable accountability partners for your entire value chain as a cost saving strategy.
   

While it is essential to have financial reports and legal records for managing expectations with various bodies, it is in your business’ best interest to have accountability partners for all your initiatives to avoid being deterred by potential blind spots. For Home Of Nula™, establishing an independent advisory board has made all the difference during periods of loss and vulnerabilities. Ultimately, with the right strategy, your initial loss may lead you to considerable gains.

The woman who
scaled the corporate ladder with passion

Seth Thorne profiles the rise of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, who now leads one of South Africa’s most valuable companies.

Naspers South Africa chief executive officer Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa has cemented herself as one of South Africa’s most successful businesspeople.

Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s aim of driving economic development and empowering African businesses earned her recognition as one of Africa’s most powerful women in business by Forbes; but that title did not come easily.

Mahanyele-Dabengwa was born in 1971 in Meadowlands, Soweto. Because her parents moved around a lot, she grew up in Claremont, Durban, Maseru, Lesotho, and Dobsonville, Soweto. She attended primary school in Maseru, and when her family returned to Johannesburg, she completed her schooling at McAuley House Convent in Milpark.

“When I arrived at McAuley House, I barely knew how to speak English, and my school friends, whom I had to fit in with, lived in a world that was really foreign to me,” Mahanyele-Dabengwa recalled in an interview with Women’s Report.

“My school friends used to invite me to birthday parties at venues that didn’t accept black people back then, so arrangements had to be made for me to be there [and] every day when I went home to Soweto, my reality was very clear to me, that my life was very different to that of my school friends,” she added.

In a 2013 interview with Moneyweb, Mahanyele-Dabengwa spoke of her parents’ commitment to her and her sister having the best education possible and how inspired she was by her parents’ story.

“I saw what education did for my parents. My dad studied when he was much older… I watched him do his BA in economics, his Master’s and, finally, his doctorate. Seeing my parents’ activity birthed in me many thoughts of my capabilities–the capability to achieve,” she said.

At 17, while still in matric, Mahanyele-Dabengwa faced what she describes as one of her biggest challenges–the passing of her mother. She said that taught her not to waste time or take it for granted. Shortly thereafter, she started her university life at Douglass College at Rutgers University in the United States. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1993 and, in 1996, earned an MBA from De Montfort University.

“Living by myself in a country I’d never been to was a challenge, but I worked very hard and, having watched my parents, I never focused on staying in challenges, I always looked for opportunities,” said Mahanyele-Dabengwa.

She began her career at international investment banking firm Fieldstone Private Capital Group in New York in 1993 and worked her way up to being Vice President (1997 to 2003). She then transferred to the firm’s South Africa office and became Head of Project Finance South Africa at the Development Bank of Southern Africa. In 2004, Mahanyele-Dabengwa joined Shanduka Energy as managing director.

In 2007, the World Economic Forum selected her as one of its global young leaders, and, in 2008, The Wall Street Journal named her “one of the top 50 women in the world to watch”.

Ramaphosa’s billions and the move to Naspers

Mahanyele-Dabengwa ultimately ascended to become chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shanduka Group, an investment holding company founded and chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The group was founded in 2001 by Ramaphosa–then sitting outside of politics and firmly in his business era.

The company invested in mineral resources, energy, real estate, banking, insurance, and telecoms. By 2014, Shanduka was reportedly worth more than R20 billion, and the Ramaphosa family’s Tshivhase Trust was its majority shareholder. After holding the top position at Shanduka for over 11 years, Mahanyele-Dabengwa resigned from the company in 2015–the year Ramaphosa sold off his shareholding to the Phembani Group, and the two firms merged. She then co-founded Sigma Capital, another investment holding company, serving as executive chairperson for several years.

In 2019, Mahanyele-Dabengwa made history by becoming the first black and female CEO of Naspers South Africa, one of the largest multinational media and technology companies in the world and largest in South Africa (in rands terms).

Naspers was founded in 1915 (formerly De Nasionale Pers Beperkt) and became the most valuable South African company with a current market cap of nearly R654 billion (majority of which comes from its stake in Chinese technology firm Tencent, the biggest video game company in the world and owner of WeChat).

Although it still has interests in media (it wholly owns Media24), it has transitioned to become a multinational technology company diversifying its assets through various investments.

In South Africa, it is most notably the owner of Takealot, South Africa’s biggest eCommerce player. It also owns among others Mr D Food, Superbalist, PayU AutoTrader, and Property24.

In addition, she has served on several boards, including those of Vodacom, Gold Fields, the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, and Comair. Speaking to young entrepreneurs and businesspeople, Mahanyele-Dabengwa said “the advice that I would share, that I certainly got from my parents, is that we are each placed in this world for a purpose”.

“So, despite what anyone might do or say, if you focus on achieving the purpose that is in your heart, you can achieve almost anything.”

“Focus as much as you can on skilling yourself,” whether it is trying to get the best possible marks at school or learn as many skills as possible in a job, your success is going to be determined by what you put in,” she added.

“But most of all, just live your purpose – that is the goal for all of us. I think we all come across challenges in different forms in our lives, but the issue is to be able to continue to become the person you were brought into this world to be, despite the challenges.”

This article originally appeared on BusinessTech and is published with permission.

Seth Thorne is a Junior Journalist at BusinessTech.

Celebrating resilience and innovation

InvesTong Group finished as a 2nd
Runner-Up for the “Best Established Black Business Award” at the 2024 BBQ Awards.

A Testament to Commitment and Transformation

InvesTong Group, a prominent investment holding firm founded by visionary entrepreneur Dr Danny Tong, has recently achieved a remarkable milestone by being recognized as a 2nd runner-up for the “Best Established Black Business Award” at the 20th BBQ Awards. This accolade highlights the company’s unwavering commitment to resilience and innovation, as well as its dedication to excellence in the business landscape.

As a 100% black-owned entity based in Johannesburg, South Africa, InvesTong Group has evolved since its inception in 2006 into a multifaceted organization operating across several industries, including construction, infrastructure development, facilities management, property, mining, and manufacturing.

The company’s ethos revolves around delivering high-quality services while fostering community empowerment and economic development. Being the chairman of InvesTong Group, his focus is to drive strategy and chart the vision of the business in growing it into other parts of Africa with a mission to create jobs and alleviate poverty for an African Child. Additionally, his vision is to have InvesTong Group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in the next 36 months, which he calls "Vision2027". His passion also lies in empowering disadvantaged young people within rural villages in education, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Participating in the BBQ Awards offers unparalleled exposure, significantly boosting a company's credibility and unlocking new opportunities for growth and collaboration. This recognition can draw in investors, stakeholders, and potential clients who value excellence and community involvement. The story of InvesTong Group serves as a powerful example of how unwavering dedication to quality and innovation can lead to substantial success in a competitive environment.

Spotlight on BoTong Civils

One of the standout divisions under the InvesTong Group umbrella is BoTong Civils, established in 2016 to deliver medium and large-sized infrastructural projects. BoTong Civils has quickly ascended to become one of the leading South African construction companies, specializing in civil engineering, roadworks, electrical and mechanical works. With over 100 years of combined skills and industry experience, BoTong Civils is committed to delivering high-quality projects while promoting transparency and innovation. Under Dr Tong’s leadership, BoTong Civils has set new standards for excellence in the construction industry. The company’s focus on quality, safety, and community impact has earned it the trust of industry stakeholders. This commitment to excellence is not just about completing projects; it’s about making a positive impact on the communities in which they operate.

The Visionary Leadership of Dr. Danny Tong

Dr Danny Tong’s journey from humble beginnings in Taung, North-West, to becoming a successful businessman is a testament to resilience and determination. His early exposure to informal businesses run by his parents ignited his passion for sales and entrepreneurship. After completing his education, Dr. Tong joined City Year South Africa, where he gained invaluable leadership experience that shaped his vision for entrepreneurship. Dr Tong's educational background, which includes an MBA from the prestigious African Leadership University School of Business in Rwanda and ongoing doctoral studies focused on brand position for emerging construction companies, underscores his dedication to personal and professional development.

Recently, Dr Tong was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the esteemed International University of Information Management (IUIM). This prestigious recognition, conferred on August 24, 2024, during a ceremony at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria, celebrates his remarkable achievements and significant contributions to his field. This honour from IUIM solidifies Dr. Tong's position as a leader in his industry, dedicated to making a lasting impact through innovation and excellence.

Conclusion

InvesTong Group’s journey, under the leadership of Dr. Danny Tong, exemplifies resilience, innovation, and a commitment to community empowerment. The recognition as a runner-up in the BBQ Awards is more than just an accolade; it reflects the company’s dedication to excellence and transformation. As InvesTong continues to expand its operations and explore new markets, such recognitions will play a pivotal role in shaping its future success. Through strategic growth and a focus on innovation, InvesTong Group is well-positioned to become a leading entity in the African business landscape, inspiring others along the way. The journey of InvesTong Group is a compelling narrative that showcases the power of resilience, commitment, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in driving meaningful change within communities and industries alike.

His leadership philosophy prioritizes collaboration and empowerment, particularly in promoting women in leadership roles within the organization. This approach not only fosters a positive workplace culture but also drives the company’s growth and innovation.

A night of excellence: celebrating the 2024 BBQ Awards and honouring those who inspire transformation

Linda Tom reflects on the resounding success of the 2024 BBQ Awards.

It is with immense pride and gratitude that I reflect on the resounding success of the 2024 BBQ Awards. This year’s event was not just a celebration of 20 years of transformation excellence, but a vivid reminder of the power of unity, perseverance, and the boundless potential of black business in South Africa. The BBQ Awards have always stood as a beacon of black excellence, recognising remarkable individuals and organisations that continue to push the envelope across industries. As the host of this prestigious event, I am deeply honoured to have witnessed firsthand the passion and drive of those who inspire us to strive for greatness. These awards represent more than recognition–they are a testament to our progress and a roadmap to the future we are determined to build.

Congratulations to Our Winners: Champions of Transformation and Innovation

This year’s award recipients have set new benchmarks for what it means to be a transformative force in South Africa. Each winner has demonstrated resilience, ingenuity, and an unwavering commitment to driving change within their respective industries:

• • HER WINE: Community Builder of the Year Award – Coega
  
• • University of Mpumalanga: Young Business Achiever Award – Portia Mngomezulu
  
• • Digital Transformation Award – Take Note IT
  
• • National Youth Development Agency: New Entrepreneur Award – Sakuya Sililo
  
• • Industrial Development Corporation: Businesswoman of the Year Award – Thoko Tshabalala-Shandu
  
• • Daybreak Farms: Disability Empowerment Award – Kgomano
  
• • Mercedes-Benz: New and Innovative Business Award – Young Women in Business Network
  
• • Best Established Black Business Award – GEMS
  
• • Bonitas Medical Fund: Transformation Champion Award – Nedbank
  
• • Siyanda Resources: Businessman of the Year Award – Richard Manzini
  
• • The Reclamation Group: Public Sector Visionary Award – Prof. Thoko Mayekiso
  

Each of these winners not only excelled in their fields but contributed to the broader narrative of transformation and empowerment. Their achievements remind us of how far we've come and how much further we can go. They’ve proven that black excellence is about not just surviving, but thriving in an increasingly competitive and demanding economic landscape.

A Special Thanks to Our Esteemed Dignitaries
and Guest Speakers

No event of this magnitude would be complete without the presence and support of esteemed dignitaries and guest speakers who show unwavering dedication to transformation in South Africa.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s commitment to driving economic growth and transformation continues to inspire all of us working towards a more equitable future. His words reinforced our shared vision of inclusivity, innovation, and black excellence. Premier Panyaza Lesufi has been a steadfast advocate for economic and social transformation, and it was an honour to have him join us. His leadership in education, youth empowerment, and business development remains a source of encouragement for all aspiring entrepreneurs. We were also privileged to have Deputy Ministers Steve Letsike and Mondli Gungubele in attendance. Their contributions to advancing economic policies and fostering growth have had a tangible impact on many South Africans. Commissioner Tshediso Matona’s insights into economic regulation and transformation further empowered us as we work to create sustainable growth.

A Shout-Out to Somizi: The Host with the Most

A true force of nature and a master of ceremonies like no other, Somizi lit up the evening with his infectious energy, humour, and charisma. He made the BBQ Awards an unforgettable experience. Somizi, your ability to unite a diverse audience with your warmth and lightheartedness is truly a gift. Thank you for making the celebration of transformation a joyful and memorable occasion.

Acknowledging Our Sponsors: Partners in Transformation

The BBQ Awards are possible thanks to the extraordinary achievements of our winners and the generosity of our sponsors. To our valued sponsors–University of Mpumalanga, Siyanda Resources, National Youth Development Agency, Daybreak Farms, Bonitas Medical Fund, Mercedes-Benz, HER WINE, The Reclamation Group, and the Industrial Development Corporation–thank you for believing in the vision of transformation and backing it with your resources. Your contributions are investments in the future of black business and the next generation of leaders and innovators. Sponsorship is about more than putting your name behind an event; it is about standing behind a cause. Each of you has helped create opportunities, inspire action, and drive meaningful change in our society.

A Personal Thank You: Nagamso, I Am Forever Grateful

To all my personal supporters, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your unwavering belief in me, your encouragement, and your support have made all the difference. Success is built on a foundation of a strong support system, and I am fortunate to have one that is unwavering. To my mentors, colleagues, friends, and family who have been there through thick and thin, I honour you for the role you have played in my growth and success.

The Attendees: The Heartbeat of the BBQ Awards

To the hundreds of attendees who graced the BBQ Awards–thank you for making this event what it was. Your participation is the heartbeat of the event, and it is for you that we continue to put together this platform for recognition, inspiration, and connection. The BBQ Awards are not only about celebrating those who have reached the pinnacle of success, but also about fostering a sense of community, collaboration, and shared purpose.

Transformation as a Continuous Journey

The theme of transformation resonates deeply with me and is at the core of everything the BBQ Awards stand for. As we celebrate the successes of the past 20 years, I am reminded that transformation is not a destination; it is an ongoing journey requiring continuous effort, innovation, and shared commitment. We must foster an environment where black businesses can thrive and where innovation is encouraged. This is how we build a future where transformation is not just a goal, but a reality for all.

A Night to Remember, a Future to Build

The 2024 BBQ Awards were a celebration of excellence, a recognition of the incredible strides black businesses have made, and a reminder of the work ahead. I leave this event inspired, rejuvenated, and more determined to contribute to South Africa's ongoing transformation story. To our winners, sponsors, dignitaries, attendees, and personal supporters–thank you. Together, we are shaping not just the future of black business but the future of South Africa.

Linda Tom is the BBQ Awards Project Manager.

Upskilling South Africa... one thread at a time

The Fibre Processing and Manufacturing SETA's
(FP&M SETA) CEO, Dr Felleng Yende, is on a mission to ensure that South Africans are given the chance to secure a bright future for both themselves and their country.

The Fibre Processing and Manufacturing SETA (FP&M SETA), which was established on 1 April 2011 by Professor Blade Nzimande, then the Minister of Higher Education and Training, is mandated to provide skills development services to the clothing, textiles, footwear, publishing, forestry, furniture, packaging, general goods, leather, printing, print media, pulp and paper, and wood products sectors.

Additionally, the FP&M SETA is required to drive the objectives of the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP). This entails ensuring that employed and unemployed South Africans obtain the critical or scarce skills needed to grow the capacity of the various sectors, in order to become economically sustainable and globally relevant.

At the time of the establishment of the FP&M SETA, the South African government identified the manufacturing sector as key, given the advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). This remains the case to his day.

According to the FP&M SETA, 'The intention behind clustering the FP&M SETA industries under a single SETA was to improve the value chain linkages between the industries. The value chain approach will be of particular benefit to the FP&M sector when design expertise is partnered with these industries to enhance their economic performance. There is a drive towards lean manufacturing, world class manufacturing, just-in-time delivery, and quick response structures, as well as the skills needed to align companies to the demand of these structures.'

Driving the mandate and strategy of the FP&M SETA is Dr Felleng Yende, who has been the Chief Executive Officer of the entity taking the reins in May 2023, together with her comitted team.

Dr Yende, who holds a PhD in Public Sector Leadership and 4IR, believes that under her leadership, the FP&M SETA has made significant strides in aligning their training and development programmes with industry needs, leading to an increase in the number of qualified professionals in the fibre, processing, and manufacturing sectors.

She explains: "We have also focused on enhancing the accessibility of our programmes, ensuring that previously marginalised communities, particularly in rural and township areas, have the opportunity to benefit from our initiatives.

"Another notable achievement is the strengthening of our partnerships with industry stakeholders, which has allowed us to create more impactful and sustainable skills development initiatives."

A key facet of the work of the FP&M SETA is driving transformation, particularly in the promotion of Black Excellence. Dr Yende avers that the entity is committed to promoting transformation within the sectors they serve, having implemented targeted programmes aimed at empowering black entrepreneurs and professionals. This has provided those participants with the necessary skills, mentorship, and access to opportunities to thrive in their respective fields. "We also prioritise funding for training programmes that focus on developing black talent, ensuring that they are equipped to take on leadership roles within the industry," she adds.

Economic contribution and adapting to change

While it is plain to see that the FP&M SETA has made major strides within the sectors in which they support, the big question is whether they are able to contribute to the broader economic growth and development of South Africa, especially in these challenging economic times. Dr Yende says, with confidence, that the entity plays a crucial role in driving holistic economic growth by addressing the skills shortages in the sectors which they serve.

"By equipping individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge, we enhance their employability and entrepreneurial potential, which in turn stimulates economic activity and job creation," she says.

"Our programmes are designed to be responsive to the needs of the economy, particularly in sectors that are poised for growth, ensuring that our contributions have a meaningful and lasting impact on South Africa's economic development."

As the world is rapidly evolving with technological advancements and shifting market demands, the FP&M SETA has had to adapt its training programmes to meet these changes.

The importance of this has not been lost on the FP&M SETA, with the need to stay ahead of the various technological advancements and market trends a big focus for Dr Yende and her team of experts.

"The FP&M SETA has introduced several initiatives to incorporate digital skills and advanced manufacturing techniques into our training programmes. We are also investing in research and development to continuously update our curricula, ensuring alignment with the latest industry standards. By doing so, we prepare our learners to be competitive in a rapidly changing global market," Dr Yende states.

Addressing the skills gaps and
empowering youth and women

The industry in South Africa is currently facing skills gaps in areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital literacy, and sustainable practices. To address these gaps, the FP&M SETA has developed targeted interventions that focus on these critical areas. The entity works closely with industry partners to identify emerging skills needs in order to adjust their programmes accordingly.

Additionally, Dr Yende says that "we have expanded our reach to ensure that our training is accessible to individuals in under-served communities, thereby helping to bridge the skills gap on a broader scale". In order to address the skills gap, more people need to be involved in the process, which is why the FP&M SETA has moved to empower women and youth within the sector. Dr Yende, who is currently a Non Executive Director at the University of Fort Hare and Scibono Science Centre, explains: "Empowering women and youth is a key priority for the FP&M SETA. We've launched several initiatives, including targeted bursaries, mentorship programmes, and entrepreneurship support, specifically designed for young people and women in the sector.

"These initiatives have resulted in increased participation of women and youth in our training programmes, with many going on to secure employment or start their own businesses."

The impact of these programmes is evident in the growing number of success stories from beneficiaries who have been able to transform their lives and communities through the opportunities provided by the FP&M SETA and their elite partners.

One such opportunity came in the shape of the FP&M SETA's partnership with Pep Clothing to deliver skills development initiatives to develop and grow employed and unemployed South Africans through learnerships, skills programmes, adult education training, and internships.

Learners who successfully completed the Unemployed Sewing Machinist Programme are now employed by Pep Clothing, with some learners even working their way to being promoted to team leaders, clerks, and training instructors. In what is seen as another major success story, grant funding for skills training helped industry role players such as the South African Apparel Association, the Cape Town Fashion Council, Philippi Village, and TVET SA to come together to put in place the ground-breaking Domestic Sewing Skills Programme.

The skills development programme targets small business owners and potential entrepreneurs in the clothing sector. Apart from receiving a domestic sewing machine and imparting necessary skills, the theory modules cover topics such as writing a business plan, understanding customer requirements, and basic sales principles. The programme also provides information on how to plan and manage personal finance.

The participants have all faced severe challenges, including unemployment and poverty.

This affected their access to education and gainful employment. Despite these challenges, all the learners have committed themselves to the programme and are determined to overcome challenges such as educational and language barriers.

"Stories such as this are a testament to the effectiveness of our programmes and the difference they are making in the lives of individuals and communities across South Africa," Dr Yende explains.

"Collaboration with industry stakeholders is essential and we engage with a wide range of partners, including businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies, to ensure that the projects and programmes we fund are aligned with industry needs.

"These partnerships allow us to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the sector, which in turn enables us to offer training that is relevant and impactful. Additionally, our collaborations often lead to internship and employment opportunities for our learners, further enhancing the impact of our programmes."

Sustainability, innovation, and the vision for the future

Sustainability and innovation are central to the approach of the FP&M SETA, says Dr Yende. "We are integrating sustainable practices into our training programmes, particularly in areas such as green manufacturing and environmental management. Our focus on innovation is reflected in our support for research and development initiatives that explore new technologies and methods in the industry," the 2019 Guttenberg Award winner says.

By prioritising sustainability and innovation, the FP&M SETA is able to ensure that their learners are not only skilled, but also equipped to contribute to a more sustainable and forward-thinking industry. In terms of what is to come from the FP&M SETA, Dr Yende's vision for the future is one where the entity is able to continue to be at the forefront of skills development in South Africa, while at the same time driving innovation and transformation within the industry.

"Our key priorities include expanding our reach to more under-served communities, enhancing our focus on digital and green skills, and strengthening our partnerships with industry to ensure that our skills development initiatives remain relevant and impactful," Dr Yende, who holds a Masters in Management from the University of Witwatersrand, concludes.

"Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that the FP&M SETA contributes meaningfully to the economic and social development of South Africa, empowering individuals to build better futures for themselves and their communities."

And we look forward to seeing how your development and empowerment plans pan out in the years to come.

A dynamic
company with a
proven track record

Kama Coils & Transformers is an organisation determined to provide "the best and most unique solution in very short lead times".

Kama Coils & Transformers was established in 1996 as the holding company of McCoils. McCoils was established in the early 1960s as a manufacturer of specialised coils and transformers.

Kama Coils & Transformers specialises in the design, manufacture, and repair of electromechanical products in South Africa and the rest of the South African Development Community (SADC). The entity's products include coils, transformers, specialised coils, lifting magnets, resistors, neutral earthing resistors (NER), and airhorns. Recently, Kama Coils & Transformers acquired an agency to distribute Hugong products, which is a brand that was established nearly 70 years ago in China. Hugong manufactures inverter welding machines and Kama Coils & Transformers is the sole distributor of Hugong welding machines within the SADC region.

Kama Coils & Transformers supply their products to industries such as Mining, Rail, Security, Construction, Manufacturing, and Fabrication, to name but a few. Marketing Director and Shareholder of Kama Coils & Transformers, Thenji Masuku, says: "With 28 years of experience in the field of electro technical product manufacturing, we have a proven track record through our customer testimonials and repeat business.

"Our products are specialised. Kama Coils & Transformer's ability to design and manufacture quality products per customer specifications has enabled us to build a reputation for ourselves, making us the best and preferred service provider for our products.

"We understand the unique requirements of our clients and provide the best and most unique solution in very short lead times."

Expansion plans and supporting black businesses

While Kama Coils & Transformers have managed to cement their place within the sector, as with any other business, there is always room for growth and improvement to reach even higher levels of success. Masuku, who has been with the organisation since 2018, reveals that expansion for Kama Coils & Transformers involves various factors, including a greater footprint on the continent.

"We want to expand our product range and increase our footprint in Africa. At the moment we are in the process of acquiring ISO 9001/2015 quality certification and we are expanding our business into the welding industry, with welding machines and all welding accessories," she says.

In terms of how the organisation supports fellow black businesses, Masuku says that initiatives such as mentorship programmes that pair black entrepreneurs with experienced mentors for guidance and support are very important to Kama Coils & Transformers. "We also procure from black-owned businesses whenever practical, given our rather specialised inputs which are mostly imported. We also provide funding and access to business markets for black-owned businesses, as well as networking opportunities for black-owned businesses to participate in trade shows," she adds.

Working for Kama Coils & Transformers

Kama Coils & Transformers are very particular when it comes to who they employ; a strategy which has paid off given their stellar reputation within the sector. Typically, the organisation looks for a combination of skill, values alignment, and integrity in their employees, which includes:

• • A strong work ethic, willingness to learn, and willingness to go the extra mile. Teamwork and collaboration; ability to work effectively with others towards a common goal.
  
• • Problem solving skills and adaptability; ability to think critically, innovate, and adjust to changing circumstances.
  
• • Integrity and accountability; strong moral compass, reliability, and responsibility.
  

"Teamwork and collaboration have been the culture of Kama Coils & Transformers from the very beginning. We are constantly working on meeting customer deadlines. It is therefore important that the team works together towards the goals set in the business," Masuku avers.

Continuous learning and growth is something that Kama Coils & Transformers constantly encourages their employees to partake in, as there is a need to develop new skills and stay up to date with industry trends. Electrical engineering-related skills, administration skills, and sales skills are vitally important, while Masuku says that the organisation "encourages staff to improve their skills by providing opportunities to study further in their field of work".

"Given the rather specialised nature of our products, there is a fair amount of on-the-job training that we do for our employees," she adds.

Workplace wellness and the future

Ensuring the mental and physical well-being of employees is vital in modern times, given what we have all been through as a society over the last few years. To ensure they are on top of this aspect, Masuku says that a good work environment, healthy work relationships, regular breaks as per the employment regulations, and efficient health and safety processes are implemented to ensure a safe working environment. "On the soft side, we are constantly on the lookout for signs of stress and strain in our employees' lives. We learned during COVID-19 that a number of our employees were impacted negatively. Some have not recovered to this day; they still battle with depression. We actively promote a high performance and caring culture and also organise team building exercises," she reveals.

In terms of what the future holds, Masuku says that these are exciting times to be involved with Kama Coils & Transformers, as the dynamic nature of the organisation means that opportunities for growth and success are a given.

"Kama Coils & Transformers is growing and I'm very excited about the future we are building at Kama. Kama is a dynamic company that will provide job security for its employees, a good return on investment for their investors and shareholders, and is a great example of a successful and growing all-South African-owned business," she concludes.

And we look forward to following that growth trajectory in the years to come.

We don’t have
jobs: post-1996 farmland restitution projects sow a costly legacy of failure

Nearly three decades after SA’s formal land claims process began in 1996, many farmland restitution projects are floundering or have collapsed, raising questions about the extent to which the billions of rands of state expenditure has benefited the claimant communities. Tony Carnie and Naledi Sikhakhane investigate...

The government has bought nearly four million hectares of farmland and spent at least R58 billion to compensate or restore ownership to black communities dispossessed of their ancestral property during colonisation.

Yet, nearly three decades after the formal land claims process began in 1996, many of these projects are floundering or have collapsed, raising questions about the extent to which the billions of rands of state expenditure has benefited the claimant communities. It has also raised broader concerns about the impacts on national food security, rural jobs, animal disease control and South Africa’s agricultural economy. In August, Daily Maverick visited land reform and restitution projects in Ixopo and Umzimkhulu, southern KwaZulu-Natal, including two former commercial farms where the land now lies mostly fallow, with little evidence that the claimant communities are reaping any significant level of benefit.

These two examples mirror other land restitution ventures that have failed or delivered very little–for a variety of reasons.

Daily Maverick sent a detailed list of questions to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development on 14 August about the land reform process in Ixopo, mainly focused on the visible failure of two land restitution projects at Dawn Valley and Ponderosa farms. The department has not yet responded. At Dawn Valley Farm in Ixopo (a 2 140-hectare vegetable farm and game ranch purchased by the government in 2008 for R12.8 million) there was little evidence of significant crop cultivation. Instead, large parts of this farm are reverting to indigenous thorn bush. A nearby game lodge has been burnt to the ground and most of the large antelope and other wildlife species have been hunted out. There is a similar situation at the adjoining Ponderosa Farm (a 770ha former commercial dairy and crop farm purchased by the government in 2008 for R8 million). While small patches of cabbages are still being grown, the milking sheds, main farmhouse, and other buildings have been demolished and most of the former cropland area lies unused.

Highlands Farm

Further south, in Madakweni near Umzimkhulu, another 1 500ha of land at the old Highlands Farm is mostly unused. The land was expropriated in 1967 from farmer Rowland Strachan for inclusion in the former Transkei homeland and later fell under the control of the Eastern Cape for more than a decade before being reincorporated into KwaZulu-Natal.

After 2006, a maize milling factory was built on the land with government funding, but residents report that it was used only for a few months because insufficient maize volumes were being produced on this former commercial farm.

Thereafter, steel components from the milling equipment, silos, and roofing were removed and sold as scrap metal. Today, the only evidence of this expensive state-funded milling facility is an abandoned concrete slab with remnants of the steel supporting pillars chopped off at ground level. Dougie Strachan, whose father used to own the farm, acknowledges that this area was not part of the land reform project that began in 1996.

Nevertheless, he laments, former farmworkers and residents of Madakweni appear to have derived few lasting benefits, either from the initial expropriation or subsequent government initiatives to return the land to productivity. “This is probably the oldest land reform project in South Africa, but the people have got nothing out of it,” said Strachan as he surveyed the extensive and fertile land.

While families at Madakweni have each been allocated plots of land of about 4ha, Strachan noted that residents did not have tractors or the financial wherewithal to cultivate the land properly. Nor was there a willingness to consolidate small individual parcels of land into larger units for more viable commercial-scale operations.

Dawn Valley Farm

At Dawn Valley Farm near Ixopo, we spoke to several women, who expressed dismay or confusion about the future of the project. They reported that a “new farmer” had arrived to manage the land in 2008, but remained for only a short period. Xolile Mhlongo, who grew up in the area, said: “Nothing is happening on this piece of land. We don’t use it now because we don’t have tools to farm, like tractors, or seeds and fertilisers. Now there are three guys who are keeping watch on the farm, living in the farmhouse.

“[Earlier], there were four guys who were selected and told us we would be partners.”

The women, employed as short-term contract workers to cut down alien plants, said they received monthly stipends of R1 000 and were among the few residents currently working. Another resident, Thobekile Mvemve, hoped that the farm could be returned to productivity to provide more job opportunities.

“We don’t have jobs. Even this R1 000 is used on school transport for our children. That takes up around R500 because the school is very far. Ever since the old farmer left we have hoped the farm would work again,” said Mvemve.

Another Dawn Valley resident, who asked to not be named, said the community thought they would receive R9 million, a figure that was typed in documents they saw. But closer to the time of receiving the money in around 2015, that amount was “scratched out and written as R6 million with a pen.

“We received R3 million, which was the first payment of two. When half of that had been spent, the community said they are not happy with the committee. The committee went to the Maritzburg High Court to say they can continue handling the farm [and that] they are handling the money well. I can say the community was working together with Land Affairs.”

‘People could not agree’

He said the committee spent the R3 million on building a bridge, fixing tractor engines and buying fertiliser, seed, and farming equipment. “Vegetables were planted, and the farm was working a bit, but what made it fail is people couldn’t agree on what to do with the farm at the time. There was no understanding of where the money went, that’s why the community went to the high court,” he said.

“Now that everyone is seeing the poverty, the committee and community are in one voice saying the second tranche payment should come through so that we can work.” He said a lawyer from the Department of Land Affairs came in 2020 to check where the money was spent but never reported back.

“We don’t know whether they will come back to give the second payment, or this is over.” The resident said the court case was never concluded because the community was unable to pay a lawyer who had agreed to represent them.

“I will not share my name because people have killed each other too much because of these farms,” he said.

Ponderosa Farm

A community member from the adjacent Ponderosa Farm, Sifiso Mbhele, said the farm was leased to land claimants more than 10 years ago, but no government funding support had been received. He said the community had also received no official communication from the Department of Land Affairs since around 2020. “The problem is that just when we think we are getting somewhere with a person from Land Affairs, another comes much later and we start all over,” said Mbhele.

“We would love for the farm to work because a lot of people in the community are unemployed. Job opportunities are few around here.”

Another concern was that the land was now being “invaded” by people from outside the community.

Dawn Valley

Former KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize singled out Dawn Valley in 2011 as one of the new government-backed farming projects that could boost job creation in rural areas and increase the province’s ability to export fresh produce via the Dube Trade Port.

But that’s not how things worked out, said Don Govender, a business consultant and founder of the eManzimtoti-based Lindon Corporation. Govender was appointed managing director of the “turnaround and recapitalisation” project at Dawn Valley in late 2007.

He said that when his company bailed out of the project at the end of 2013, sharp divisions had emerged among the 120 members of the farm’s communal property association (CPA), which represented local land claimants and farm tenants and held a 49% stake in a joint venture company known as Able Wise (trading as KZN Farm Estates). Although the farm remained under the ownership of the Department of Land Affairs, the land was leased from the CPA by KZN Farm Estates, made up of three shareholders, each with a 33.3% stake (Lindon Corporation and local entrepreneurs Griffith Radebe and Thulasizwe Kubheka).

Radebe served as farm manager and Kubheka as commercial and marketing director. Govender said he understood that departmental policy was that land restitution farms would be leased to claimants until certain conditions were met, such as claimants being able to farm productively and consistently. Historically, the farm had produced high yields of good quality potatoes for customers such as Simba. It was also suitable for growing butternut, cabbage, tomato and sweet peppers.

“Dawn Valley was approximately 2,000 hectares, with 200 hectares of relatively flat land with deep soils in the valley suitable for crop production. The remainder (rocky, hilly ground) was untillable and was used for game ranching and hunting.”

By the time Lindon arrived on the farm, said Govender, many of the animals had been poached or escaped through broken fences and open gates.

The farm was “unproductive, unequipped and the fields had been lying fallow for about six to seven years.

“The farm needed a robust production plan, pumps, irrigation systems, tractors, ploughs, delivery vehicles, firebreaks and fences mended.

“Based on the understanding that the [department] would follow through with some of the statutory grant support and that the farm could be a productive potato farm, Lindon made a decision to invest equity into the project under certain conditions, one of which was to have proper governance and shareholding structures to protect the interests of shareholders and the CPA.”

Lindon invested about R1 million into the project, which included buying farm equipment, seeds and fertiliser and paying the salaries of farm workers and management.

“During Lindon’s involvement, we cultivated over 40 hectares of farmland with superior quality butternut, cabbage, peppers and tomato, which were supplied to Farmwise [a fresh produce distribution centre], to [Spar supermarkets], the Durban Fresh Produce Market and the Farmers Retail Market.

“During our tenure and at peak production, the farm employed over 25 people permanently, excluding the farm manager and members of the executive.”

The company secured R14 million in principal funding from the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) to develop a potato farm and buy processing equipment. The wheels started to fall off when the proposed funding was not accepted by the CPA, apparently based on the recommendations of the Department of Land Affairs. Later, the CPA decided that it would not extend the lease with Lindon and its partners, and no alternative funding materialised.

Decisions not honoured

“The CPA trustees and CPA representatives on the Dawn Valley board changed frequently and decisions made by one set of CPA representatives were turned around or not honoured by the next set of trustees. CPA members that had left the farm reappeared as the project gained traction and showed success.” There had also been “indiscriminate poaching of wild animals, often by members of the CPA”.

“Given the short tenure that the Dawn Valley Farms enterprise operated for, there were no profits declared. However, income from the operations was used to recapitalise the business, cover salaries, buy seedlings and cover other operating costs of the farm.”

Why did Lindon and its partners decide to leave?

According to Govender, the plan was to turn the farm into a productive and well-managed vegetable and potato farm, with tourism, hunting, outdoor events and conferencing as an ancillary business.

“When funding was secured after much effort to build such an enterprise, which was then refused by the CPA/department, who then did not follow through with an equivalent funding or an extended lease agreement, Dawn Valley Farms Pty Ltd made a decision to pull out.

“The attitude of some members of the CPA to an external investor/management also did not engender much confidence amongst us as investors.”

Govender said he was not aware of any legal proceedings against any parties, noting that Lindon suffered the largest financial losses as it was not able to recoup its investments because the lease was terminated and the NEF funding proposal was rejected by the CPA.

“Restitution projects need good production plans, funding that flows quickly, technical support, productive labourers and a responsible CPA that has the farm’s best interest in mind at all times. If these essential requirements are not met, projects are bound to fail. Farms need to be safe for farm managers, patrons and their families.

“Dealing with many voices within CPAs, coupled with limited understanding of business, finances and markets, is also challenging.”

Lessons from the project

In Govender’s view, farms need to be purchased as productive enterprises with their financial and market track records intact.

“Farms need to be bought from experienced farmers with a condition that the farmer must remain and farm the land together with the beneficiaries and maintain production figures and customer orders until the beneficiaries have the technical expertise and marketing acumen to take over all aspects of the farming business.”

Rory Bryden, a dairy farmer from Kokstad who has been offering his experience and expertise to assist land claimant beneficiaries at a nearby farm, noted that commercial farmers could secure funding by bonding their farms. However, where land claimants did not receive title deed ownership they were not able to raise the substantial capital needed to run a commercial farm. He said the most viable option was for land claimants to enter into joint ventures with commercial farmers to lease land for five to 10 years, while community members gained the necessary skills to manage farms commercially.

Sadly, he noted, not all land claimant communities were amenable to such mentorship and leasing proposals.

This article originally appeared on Daily Maverick and is published with permission.

Building a dynasty in structural steel fabrication

Sililo Dynasty Enterprises are on a mission to solidify their position as a leader in South African structural steel fabrication.

Sililo Dynasty Enterprises are a female-led, 100% black-owned structural steel fabrication company, offering design, fabrication, and installation services for commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects.

Armed with a well-established reputation for excellence within the commercial development industry, Sililo Dynasty Enterprises have delivered a diverse range of projects to date, including schools, post offices, hospitals, retail developments, industrial units, and filling stations.

At the helm of the organisation is Chief Executive Officer Rosina Lebogo, who is determined to ensure that Sililo Dynasty Enterprises rises to the very top within this highly competitive sector.

"Our vision is to be the premier structural steel fabricator in South Africa. This will be made possible by delivering high-quality, innovative solutions that exceed customer expectations," she insists. That vision is built on the values of precision, reliability, innovation, transparency, and safety, which Lebogo believes "shine through in our attention to detail, unwavering commitment to deadlines, use of cutting-edge technology, and rigorous safety protocols".

The Sililo Dynasty Enterprises team holds relevant industry codes and accreditations, as well as plant and machinery training and Safety, Health, and Environmental (S.H.E) certificates, ensuring the highest level of skill and quality.

"We find ways to incorporate labour from the local communities where our projects are based, not only for skills transfer goals, but it also fosters a sense of pride and ownership for the local community that they contributed to making their lives better," Lebogo avers.

Why choose Sililo Dynasty Enterprises?

As Sililo Dynasty Enterprises offer clients customised structural steel solutions, expert project management, and a commitment to quality and safety, they are seen as a trusted partner for complex projects within the sector.

"Success, for us as well as our clients, means delivering structurally sound, aesthetically pleasing, and timely projects that meet or exceed customer expectations. It is as simple as that," Lebogo explains.

"We're currently working on several high-profile projects, including large-scale industrial facilities, commercial high-rises, and infrastructure developments like bridges and stadiums."

The proof is in the pudding when it comes to completed projects, with the likes of Madala Hostel in Alexandra, Eskom's new storage facility in Klerksdorp, and the Sunderland Ridge warehouse in Centurion all fine examples of projects being completed by the Sililo Dynasty team. In terms of their work for Eskom in Klerksdorp, Sililo Dynasty successfully designed and erected a new storage facility. The entity was involved with the design and drawing of the proposed facility, as well as the fabrication and on-site erection. The project was an important initiative for Eskom, as they were having problems with weather conditions that were infringing on their ability to carry out repair and maintenance work.

This new storage facility also helped reduce the problem of wet coal, while transformers are now protected from weather damage and key functions can now be performed under cover in all weather conditions. Sililo Dynasty used a total of 30 staff on this project, showing their commitment to creating jobs. "We managed to create 15 job opportunities by hiring local labour from the surrounding community, while 25 of the total staff were youth," Lebogo adds.

How Sililo Dynasty Enterprises give back

Sililo Dynasty Enterprises are deeply involved in projects that develop the communities within which they live and work, with a number of programmes being developed that allow the entity to improve their social impact.

The organisation employs unskilled and semi-skilled youth from neighbouring communities. These youths are upskilled through on-the-job training and are given essential skills for them to continue in-trade or alternatively to go and open related businesses in their communities. Sililo Dynasty Enterprises have also partnered with a youth skills training company to provide facilities and teachers for on-the-job training. These students are hosted and trained at the organisation's site at various stages throughout their studies and until the successful completion of their relevant trade test.

This programme focuses on fighting youth unemployment by providing opportunities to both youth and particularly women. Sililo Dynasty Enterprises believe strongly in women empowerment and are creating new opportunities to create training and job opportunities for young women within the industry. This includes providing training support and job training opportunities that are not usually made available for women.

"We prioritise skills development, apprenticeships, and local employment in our fabrication workshops and on-site installations. We also partner with and sub-contract to other black-owned businesses in the steel industry, promoting economic growth and empowerment," Lebogo says.

The future of Sililo Dynasty Enterprises

While their success is plain to see, there have been challenges over the years, but Lebogo promises all potential clients that when challenges arise, Sililo Dynasty Enterprises are proactive in their approach.

"We've faced challenges like material sourcing, skills shortages, and project complexity, but we ensure that we overcome these through strategic partnerships, ongoing training, and innovative problem-solving. We are always ready for any eventuality," she explains. That proactive approach is expected to be put to the test as the organisation plans for the future.

While there is a lot to be happy with right now, growth is important, and Lebogo sees a very bright future for Sililo Dynasty Enterprises on the horizon.

"In terms of the future, we plan to expand our fabrication capacity, invest in new technologies, and pursue large-scale infrastructure projects. This will help us to solidify our position as a leader in South African structural steel fabrication," she concludes.

Safety and community first... always

Inayo Mining is more than just a mining services company–it is an organisation with the determination to create better lives for all they come into contact with.

Inayo Mining is a contract mining company which specialises in opencast mining, mine rehabilitation, extra-large mining plant hire, component refurbishment, mining equipment, and repairs.

Based in the coal fields of Emalaleni in Mpumalanga, Inayo Mining provides its services to a number of Blue Chip companies, including Tongela, Glencore, and Ndalamo Resources. Established in 2017 as a result of a merger between Inala Mining Services and Ayona Mining, Inayo Mining is a Level 2 BBBEE rated company, with a 51% black woman ownership. Incredibly, the organisation has grown to a R1.2-billion revenue entity in just seven years. At the helm of the organisation is Thando Maseko, an experienced mining engineer with over 13 years of experience in the mining operational field. She believes that what makes Inayo Mining so attractive to clients is their unmatched safety record and care for the community at large; which is where the organisation sources employees to ensure that the surrounding communities benefit, too.

"I think our value proposition is our safety record. Safety has become our culture within the organisation and we pride ourselves in our safety record. We were recently recognised with a COALSAFE Award, which recognises best in class," she explains.

"Another big element for us is that 80% of our employees are local. If an area does not have the skills we require, we go the extra mile to provide them with the skills so that they are able to work."

Building on their commitment to neighbouring communities is Inayo Mining's Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) programme. The organisation has embraced what the government and industry are trying to do from a BEE perspective; and it is bearing fruit.

"Our ESD is based within our communities that we operate in so that they can provide the services that we need. We are growing our own supply chain and this works to our benefit because when it comes to BEE rating, we use that evidence. To be seen as the partner of choice, we must be inventive and include our communities and empower them. I think that is what makes us special," Maseko says.

"Potential clients can see that we perform and that we deliver on the contract. They can see that we are safe and that we truly give back to the community."

A story of upliftment

While it is evident that Inayo Mining views community upliftment as key to their operations, it does take being innovative to ensure you are able to truly make your mark.

Maseko told us a story of how a neighbouring community was based on farmlands, but there was a serious lack of skills among the inhabitants. In what is now seen as an incredibly innovative move, the organisation took everyone from the community who was literate, had a Grade 12 qualification, and a driver's licence, and put them through novice training to start learning how to operate Inayo Mining's equipment.

In the end, 17 people–predominantly young ladies–started to operate the organisation's equipment.

"We started slowly with them and they became full-time with us. I often share a joke with them whenever I speak to them; they have had the experience of driving a very expensive machine as their first car, because they drive a R7 million machine when they have never driven an actual car themselves," she explains.

"I think this is just testimony to our flexibility in understanding what is happening to the local community around us and carrying on with our solutions towards the community we work with."

Facing challenges head on

As already mentioned, safety is a major priority for Inayo Mining. This means that anyone who walks through the doors of the organisation needs to fully comply and understand the standards set. However, this can be easier said than done, meaning it presents a challenge at times for the organisation.

Maseko explains: "One challenge we face is creating a safety mindset with new employees. We have a culture within our organisation where people are safety conscious, but we are very aware that if we stop with the messaging, that quickly disappears.

We might be guilty of over-communicating the importance of safety, but it is to make sure that we keep it top of mind with all employees.

"South Africa has become more of a rule-breaking society and what we push for is to be a rule-abiding society, so to get that right there needs to be a switch that comes on when you enter our premises."

Another challenge concerns the communities which the organisation is trying to uplift.

It is a strategic priority to ensure that the local communities are given a chance to shine at Inayo Mining, but what can happen is that expectations are raised and more is demanded of the relationship.

"I think we have created an expectation within the communities in terms of what they can get out of what we do. I think that if this is not properly managed, it has the capability of collapsing such a great company. We constantly have people stopping our operations with demands for certain things.

"We try to eliminate that through communication at forums where we discuss any issues, but I think it is a very volatile thing because there are just such high expectations and we cannot meet all the expectations."

A truly 'Rainbow Nation' organisation

Maseko was quick to light up when discussing what excites her about Inayo Mining. A big part of that excitement comes from the fact that the organisation is a true representation of Nelson Mandela's envisaged 'Rainbow Nation'.

She explains: "We are a company which truly represents the 'Rainbow Nation'. When you look at the demographics of the country and you come and look at our business, it excites me that this is a business where everyone feels included, whether it is by virtue of race or gender.

"We have built a successful company which now employs more than 800 people and I think that is a living testimony that our country is a country for everyone if we all just work together."

Broadening horizons

By working together, the future is a bright one for Inayo Mining. That future will entail much expansion, with diversification into other commodities over and above coal the next logical step for the organisation.

Interestingly, Maseko describes Inayo Mining as the "Airbnb or Uber of mining", with their business model originally based on sub-contracting.

While the model has shifted over time to include acquisition of some of their own assets, Maseko believes their strength lies in partnerships–so going back to their roots will work wonders for their expansion plans, but they must be wary of potential pitfalls to ensure sustainability.

"There is always volatility if you are exposed to just one commodity, so we are looking to diversify into other commodities," Maseko concludes.

"However, we must be cognisant of if things were to go wrong. We need to have some sort of base that will ensure we do not let down our clients and we are slowly building that up, but it is really slow and it is really measured because things change so quickly.

"We want to live longer and to live longer you must just be cognisant of not taking on too much debt, because COVID-19 could happen, anything could happen, and you need to be aware of how you do things."

Impact of the GNU on the South African Property Market

The Rainbow Nation and its property market has ridden some storms, but the new Government of National Unity, like the previous one, could spell better days for South Africa's residential property market, says Just Property CEO Paul Stevens.

The effectiveness of the coalition government will largely hinge on the ability of disparate parties, previously at odds with each other, to work together, as well as the GNU's economic policies and regulatory reforms. For the property market, and the economy as a whole, pro-business policies that encourage economic growth and development could have a positive impact. Policies aimed at improving our ageing and ailing infrastructure, streamlining property transactions and enhancing transparency can create an environment that encourages property investment.

As Bradd Bendall, National Head of Sales at BetterBond notes: “This is one of the most important factors to focus on as this will be the biggest factor affecting the property market. The residential housing market has slowed down significantly since early last year due to the consumer being under strain due to high inflation and interest rates. As our inflation rate has started to drop (headline inflation was 5.2% in both April and May 2024, down from 6.8% and 6.5% in April and May 2023), we should be fortunate enough to see interest rates being reduced in the latter part of the year by potentially between 25-50bps. This would certainly improve consumer confidence and with it stimulate the property market.”

Overall, the impact that this ANC-led coalition will have on the property market depends on political stability and policy direction. Investors and home buyers will be monitoring the Government of National Unity's ability to maintain that unity and implement effective economic strategies. Without that, we will see market volatility, which will negatively affect property values and investors' belief in the government's ability to perform effectively.

Cautiously optimistic

Investec Chief Economist Annabel Bishop on 12 June noted: “Fixed investment remains key to economic growth. May's Bloomberg consensus for 2024's economic growth rate remained at 1.1% y/y, as uncertainty around the election outcome prevailed in the survey period, while the rand saw weakness. The reforms ongoing in the freight and electricity sector take some time to feed through, but the improvements at Eskom already are expected to lift GDP growth in Q2.24, with the outcome likely to be stronger than the expected 0.4% qqsa... The Bloomberg consensus shows a downward dip in May's forecasts from 1.6% y/y and 1.9% y/y in April for the next two years, but this dip is likely temporary, once SA establishes the GNU, which sees progress continue on Eskom and Transnet.”

Over the medium term, economists are more optimistic with Momentum seeing possibilities for growth reaching between 2.4% and 3% in the next five years with a government that will ensure the stability of the Reserve Bank, South African Revenue Services, treasury, National Prosecuting Authority, security cluster and the judiciary.

On 20 June, the rand strengthened to below R18/USD for the first time since August 2023, but dipped again as markets waited for the announcement of the cabinet. If our politicians are able to convince investors (local and international) that the GNU means a stable political environment, we're likely to see renewed strengthening of the Rand, making investment assets, including property, more attractive due to the potential for capital gains from currency appreciation. The wait-and-see volatility in the Rand notwithstanding, foreign sentiment towards the ANC-led coalition appears optimistic, and this is probably being driven by the potential for greater political stability and predictable governance. This optimism may well translate into increased foreign investment in the South African economy, including our real estate sector. Periods of perceived political stability have historically been associated with improved inflows of capital, which can boost property development and elevate property values.

Locally, I'd say, that sentiment remains cautiously optimistic. We've been disappointed as voters, but there's a strong skein of hope that runs through South African hearts, and most of us remember the days when the previous government of National Unity led to improved services for all, growing prosperity and we were a preferred emerging market for foreign investment. But while we're hopeful, the years since those Rainbow Nation days have made us wary. South African buyers and investors are likely to weigh the potential benefits of the coalition government against the inherent risks of political instability and policy uncertainty. The cautious optimism reflects a wait-and-see approach, where immediate large-scale investments may be tempered by concerns over the coalition's cohesion and effectiveness.

For home buyers, an improved economic outlook often leads to enhanced consumer confidence, which is critical for sustaining demand in the residential property market. Buyers may feel more secure in their financial prospects, thereby increasing their willingness to invest in home ownership.

While the ANC-led coalition government holds the potential to positively influence the South African property market through increased foreign investment and improved consumer confidence, the outcome is contingent on the coalition's ability to deliver political stability and sound economic policies. Property investors and home buyers are advised to maintain a balanced perspective, considering both the optimistic foreign sentiment and the cautious local outlook. By staying informed and adaptable, they can navigate the evolving landscape and make informed investment decisions.

Investors and home buyers should stay vigilant, informing themselves about political developments and policy announcements that could impact the property market and following market analysts. At Just Property, we are optimistic. We believe the parties in the GNU can work together, and while there will be bumps in the road, as there were after the 1994 elections, we see a new Rainbow starting to appear.

Paul Stevens is the CEO of Just Property.

There is no stopping
this mining dreamchaser

Senzability Energy has gone from strength to strength since it was established in 2015–and the inspirational Lorraine Mvubelo has led the charge with distinction.

Senzability Energy is a 100% black woman-owned mining services company that is seen as a leading provider of rehabilitation and topsoil stripping services.

Established in 2015 and situated within the Emalahleni heartland of the mining and power generation industries, the company is strategically positioned to exploit opportunities presented by localisation development policies, coupled with provisions of enterprise development goals in terms of the Mining Charter and the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act.

The business, which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to ensure the delivery of their services efficiently and effectively, is professionally led by an experienced and qualified team, with Lorraine Mvubelo as its leader; a legal graduate who had the vision and determination to propel Senzability Energy to greater heights. Her strong leadership ultimately led to the company becoming a major player within the mining industry.

"I started the company with no previous mining experience and resources, save for my disability grant, and we've since managed to secure two large contracts with mining companies, such as Australian-based South 32 and Seriti Power for topsoil stripping and rehabilitation services," Mvubelo, who lives with a disability, reveals. "At the time, I was struggling with a process of trying to reinvent myself, as I was not born blind, but happened to acquire blindness in my late thirties. The creation of Senzability Energy took place after I resigned from my previous employment and failed in a business I had just started.

"I was also confronted with the question of how I was going to survive being a single parent and had to keep a brave face in the midst of my children."

What was paramount in this situation for Mvubelo was confronting her disability by searching deep within herself and engaging in a process of extracting what had been deposited and inculcated from her years of experience and learning. A paradigm shift took place. This led to Mvubelo harnessing and channelling all of her abilities and energies to enable herself and the business to be propelled forward, all while ignoring the negative perceptions and condescending voices that surrounded her.

"To see beyond the negative and dark side of mining as an individual was a big thing for me. I was a person who was initially opposed to extractives, but I now see mining as a crucial and positive contributor towards our country's GDP, creating employment and business opportunities in communities which would not ordinarily become available to individuals like myself if it had not been for affirmative practices and BEE policies," she explains.

"Extractives are beneficial if done correctly and in a responsible manner, maintaining principles of environmental stewardship, which is where Senzability plays a crucial role in ensuring that the land which has been extracted is restored back to its pre mining use or repurposed for renewables in the form of solar, wind or hydrogen plants which can ideally be built next to power stations."

Building a strong entity

Armed with a value proposition which includes simplicity, efficiency, sustainability, cost containment, and safe practices, Mvubelo has built a company which is customer-centric, community-driven, and determined in its application.

To date, Mvubelo is most proud of the fact that she has been able to create employment opportunities within the neighbouring communities of Phola and Ogies in the province of Mpumalanga, while surpassing their revenue targets has been the cherry on top.

"Success is a process, it is not given. It is important to be persistent and love what you do. If you're pursuing something that you would do effortlessly, even if you were not paid for it, then you know that you are on the right track, but one must remember that it does not happen overnight and failure is a part of growth," Mvubelo offers as advice to anyone looking to follow in her footsteps.

"Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself, as this will allow you to create your own world and success." But while success has been achieved, it has not always been easy. Mvubelo says that her faith has helped her through the tough times, while she has learned valuable lessons to ensure that future challenges do not possess the power to derail the company's hard work and relentless efforts. "I am deeply rooted in prayer and I make time to be still and quiet in order to channel my energies where I want to be focused and go," she explains.

"Going through the hell of having to battle through 60-day payment terms, having to take up PO funding which attracted over R500 000 in interest a month; these factors eventually led to a breakdown. "But a solution which involved a collaborative effort with the client, creditor, and my team resulted in a positive outcome and revision of payment terms."

A little support goes a long way

Having started her own business venture, Mvubelo can speak from experience when it comes to support. So, does she believe that there is enough support for black entrepreneurs in South Africa? The answer is a firm "no".

"At the point of initiation of a business there is absolutely no support for new ventures. Therefore, I believe that more focus can be applied in the area of pairing up smaller companies with established companies when awarding contracts in order to transfer skills and create a financial buffer for smaller companies," she insists. "As we want to be the change and make a difference, we outsource some of our services to smaller companies who supply us with services like water, equipment, stationery, PPE clothing, and more."

Being grateful and what comes next

Mvubelo believes that the success of Senzability Energy would not have been possible without her stellar employees, while she is eternally grateful to her family who have supported her through the thick, thin, and everything inbetween of business.

"As a company, we are grateful to our team and employees who have made the impossible a success. To our clients and equipment supplier, Dig Mining Group, who have walked the journey alongside us through the good and the bad, we are equally as grateful," Mvubelo says.

"Lastly, my children, who are a critical component of the business, and my late parents, who believed in me and laid a very strong foundation for me as a child and later on as a young woman, I am grateful."

In terms of the future, the key goal for Senzability Energy is maintaining their trajectory, all while ensuring the sustainability of the company. In addition, Mvubelo has her dreams mapped out, with the "owning our own fleet of equipment and acquiring mining rights in critical minerals venturing into renewables" the goals for the next five to ten years.

And as the world looks towards Africa for critical minerals and renewable industries, Senzability Energy, Mvubelo concludes, is "gearing itself to partake in some of these strategic value chains".

Our Tourism
Industry Since 1994

André Walters takes a look at how the tourism industry in South Africa has evolved since 1994 and what needs to come next.

Thirty marvelous years! The South African Tourism Industry has undergone many satisfying and often great and challenging changes since 1994. It is therefore interesting to look at the developmental trip that we have taken, because tourism involves people–all people, including you and me. We sometimes are blessed to undertake tours, ourselves. But most of us simply just smile, shake hands, and say ‘hello’ and welcome to our foreign visitors.

By 1998, the numbers of our annual visitors had risen to 5.7 million, from 3.7 million in 1994. Links with the rest of the world were rapidly being re-established. A growing number of airlines also introduced flights to SA, bringing us an increasing number of tourists from across the world.

Since 1994, with South Africa’s re-integration into the global economy and the establishment of new regional economical linkages across our continent, tourism has, as a whole, assumed a new and important significance as a potential economic driver for the development of our post-apartheid economy.

When we do a quick overview of the topics we need to explore as we travel into our overview, we do note that the South African tourism industry has certainly undergone significant transformation since the end of apartheid in 1994.

It is said that this evolution has been marked by policies that are aimed at inclusivity and the empowerment of previously marginalised communities. It is also about focusing on sustainable tourism practices.

Let’s look at some of those factors: For example, the rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence Technology are ensuring that travel is now easier, quicker, and more affordable. The growth of the internet means it is easier than ever before to book holidays. Some of the key developments are quite fascinating to explore.

Let’s do that, now:

We begin by looking at Governmental Policies and Initiatives. The Tourism White Paper of 1996 laid the foundation for the transformation of the tourism sector, and it emphasised equitable access to tourism resources.

The National Development Plan of 2012 also came onto the trip: it aimed to create jobs and promote inclusive economic growth by investing in tourism infrastructure and skills development. Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) also joined the team of hard working tourism experts by implementing BEE policies that are aimed at increasing the participation of black South Africans in the tourism industry.

Some of these initiatives have included the establishment of black-owned tourism businesses and support for emerging entrepreneurs and the promotion of local cultural events. And, of course, ‘Community-Based Tourism’ has therefore been a central pillar in the development of our country’s overall tourism agenda.

Two main issues immediately come to mind:

• • There has been a significant growth in the field of community-based tourism projects and this empowers local communities, promotes cultural heritage, and encourages sustainable practices.
  
• • Examples of these include community-run lodges and cultural experiences that provide economic benefits to local residents.
  

Sustainable Tourism Practices have naturally also been one of the main-stays of these developments. It can be summarised in this way:

• • It has increased the focus on sustainable tourism in order to preserve natural resources and to protect biodiversity.
  
• • Also on the drawing board of this exciting development plan is the development of eco-tourism initiatives and responsible travel campaigns to attract environmentally conscious travelers who come from far and wide to enjoy, and marvel, at our country’s unique and beautiful environment.
  

Then, there is also a tourism principle that is described as ‘Diversity in Offerings’.
This involves:

• • An expansion of tourism-offerings to include adventure tourism, cultural tourism, and wellness tourism–all of it catering to a broader audience.
  
• • The promotion of lesser-known destinations to distribute tourism benefits more evenly across the country.
  

Equally, Infrastructural Development is seen as an essential ingredient of any growth in tourism and it consists, mainly, of the following elements:

• • Investments in transportation and the hospitality infrastructure to enhance the tourist’s experiences.
  
• • Upgrades to airports, roads, and public transport systems to facilitate easier access to tourist attractions.
  

Of course, an essential strategy that must be part of the whole process, can be described as International Marketing and Promotion

This includes two main elements:

• • Enhanced marketing strategies to position South Africa as a premier tourist destination, globally.
  
• • Participation in international tourism fairs and broad collaboration with travel agencies to boost international arrivals.
  

Sadly, the impact of COVID-19 is still with us, but we are coping with it as well as possible:

• • The pandemic significantly affected the tourism sector, leading to a re-evaluation of strategies to ensure our continued resilience.
  
• • We are focusing on health and safety protocols, and the promotion of domestic tourism, as international travel restrictions that impact on global tourism continues to flow.
  

So, if we have to look at our tourism
developments on a wider scale, one must ask,
‘What are the Current Trends?’

• • These certainly include a growing emphasis on digital marketing and technology in tourism.
  
• • There is also an increased awareness of social issues, with a push towards tourism that addresses inequalities and supports local communities
  

Naturally, there are many challenges that have to be dealt with, and sometimes even on a daily basis.

These could include the following three elements:

• • Ongoing issues with safety and crime that is affecting tourist-perceptions.
  
• • The need for continuous investment in infrastructure and training to keep pace with international standards.
  
• • Balancing tourism growth with the preservation of cultural and natural resources.
  

And finally, when we come to our conclusion, we think of Patricia de Lille, the much admired, tested, and experienced Minister of Tourism, and we wish her and her team God Speed in dealing with the challenges that lie ahead of us.

We can now also proudly claim that the transformation of South Africa's tourism industry since 1994 reflects a broader, and ever-growing, commitment to social equity, economic development, and sustainability. Without a doubt, it can therefore be very clearly said that, as the industry continues to evolve, it remains crucial to address our ever-changing challenges, while also leveraging our opportunities for growth and inclusivity.

André Walters is a veteran broadcaster.

Black Lawyers Association: transforming the
legal sector

As a nation, South Africa celebrates 30 years of democracy this year (2024) and we have come a very long way in that period. Still, it is a young democracy and as we are all aware, we still face many challenges.

BBQ sat down with Mr. Nkosana Mvundlela, President of the Black Lawyers Association (BLA), to find out more about the organsation, what the key challenges are in the industry and how the fight continues for inclusion.

The Black Lawyers Association (BLA) is a voluntary association open to all lawyers in the Republic of South Africa regardless of race; sex; political belief, religion or area/type of practice. BLA draws its membership from attorneys, advocates, legal advisors, law students and judicial officers.

History

The BLA was formed in 1977 to fight against the Group Areas permit system after summons was issue against certain attorneys for operating in town without a permit. While the fight is not quite the same today, there are many other issues plaguing the world of law. Mvundlela graduated from matric at the brink of democracy in 1993. It was a volatile time as he recalls, however, he had seen enough brutality during his then young life to make the decision to fight those in power and fight for the downtrodden.

“Whilst at Varsity, I got exposed to the BLA. At the time, from the late SKS Makhambeni, as he taught us Trial Advocacy at the University of Venda and he made sure that we understood the better purpose of being united under one organisation to assert our views in the profession. Upon graduating, I joined the BLA whilst serving articles with Legal Aid. So, mine was never much of a recruitment. It was more about exposure and consciousness,” says Mvundlela.

From its inception in 1977, the BLA fought against all forms of exclusion and oppression. While the younger generations of today would not have experienced this and mostly would find it unfathomable, black lawyers, as with all black people, had to go through experiences we couldn’t imagine today.

Back then, the country and by extension, the courts were so divided that there were specific seating areas from white and black lawyers. It was the founding father of the BLA, Mr Mokgonani Pitje, who took a stand by refusing to be treated as a second-class citizen.

“One morning he went to court and sat at the seats designated for white lawyers. He refused to move. He was charged with contempt of court, found guilty and sentenced. This became a turning point for him, and he gathered other black lawyers at that time, including the former Deputy Chief Justice D Moseneke and they formed the BLA,” explains Mvundlela.

The purpose of this was to fight in a united manner, to fight racial tendencies against black lawyers and their black clients. They advocated for equal education for all lawyers and refused to be classified as non-entities.

Change is Coming

This fight continues today, perhaps not on the same scale, but a fight, nonetheless.

“What we see as a new phenomenon, is a deliberate effort to ensure that black lawyers in South Africa remains workers for white firms. We are advocating for the empowerment and growth of the black law firms, so that they can also participate in the mainstream economy and stop being divorce lawyers. We advocate for better legal education which will ensure better legal representation for our people and all clients using black law firms for representation,” says Mvundlela.

According to Mvundlela, the biggest challenges faced today is the issue of empowerment of black legal practitioners in both the private and public sectors.

Also, Mvundlela, continues, “The briefing patterns issue has become more serious than ever before. It constitutes exclusion from the mainstream economy by both private sector and government when they structure their SCM documents in such a way that the requirements are way above the skills set and the experience amassed by those practitioners.”

The answer to this is in legal education, which Mvundlela believes is of poor quality within Universities and Law Schools across South Africa

In order to improve that, the BLA works through the Legal Education Centre and a new programme identified and developed by the membership of the BLA which empowers members.

The BLA runs seminars and short-term courses for specialised field work, and this will help legal practitioners grow up having similar content which will allow them to perform at optimal levels.

“We are deliberate in providing further education and skills to young lawyers to be prepared for those briefs. We have taken a resolution to encourage all the senior practitioners to educate and empower the junior lawyers by having joint ventures with them in applying for government work. In that way, they will get the skill quicker and have the proven experience to do the actual work,” claims Mvundlela.

Transformation

One can simply look at the legal profession and legal sector as a whole to see if transformation has taken place. On the face of it, sure, there are certainly many more black legal practitioners in business today. Certainly, when you compare it to 1977, times have certainly changed.

But that is also a very simplistic way of looking at true transformation.

Mvundlela explains, “The progress of the transformation of the legal sector can be looked at from different angles. One of the angles is through the number of black judicial officers who have been appointed since 1994.

“It looks simplistic that there have been many black judges appointed. Whether they assisted the transformation agenda as per the Constitution is something else, but they did get the opportunity to be appointed.”

One can, however, put the microscope towards transformation and find other lingering issues. Once we do that on transformation, the question arises – have enough black female judges been appointed? The answer to this is simple from Mvundlela. “We have done what we can, given the problems of skills acquisition and the development agenda, which the legal profession, unfortunately, didn’t take to heart and implement forcefully.”

Mvundlela continues to tell us that there is another angle, and that is that there simply isn’t a lot of black legal practitioners in certain spaces of the legal profession.

“One needs a broader view in dealing with the transformation agenda of the legal profession,” says Mvundlela.

Future

According to Mvundlela, the BLA is the current and future leader of the profession in South Africa.

“We aim to ensure that legal education is improved to levels wherein the education provided to all the practitioners can be similar. We aim to ensure that the briefing patterns change, and more black practitioners get the work they deserve. We aim to contribute to the development of a judiciary that will be adequately capacitated education wise. We aim to contribute to producing such judiciary by capacitating more of our younger members to be ready for appointment,” concludes Mvundlela.

Stenda Group: delivering for everyone

Stenda Group founder and CEO Tshidi Matjeke-Dlungwane has built an entity to be proud of–one which serves to uplift others and provide world class services.

The Stenda Group is made up of a quartet of entities, namely: Stenda Mining, Stenda Trading, Stenda Resources, and Stenda Finance.

Stenda Mining is a mining operation that specialises in vanadium, titanium, and iron ore mining; Stenda Resources operates within the contract mining sector; Stenda Trading is a service provider to mining houses offering a wide range of services; and Stenda Finance operates within the financial sector as a microlender, aimed mostly at assisting the Group's employees.

Founded by Tshidi Matjeke-Dlungwane, who is also the Group's CEO, the Stenda Group was created as a means to fill the glaring gap of a lack of representation by women in the world of technical services in mining. Tshidi explains: "While employed, I crossed paths with many contractor companies that provided various services to the mines, both male and female-owned. The issue that baffled me was that there weren't many that were female-owned and providing technical services.

"I know I am female, I have many female friends and former classmates that have careers in the technical field, so I was wondering where everyone was if there aren't any female-owned technical service providers? I identified this as a gap in the market and decided to pursue it and attempt to fill that gap. This has improved over the years, however, we still have a long way to go in playing catch up." Born and raised in Mamelodi, Tshidi is the youngest of six children.

"I was raised by both my parents. My mom was a homemaker, while my father was a teacher and a Catholic church deacon. I am from a very tight knit family with strong Christian roots," she reveals.

Tshidi attended Deutsche Schule Pretoria where she completed her matric. Post-school, she went on to study BEng Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Pretoria. After completing her studies, she went on to work for Anglo Coal for six years, before resigning and starting the Stenda journey with Stenda Trading. "After running the company for two years I decided to further my studies and obtain some business acumen where I got my PGDIP and MBA from GIBS. I am a wife and mother of three beautiful children," she adds. Clearly big on family, Tshidi sees her employees and clients as family, too. This, coupled with a highly professional operational mindset, has worked wonders in helping to put the Stenda Group on the map.

"We are a highly professional company; being female and black doesn't mean inferior services. We pride ourselves with operating in a highly professional manner, offering value for money to our clients, as well as striving to alleviate pain points for our customers," Tshidi insists.

"Our value proposition includes being a cost-effective operation, providing a highly competent and qualified team, ensuring superior quality services, non-negotiable safety standards of the highest order, and access to our own fleet and equipment with safety systems."

Lessons, milestones, and inspiring hope

With the Stenda Group being in operation for the past eight years, Tshidi has learned some valuable lessons along the way. The most important is to "never lose sight of your why", which speaks to the fact that your values and founding principles as a company should always be upheld.

"Being part of the rat race and being right in the middle of the action, it is easy to lose sight of your values and principles, so one must never lose sight of your why.

"We have also learnt not to be desperate for opportunities or projects, because drinking from every cup that's offered to you will get you poisoned..." she explains. In terms of milestones, Tshidi is immensely proud of the fact that she is able to employ hundreds of people; providing them all with a chance to better themselves and the lives of their families. "We grew into a multi-million-rand company in the first two years of our operations and we employ over 300 people. We have managed to diversify our offering and re-invent ourselves as we went along," she says.

"Our big goal is to move to a more primary position and offering in the mining value-chain, and as far as possible have more vertical integration in our business."

In terms of what is a non-negotiable when it comes to the operations at the Stenda Group, Tshidi goes back to the company's desire to improve the lives of others; uplifting as many people as possible along the way. This includes employing as many people from the communities as possible, providing skills development opportunities for unemployed youth, assisting with various projects in local old age homes and education centers, hosting events that keep the youth off the streets, and, above all, inspiring hope.

"We lead with the heart, that's who we are. We strive to leave the communities in which we operate better than when we found them," she insists.

Mining in 2024

While the mining sector has evolved tremendously over the years, Tshidi believes that there are still issues when it comes to companies being pro black business.

Those who support black businesses do so with a full backing, but the reality is that this act is few and far between.

She explains: "There are companies who intentionally source from black businesses and have initiatives that assist black businesses to become more sustainable. There are even some companies that go above and beyond in ensuring the inclusion and success of black businesses.

"However, these companies that are pro black business and strive to empower lack consistency across the board and are few and far between. If there was transparency in these initiatives as well as clearer guidelines on requirements and information sharing, then we would take a giant leap forward towards transforming the mining sector landscape within our country."

Another issue for Tshidi is that barriers to entry still exist.

It is notoriously difficult to enter the mining sector, while staying there is even harder. The pressure put on supply chains to contain costs often puts businesses under a lot of pressure.

This results in a high number of companies falling by the wayside.

However, for Tshidi, the solution is pretty straightforward: "When a big mining house develops Stenda, for example, they should see the process through. What I mean is that once Stenda has received the necessary support and grown enough, instead of casting it aside and getting the next new thing, they should continue supporting it in the EME stage, as then Stenda can support SMMEs, thus creating a talent pool and also ensuring that a whole value chain is in place."

It isn't news that the mining sector is under increased pressure due to the state of South Africa's economy and social issues.

There are growing challenges faced with communities when it comes to developing resources, as communities, despite having a mining right or permit, will not allow entities to mine.

For this to change, Tshidi wants to see the relevant authorities find a way to address these issues, because "these projects could bring much needed economic relief to the communities".

The future of the Stenda Group

The logical next step for the Stenda Group is to move up the value chain in the mining sector.

With the establishment of Stenda Mining, the company has shifted its focus into developing their own mineral resources, focusing on manganese, vanadium, and chrome.

Tshidi wants to mine these themselves, while partnering with other players in the field, including host communities.

The Group also aims to beneficiate these resources, which will increase their value, thus creating employment and business opportunities for others.

Tshidi concludes: "Additionally, we have started expanding into territories outside of South Africa, in both the services and mining space. We have also ventured into the hospitality sector outside of South Africa, so the plans we are making are quite exciting. We are thrilled to see Stenda becoming a multinational business, growing in various geographic locations."

And we look forward to seeing just how far up the ladder you can climb.

Spearheading Socio-Economic Transformation for
the next 30 Years

Thabang Bantsi sat with the MD of the Black Management Forum (BMF), Monde Ndlovu, to deep dive on the achievements of the Forum in the last five years and understanding what their strategy is.

The Black Management Forum (BMF) has been one of the major organisational drivers in South Africa that has helped shape the development and empowerment of managerial leadership within primarily black communities, but also ensuring that people from all demographics and backgrounds are given equal opportunity in skilled positions and ensuring an equal voice society as a whole.

The BMF has, over the years, espoused a value system which embraces high standards and sets tone and measure in both corporate and business ethics.

Strategic focus of the BMF in the next three years

Monde shared how the forum will be consolidating and closing off their three-year strategy to usher in the new strategy. This will primarily feature three pillars of strategy in 2024. The first pillar will look at the sustainable development of black excellence and the key initiatives, being professionalising and awarding BMF designations to individuals who go through the various leadership programmes that are linked to the institutions such as SAICA, the IOD etc. This will help in infusing the BMF philosophy in leadership and transformation and its critical that it's driven as part of the strategy.

The organisation is currently waiting for it to be recognised to finally give its members these designations. The second pillar is around the sustainable development of black excellence; to continue to partner with institutions of higher learning in creating these development programmes. “The organisation is looking forward to working with the likes of Henley Business School and Directors Association in achieving this and driving their in-house programmes that has helped to train over 600 people in the last nine years,” says Monde.

The last pillar of the strategy would be advancing socio-economic transformation with a framework that was developed for affirmative action, called the “Basotho Hat”, which put forward a compelling argument for employment equity targets as the only way to transform management in workplaces, especially with regards to C-suite level. The BMF is currently driving a project regarding C-suite development around the country.

Business model of the BMF

“One of the key factors for the BMF’s business model has been creating a home for black professionals in South Africa and an organisation that will carry the load for all professionals, especially black professionals,” Monde explains. The model of the organisation is founded so that it can advance their grievances to a higher or broader audience.

The mandate of the BMF is still to ensure that there is an equal representation of leadership throughout all structures in the country, the economy, and civil society, while advancing socio-economic transformation through these structures. He then added that “one of the most important questions to constantly ask as an organisation is, has the BMF’s mandate been fulfilled to date?” The sentiment here is that although much has been achieved, much more is still to be done as we move into an evolved state of democracy.

The Importance of Female Leadership Development

Besides the conversation around advancing previously disadvantaged people in the corporate setting, that of women advancement is equally as important. It’s important that in our transformation efforts that women are driven forward. The BMF has responded to this need by putting in place the Women in Power Programme (WIPP). WIPP is designed to provide participants the opportunity to enhance their value-based leadership skills through exposing them to new ways of leading and achieving a higher level of professional performance in the workspace. Monde further discusses how one of the core focuses of the BMF is to develop African women and ensure they are equipped, supported, and given the space to lead.

“This is one of the deliberate focuses of the BMF as an organisation, but certainly there's always room to grow and nurture the development of women,” adds Monde.

According to the latest World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, South African women are paid between 23% and 35% less than men doing the same job, while Stats SA estimates the country’s gender wage gap at 30% across the board. With this in mind, gender transformation becomes a critical aspect of the BMF agenda as well, as the BMF undertakes to play a role as an authoritative voice in the country regarding this matter.

Socio–economic transformation as a core mandate of the BMF

Monde describes how there are so many layers to transformation and not one organisation can usher in the type of transformation that needs to take place. It's critical that the people who have influence assist in grooming young talent and address the challenges of transformation. As such, the BMF has been instrumental in driving the development of other professional bodies such as ABASA, who can further aid in driving the mandate of socio-economic transformation.

The organisation expects all entities, whether private or public, to play a role in alleviating poverty and creating jobs and other economic opportunities, especially for the previously disadvantaged communities.

Newly-formed coalition government and the future of South Africa

Monde continues to share how the newly-formed Government of National Unity is a major milestone for democracy. In a statement from the office of the BMF Presidency, the organisation has acknowledged that consolidating the divergent interests of all the coalition partners was challenging and also applauded all the stakeholders involved in putting the stability of the country front and centre and expeditiously concluding this process. Going forward, what will be pertinent in driving the country forward is the review of the macroeconomic policy, NDP, as well as the structure if the economy itself is to align with the vision of the country for the next 30 years.

What the government should consider at the moment is what systems need to be put in place to successfully lead as a coalition government, but also educating the masses about the new strategic vision of the country. The BMF believes that the time for complacency is over and it is rather a time to roll up our sleeves and push the country forward as a collective. Monde further highlights how the BMF looks forward to working closely with the Minister for Labour and Employment, as they address the challenges faced by South African professionals and society as a whole. By entering this new season, the BMF undertakes to reflect on what has been achieved and carve out our collective purpose for this time.

Thabang Bantsi is a Group Account Director, MBA Candidate at Wits Business School, and Business Journalist at Leadership Magazine and Black Business Quarterly.

Women in Mining

BBQ sat down with Nolwazi Qata, CEO of Carocept to talk about transformation in the Mining and Minerals sectors as well as discuss the company's success.

I always find it difficult to talk about transformation in the Mining and Minerals industry without referring to the Mining Charter. The main purpose of the Mining Charter, which is derived or emanates from the Mining and Petroleum Resources Development Act 2002 (MPRDA), is to ensure transformation within the Mining and Minerals industry,” says Qata.

The primary objectives of the MPRDA amongst others are to ensure broad-based economic empowerment and the meaningful participation of historically disadvantaged persons in the Mining and Minerals industry. The Mining Charter was developed as a regulatory instrument with specific measurable targets to effect the transformation of the industry.

“I am pleased to mention that Carocept through Umsimbithi mining became one of the beneficiaries of the mining charter that was introduced in 2004,” smiles Qata.

Some decades after the Mining Charter introduction, assessments done by the Department showed that noticeable improvements had been made in the level of compliance, however, overall transformation of the Mining industry remained unacceptably low, as the spirit of the Mining Charter at the time was not fully embraced.

Carocept was fortunate enough in the sense that Umisimbithi, the company that they are contracted to render several mining services to, gave them all the support they required as a start-up.

Carocept is a 100% BBBEE Mining services company with level 1 BEE credentials. They were founded in 2016 in Johannesburg and currently have operations at Umsimbithi coal mine near Belfast in Mpumalanga.

Services

Their services include but are not limited to discard handling, hauling of coal to Eskom power stations and security. “We elected to allow the community to render some of the services in the Carocept scope of work as we strongly believe in making the community active participants in our operations,” says Qata with pride.

Further to that, Qata is proud of their commitment to the communities in which they do business.

“At Carocept we care about the needs of the communities in which we do business and make every possible effort to support them where we can and ensure their upliftment in a way that contributes to their social and economic development.”

But that is not where it ends for Qata. Their commitment to corporate social investment extends beyond just giving, as they believe in creating and building lasting relationships with community members.

Women in Power

Carocept is predominantly owned by a group of women who were curious enough and very eager to learn about mining operations with very limited exposure to such operations.

“We were acutely aware of the risks associated with the mining services we were offering, however, that did not stop us from venturing into the Mining space. I was nominated to chair Umsimbithi for a period of five years. This gave me an opportunity to understand mining operations at a broader and strategic level.

“Of all our tasks at the mine, coal discard handling promised to be the most daunting as we realised that we would need material haulage and handling equipment to be able to execute our mandate,” says Qata.

This obviously meant a major capital outlay and we can all appreciate that as a start-up company, finding that type of serious financial backing will never be easy. A major South African bank came to their rescue with competitive financing after convincing them of Carocept’s vision to succeed. The next hurdle was to obtain the correct equipment with reliable technical backup.

After extensive research within the South African yellow machine market and numerous engagements with leading industry players, they made a decision on their partners and have no regrets.

“We have since excelled in rendering these services, With the bulk of our employees coming from the doorstep communities.

We are proud to have employees who are very loyal and protective of the company. They are an integral part of our success.

“Our true moment of realising one of the pillars of the Mining Charter came about with the transport services. The company was able to extend opportunities to the local transport companies, resulting in a number of them participating in Carocept.

To date, the company has executed its mandate to transport coal with such excellence and dedication despite the challenges generally encountered in this type of industry,” claims Qata.

One may wonder at this point on their journey as a women-owned company how exactly they achieved their success. However, their strategy of selecting to partner with companies with expertise in different areas of operations really paid off. By doing that, it allowed Qata and co to learn fast about the industry and the intricacies thereof. While there was little monetary return, the experience was enriching and led to the current success.

Since inception, Carocept’s growth has been reliant on creating and delivering sustainable value for all involved.

The realisation that each mining site is unique and offers its very own set of challengers has allowed Carocept to supply custom solutions to suit each one.

We would like to be recognized as a women-owned, Competent and reliable mining services company that demonstrates consistency in its operations whilst we develop expertise in our fields of operations.

We are always open to forming partnerships and strategic alliances with entities that can contribute to the development and sustainability of the company where necessary.

Whilst the company is mindful of the meaningful participation of historically disadvantaged persons in the mining industry, they understand that a diverse team is potentially more resilient and successful. Together they build sustainable operations, and their track record is one of quality, innovation and commitment.

The 2018 Mining Charter version stipulates targets to be achieved by mining companies in terms of women shareholders in the company and the percentages of goods and services supplied by businesses owned and controlled by women. Overcoming the constraints women face in meaningful participation in mining requires a concerted effort and buy-in from all role players. “There are companies that have made some progress in this regard; however, I believe that there is a lot that needs to be done in order to facilitate the meaningful engagement of women in mining. There are lessons to be learnt from those women who managed to break the barriers,” says Qata.

It is critically important that operations must be based on sound business practices and continuously look for opportunities for improvement to adapt to the dynamic and fast-changing work environment.

“I believe that there are opportunities that are not fully explored by mines, for instance, mine owners operating in the same area can collaborate on implementing identified projects in order to maximize the socio-economic developmental impact, of course in line with their specific approved social and labour plans.

“Whilst one is mindful of challenges around the definition of mine communities which are referred to as adjacent communities within a local municipality, Constructive engagements with all relevant stakeholders may alleviate and resolve such challenges to the benefit of all concerned,” concludes Qata.

About delinquency, time bar to hold directors accountable extended to 5 years. Is it enough?

The Companies Amendment Act extends the time bar to hold directors accountable from 24 to 60 months, or even more with good cause. Professor Parmi Natesan says: “It's a definite move in the right direction, but I question whether it is enough.”

The amendment is a direct result of the Zondo Commission of Enquiry into State Capture's finding that directors of captured state-owned entities (SOEs) had not been properly held accountable. It called for an amendment of the Companies Act to extend the period in which an application for an order declaring a person delinquent can be brought “as it can take a number of years for the facts of delinquency to be uncovered”. The Companies Amendment Act amends the Companies Act of 2008 to extend the 24-month time bar to launch proceedings to 60 months–and gives the court the power to extend this period further where good cause is shown.

“Directors, along with other prescribed officers in companies, can be held accountable for a considerable period after they have committed the alleged offences,” notes Prof. Natesan. “This is something that the IoDSA has long championed. We commend the extension of the timeframe but want to emphasise that this is not the whole answer.”

Belts and braces needed

The reality is that the cost and length of time it takes to bring an application of director delinquency to court deters companies from making use of this remedy.

With no fast or easy means to address delinquency, directors who are guilty of gross misconduct are often simply removed from a board. However, without censure or statutory action, they continue to serve on other boards. So the misconduct, corruption and maladministration continue–and that is very costly for everyone.

In her presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, she proffers a comprehensive solution: the establishment of a statutory professional body to which all directors would have to belong in order to have a license to practice.

Such a professional body would govern the office of directorship, guiding the profession and setting and maintaining standards for ethical and professional practice.

“As things now stand, the IoDSA is a voluntary professional body for directors and so its mandate to take disciplinary action is limited to its members,” says Prof. Natesan. While every effort is made to advocate publically for good governance and directorship, this is not enough to hold directors accountable.

By contrast, a statutory professional body would require all directors to become members in order to practice. The new body would ensure standards are upheld, that knowledge and skills are vetted and kept up to date and that directors abide by a code of conduct, failing which their license to practice could be removed.

Ultimately this would result in a quicker and less costly manner to hold directors accountable.

The IoDSA has established a Director Competency Framework, which identifies 15 technical knowledge and application competencies and 15 personal attributes and behaviour competencies needed to serve as a director. It has also developed two director designations–Chartered Director and Certified Director–both recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority, to enable directors to gain, prove, and maintain the necessary competencies.

“The Zondo Commission's findings show just how badly directorial misconduct affects a company, and how important it is to be able to hold rogue directors to account in terms of a rigorous, professional standard,” concludes Prof. Natesan.

“I believe it is time for South Africa–company stakeholders, owners, boards and professionals–to harness the momentum established by the Zondo Commission and the new Companies Amendment Act and take a stand to professionalise directorship.”

Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA)

What, exactly, is delinquency?

As the IoDSA's guidance paper on director delinquency notes, delinquency arises when a director breaches his or her fiduciary duties towards the company being served. If material acts of misconduct can be proved, as listed in Section 162(5) of the Companies Act, the director can be declared delinquent by the High Court and precluded from continuing to act as a director for seven years or more. This statutory enforcement, which can be lifelong, is not intended to be a remedy for a trivial misdemeanour but rather for gross abuses of the fundamental trust inherent in the position of a director–i.e., unlawful conduct committed wilfully or recklessly. Probation orders, which can reach five years, can also be made by courts against directors for material breaches of the standard of conduct required of a director, either with intent or through gross negligence.

What is expected of a director?

Legal duties require directors to exercise their powers and perform their functions in good faith, for a proper purpose and in the best interest of the company and with the utmost degree of care, skill, and diligence that may be reasonably expected of a person in the position of that director and from a person with the general knowledge and specific skills of that director. Section 76 of the Companies Act partially codifies these common law duties of directors and sets out the prescribed minimum standard of conduct for all directors and prescribed officers. It includes, amongst others, the prohibition of directors from using their position to gain personal advantages or to harm the company.

Building a nation
to be proud of

The CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT), Tebogo Malaka, is eyeing a prosperous future for South Africans through the work of her organisation.

The Independent Development Trust (IDT) was established as a grant-making civil society organisation in 1990. However, in 1997, the entity was re-constituted as a development agency and public entity to support all spheres of the South African government.

At its sitting in March 1997, Cabinet resolved that the IDT should be '...transformed into a government development agency that will implement projects which are commissioned by government departments'. The organisation was integrated into the public service delivery system in 1999 with the promulgation of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) (Act 1 of 1999) and listed as a Schedule 2 Major Public Entity.

The 1997 mandate of the IDT is still in place. The entity reports to Parliament through the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, its Shareholder Representative and Executive Authority.

The vision and mission of the IDT have evolved throughout the life cycle of the organisation, with the current vision to be a 'commercially-driven, public sector built environment project management enterprise'.

"My vision for the IDT resonates with the organisation's vision. Our goal is to deliver infrastructure that meets the needs of the end-user. For example, when it comes to schools, our goal is to build facilities that create a conducive environment for effective learning, which is aligned with what the government seeks to achieve," explains Tebogo Malaka, the CEO of the IDT.

"Our value proposition is to build quality infrastructure on time and within budget. This ensures that the IDT remains relevant, efficient, and impactful. These are encapsulated in our brand promise of 'Assured Efficient Infrastructure Delivery'."

Overcoming challenges

Despite the fine work of the entity, there have been a number of challenges to overcome. One of the most notable challenges in the last three years entailed rebuilding the IDT into a 'Fit for Purpose' entity, and regaining the confidence of old and new clients after the organisation was almost closed down.

Another challenge has been budget cuts by clients as a result of low levels of economic growth. This has had an impact on the size of the IDT's portfolio and could potentially derail their efforts to turn the IDT into a financially-sustainable entity.

Business forums, commonly referred to as the 'Construction Mafia', also poses a huge stumbling block to the delivery of social infrastructure projects. This calls for the IDT to find innovative ways to deal with the challenge posed by these groups.

Despite these challenges, Malaka is confident in the future of the organisation under her leadership.

"As part of our determination to remain relevant and impactful, we interact regularly with our clients and carry out client satisfaction surveys to obtain feedback on the quality of our services to them. Client feedback has been positive overall and we constantly improve in areas where there are problems," Malaka insists.

"We do not build infrastructure in a vacuum. We ensure that as we build our infrastructure facilities, we also empower previously disadvantaged individuals by implementing programmes such as the Contractor Development Programme, in line with the transformative ethos of BBBEE.

"Therefore, a significant portion of our programme expenditure is on emerging contractors, including women and youth. This ensures that we also deliver on the wider goals of the state, which is transforming the built environment by ensuring that it is inclusive. This, in my view, establishes a strong foundation for an inclusive economy and promotes social cohesion."

Socio-economic development

As part of the infrastructure delivery value chain of the state, the IDT programmes are informed by and aligned with South Africa's blueprint for development, the National Development Plan (NDP). Much has been achieved in pursuit of the national development goals, especially as they relate to social infrastructure and the promotion of empowerment of previously disadvantaged groups through targeted expenditure on black contractors, especially women and youth. The IDT has delivered two post-apartheid High Courts of South Africa in Limpopo and Mpumalanga and two magistrates courts in Gauteng and Western Cape, which supports one of the pillars of the Constitution, Section 34, which provides for access to justice.

The IDT has also built many schools across all provinces as part of our contribution towards equal access to education, while their work in delivering libraries and community centres across South Africa has changed many lives for the better.

"One of our values is that we 'think like our clients'. This means that our systems, policies, regulatory frameworks are the same as those of our clients. This makes for a seamless delivery of infrastructure," Malaka explains. "One of the reasons why most clients choose us as an implementing agent is because our procurement systems are faster. We are able to procure services faster than many other government entities that have to follow relatively long processes to deliver on their goals. This is a key differentiator for us.

"Over the years we have also gathered the necessary experience and understanding of the infrastructure delivery environment and its challenges so that we can find solutions quicker to some of the teething problems that bedevil the construction industry."

The IDT has also been an implementing agent for the Expanded Public Works Programme for several years. Since the IDT started implementing the programme in 2009, more than 720 000 job opportunities have been created and 4 667 NPOs have been contracted to implement the programme.

Innovation and collaboration

Technology has the ability to drive change in the built industry, and the IDT is no exception with its use of technology.

The IDT is in the process of introducing the Project Management Information System (e-PPMIS), which will assist in monitoring the progress of its projects at the click of a button.

"This will provide efficiency in our project management," Malaka says. In terms of collaboration, the IDT's strategy is anchored in working with other entities, including some of its competitors.

This means that the IDT is able to deliver on the greater good of helping the people of South Africa.

"We need to work with all parties so that they bring their expertise to bear on the social infrastructure delivery. Our goals are closely aligned with those of other entities in the Public Works and Infrastructure sphere.

"This is very critical for our success as better coordination of efforts reduces the potential for duplication and other problems that could stymie our efforts to deliver infrastructure faster," Malaka explains.

Motivation and the future

Malaka says that growing up in an underprivileged township during the apartheid era, she experienced first-hand the lack of proper facilities and opportunities available to many South Africans.

This motivated her and countless other township children not to allow their circumstances to define them and determine their future.

"I am driven by the desire to make a difference in other people's lives and to inspire the younger generation not to allow their circumstances to define them," she insists.

"It is a great privilege to lead an organisation whose mandate is to make a difference in the lives of South Africans. It is always moving to see the joy in the eyes of communities when we hand over infrastructure facilities to them, be it a school, a library or a clinic. That gives me great satisfaction and drives me to do even more for our people."

In terms of what the future looks like for the IDT, Malaka is determined to build an entity that is agile and responsive to the challenges faced by South African communities. "I would like to continue growing the business portfolio of the IDT to ensure financial sustainability, but also diversify the portfolio by focusing on social development programmes," she concludes.

"The transformation of the built environment remains the biggest priority that will bring equality and create opportunities for previously disadvantaged groups."

Zamani Letjane: a trailblazer

Akani Group Chairman Zamani Letjane can be described as a serial entrepreneur who has been making waves in sectors traditionally dominated by white males. Ido Lekota caught up with the businessman for a chat...

I am a serious challenger of the notion that black people are not capable of operating in specialised fields such as the financial sector. For example, many black businesses have been taken out of the race in the financial sector. I am the one man standing running the biggest black-owned Retirement Fund Administrator in the country.”

Under his holding company Akani Group, Letjane runs several other ventures, including Akani Retirement Fund Administrators, Akani Properties, Akani Energy, Munghana Travel and Tourism, and Neighbour Funeral Scheme–to mention just a few. Through these entities he is said to have created no less than 5 000 jobs.

Currently as Akani Group Chairman, Letjane believes that throughout his eventful career path he has planted a seed among many aspiring young entrepreneurs who are now ready to grab the torch and continue with the eternal marathon of driving this country’s economic transformation–especially in critical sectors such as the financial sector.

“I have trained many upcoming entrepreneurs who are ready to continue where I left off when I was still directly involved in the building of Akani Properties and Akani Retirement Fund Administrators. As you can see, these companies have risen to go pound for pound with established brands in the sectors they operate. I do believe that these ‘greenshoots’ will take the torch and join the marathon I have been running all these years as a black business in sectors that are historically owned and run by white males. The fact that these companies are now where they are is a clear sign that, despite attempts to undermine efforts by those who look and think like me, economic transformation will happen in this country.”

Letjane’s career started when he joined a private company as a Human Resources Practitioner in 1980.

He then joined the Human Resources Department of the Local Authority where he remained for 10 years. As a professional, Letjane has also played a role in both the private sector, where he made a contribution to the transformation of whatever sector participated in.

Before 1994, the world of pension fund administration in South Africa was essentially a closed shop between employers who established the funds, appointed the trustees, and attended to their administration, and the actuaries who advised them. This led to a situation where black members of the fund were, by law, excluded from become board members of pension funds.

Post-1994, Letjane was part of the Pension Funds Advisory Committee which advised the Minister of Finance on the structure and administration of the pension funds in the country. It is through this panel’s work that the Pension Fund Act was eventually amended to restructure the management boards of functions ensuring that all employees who were beneficiaries of the fund (including black members) were involved in its administration.

In his career, Letjane has also served in the boards of various other bodies, including:

• • South African Board of Personnel Practitioners: A body that monitors and audit companies and institutions in relation to their Human Resources practices covering various areas such as strategy, risk and compliance, employee relations, organisational development etc.
  
• • Institute of Municipal Personnel Practitioners: A body committed to empowering its members to deliver excellent service to the public through professional human resources management and high standards of integrity and commitment to public service. This also entails addressing the pressing challenges faced by municipalities and exploring innovative solution to enhance their performance.
  
• • Institute of Retirement Funds SA: A body focusing on the development of best practices and standards in the retirement industry–thereby ensuring socio-economic contribution, growth, and sustainability in South Africa and beyond.
  

Letjane was previously a Trustee of the Local Government Pension Fund, which owned several shopping centres around the country in its property portfolio. One of his duties was identifying sites where retail shopping centres could be constructed. He served in that portfolio for 17 years buying malls around the country.

Akani Retirement Fund Administrators (Akani RFA)

After obtaining his retirement fund administration licence in 1999, he started Akani Retirement Fund Administrators in 2001. The company is currently the biggest 100% black owned, managed, and controlled retirement fund administrator in South Africa.

Akani RFA was appointed to administer the Municipal Employees Pension Fund (MEPF) in 2003, maintaining and growing the fund from R1.4 billion to over R26 billion in assets since then. As the MEPF administrator, Akani RFA’s responsibilities include:

• • Assist in formulating an investment strategy based on the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 and international best practices.
  
• • Drafting of the Investment Strategy.
  
• • Assist in Assets Allocations.
  
• • Assist in Manager Selection.
  
• • Monitor Performance by Assets Managers.
  

Arrange for investments presentations by appointed investments managers. The Municipal Employees Pension Fund is a defined benefits and defined contribution fund which provides members and their dependants with reasonable and competitive retirement, resignation, and risk benefits (death-in-service and disability benefits). The fund was established in 1970 with the aim to service the retirement needs of the previously disadvantaged employees within local government.

Akani Properties

In 2005, Letjane started Akani Properties, a 100% black-owned and managed property development, investment, and management company with north of R3 billion total assets under its management.

Akani Properties manages a growing portfolio comprising more than 50 properties in retail, office, and tourism and leisure sectors. These properties are located in Gauteng, Limpopo, Free State, North West, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal.

One of the key highlights of Akani Properties is the development of the R950 million Radisson Hotel and International Convention Centre Johannesburg OR Tambo in Kempton Park, which was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2020. Akani Properties won a bid to construct and develop a hotel and convention centre in Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (Middleburg), a growing mining town in the Mpumalanga province. Akani is also contracted to manage the MEPF’s property portfolio.

Neighbour Funeral Services

The Neighbour Funeral Group Scheme was established in 2017, initially as an affordable funeral product for the working class and the Christian communities of Southern Africa. Over the years, it has grown into a fully-fledged funeral scheme servicing close to 80 000 members across the length and breadth of South Africa, ensuring that the loved ones of the working class are buried with dignity.

By tapping into the spirit of “neighbourliness–a common practice in African communities dating back to many centuries ago–Neighbour brings comfort to millions of the working class by providing financial security at the time of loss of their loved ones.

With its origins as a funeral scheme of one of the largest pension funds in Southern Africa, Neighbour has spread its wings to the broader working class in Southern Africa.

Neighbour is administered by Akani Retirement Fund Administrators and underwritten by Old Mutual.

Munghana Travel and Tourism

This is an exclusive travel and tourism company which specialises in travel management solutions for discerning business and leisure. The company specialises in bespoke travel and leisure packages to suit individual tastes.

Akani Energy

The company’s main focus is renewable energy and currently provide consultancy services relating to the installation of solar on-roof solar panels as well ground-mounted energy solutions. The company also specialises in the supply of electrical cables such as low, medium, and high voltage power cables, as well overhead conductors.

Two-pot retirement system

Following September's introduction of the two-pot retirement system, like other pension administrators, Akani Pension Fund Administrators is assisting pension members who want to take advantage of the new provision, which allows them to withdraw some funds from the savings component.

In terms of the system, after the 1st of September 2024, all pension contributions are to be split, with one third of the contributions going to a savings pot and two-thirds to the retirement pot. In terms of the system, on the 30th of August 2024, there was a once-off compulsory transfer of the employee’s retirement savings (capped at R30 000) to the savings component. The rest of the money remains in the vested component.

Now withdrawals can be withdrawn from the savings component for emergencies, with the amount drawn subject to nominal tax. If one chooses not to withdraw from their savings pot, the remaining funds will be taxed as a lump sum benefit upon retirement, following the retirement lump sum tax table. These tax rates are generally lower than the marginal tax rates applied to withdrawals before retirement.

Under the system people can only withdraw one-third of their retirement component upon retirement. The remaining balance will be distributed as fixed monthly payments. However, once one retires, if the total amount of their retirement component plus what is left in the savings is less than R165 000, they may withdraw the full amount.

From the government’s point of view, the system is aimed at balancing immediate financial needs with long-term financial security, offering flexibility while safeguarding retirement savings. By allowing partial withdrawals for emergencies while protecting most of the savings for retirement, the system addresses past challenges where people could cash out their full pension savings when changing jobs, leaving nothing for retirement.

While confirming that his company Akani Retirement Fund Administrators is ready to help facilitate a smooth withdrawal process–including running education programmes for the potential withdrawers, Letjane is not in favour of the two-pot system.

He feels it does not promote adequate retirement provision. He also feels that instead of helping the workers carrying the heavy yoke of financial distress, the system is benefitting the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

“The eventual beneficiary in this system is the South African Revenue Service (SARS) because unlike previously where pension contributions were non-taxable, and the pension pay-outs were taxed at a lower rate, in terms of the new system, the withdrawals are regarded as part of income and are therefore taxed in terms of one’s nominal tax rate.

“This creates a situation whereby, for example, the withdrawal can push someone into a higher tax bracket. Essentially this is going to reduce the amount saved for retirement; a rather dire situation in a country where research shows that only six percent of the retirees can retire comfortably.”

The introduction of the two-pot retirement system has been challenged from several quarters including labour, with the argument that given the country’s current situation where the majority of workers live in a state of economic emergency, the system will be of no help to those it seeks to help.

Unfortunately, the 2023 FinMark annual FinScope Consumer South Africa for 2021 does confirm the concern raised by those who do not buy into the two-pot system.

According to the survey, the rising cost of living is significantly impacting South African households’ wallets. Consumers are struggling with an average worker not being able to provide themselves and their family with basic necessities of life and therefore not able to save for their retirement.

It also revealed that, for example, due to financial constraints, two out of every five individuals reported their homes being without electricity in 2023. The survey report essentially puts a spanner in the government’s assertion that the aim of the saving component is to help pension fund members to deal with financial emergencies they find themselves in, because, as the survey shows, the majority of South African workers are already living in an “economic emergency”.

For labour and some civil society organisations, the solution to this “state of economic emergency” is to pay a living wage which is sufficient for a worker to provide themselves and their family with the basic necessities of life and save something for the future or to cover whatever arising emergency expenses.

For Letjane, the solution to the dire situation is to introduce compulsory pension as a benefit to all employees.

This means it must be made compulsory for all employers to contribute to their employees’ retirement. This, Letjane contends, will deal with the widespread income insecurity on retirement for the majority of South African workers. To ensure compliance to the law by the employers, there must be penalties for non-compliance.

Currently it is compulsory for employees to become a member of the pension fund that the employer participates in, but it is not compulsory for the employer to become a participant in the pension fund. Only in some industries, where there are bargaining council agreements, employers are bound to participate in industry retirement funds and to make fund membership a condition of their contracts of employment.

Akani Group in the spotlight

Recently, Akani came into the spotlight following media accusing Letjane of not acting in good faith and gaining improper advantage for his company to the prejudice of the Municipal Employees Pension Fund (MEPF) and acting in conflict of interest; essentially betraying the trust the fund has in Akani Pension Fund Administrators.

These sentiments arise from a 2018 transaction in which MEPF apparently paid Akani Properties R333 million to purchase a small agricultural holding. Akani Properties is Letjane’s property management company contracted by the MEPF to manage its property portfolio. The contention is that the piece of land was overpriced.

In response, Letjane says the property in question was not just a piece of land, but a fully developed property that included The Destiny Hotel, OR Tambo International Convention Centre, and several other structures. Letjane also dismisses any claims of improper financial dealings on his part and also calls out the description by the media of the sold property as a piece of land, describing the whole saga as an attempt to erroneously underestimate the size of property involved.

His assertion is that in the 1990s he acquired several properties, later consolidated into a single ERF (ERF 155). These properties formed part of Akani Properties and were developed into what became the Destiny Hotel–a fully operational hotel that served visitors during major events such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as a Wellness Centre and the OR Tambo International Convention Centre. After the sale, the property underwent significant changes, including a rebranding, and is now known as the Radisson Hotel and International Convention Centre Johannesburg OR Tambo.

On the R333 million paid by MEPF for the “piece of land”, Letjane points out that the property was professionally evaluated by Akani Properties, MEPF, and independent valuators, who collectively determined its value to be R555 million (excluding VAT). Adding that MEPF also conducted its own due diligence, which included a feasibility study.

Letjane also ascribes the allegations against his company to the fact that he is an outstanding entrepreneur in a sectors where very few black business people have thrived.

“When we (Akani Retirement Fund Administrators) took over as the Municipal Employees Pension Fund administrator in 2003 it was worth R1.4 billion and its value today is over R26 billion. What is happening now with all the allegations against Akani is because I am scaring my competitors who think I neither deserve nor have the capability to run such a successful venture in a sector regarded as the exclusive playground for others unlike me.”

Providing some clarity on the two of his companies that have dominated headlines recently, Letjane says Akani Properties and Akani Pension Fund Administrators are two commercially separate entities with the former having the responsibility of not only managing the MEPF property portfolio, but also contributing to its growth. According to Letjane, the MEPF has appointed Akani Properties in recognition of his experience in the property sector.

“It is because of my experience in the property sector that the MEPF appointed my company Akani Properties to manage its property portfolio,” says Letjane.

Ido Lekota is a former Sowetan Editor and regular contributor to BBQ Magazine.

The plight of women deserves more than just a theme

Thirty years later, the government has failed to authentically develop women in South Africa, writes Sixolise Gcilishe.

The government, through the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, announced the theme for 2024’s Women’s Month as, ‘Celebrating 30 Years of Democracy Towards Women’s Development’. A baffling title if you ask me, because the agenda of women continues to be grossly undermined at every level of government and society in South Africa.

This, despite the fact that there are countless efforts geared at addressing human rights such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that, amongst other things, focuses on the right to equality as well as freedom from discrimination. This equality should essentially transcend to women as well, ensuring that they are afforded opportunities to advance in whatever field that they choose to enter.

They should not continue to be treated as second class citizens and have the bar continuously raised to make the road to success that much more difficult.

A close examination of women representation from Parliament, provincial legislatures, and municipalities reveals that inequality in politics remains a lived reality with little to no effort to address it. Political parties and especially the Government of National Unity have missed an opportunity to address the issues of developing women through choosing deserving female candidates to represent them.

The African National Congress (ANC) holds onto its patriarchy ideals through advocating for men ahead of women and in the 7th administration, they are joined by their new partners the Democratic Alliance, whose insistence on propelling incompetent, white, uneducated males ahead of more accomplished and particularly black females will never cease to amaze me. The matriculant white males are ministers, whilst the black women who are ministers and deputies are expected to have higher qualifications.

It is only the Economic Freedom Fighters who do not only preach a woman agenda but actually implements it. The EFF is the only political party with 62% female representation in the 7th administration and in addition, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) sees the EFF female representation accounting for six out of the eight representatives. All structures of the EFF recognise the importance of authentic leadership by women and as an organisation we are committed to maintaining that women should and will always be at the centre of leadership within our movement.

Women are made to jump through hoops where mediocrity and the bare minimum is expected from their male counterparts. Such manifests itself even in cases of the newly appointed Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, whom the EFF had previously advocated for ahead of the questionable Judge Zondo. Only now she has been appointed when she should ideally been afforded the opportunity first.

Our government is sluggish when awarding women that which is due to them and that which they have displayed competence in. This is why even 30 years later, we still have industries where women are firsts and others where payment disparities exist. Nothing is done to address that and there are certainly no punitive measures in place to dissuade and discourage private businesses who practice this sort of discrimination against women.

The government needs to move away from creating programmes and events around women that have no tangible action plan and which will not create real change in the lives of ordinary South African women and black impoverished women in particular. We still exist in a society that is battling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), despite the so-called GBVF Summit Declaration in 2019. The initiative has been followed by other summits spearheaded by the president to combat GBVF, but all they have been able to achieve is talk with little to no action.

The rate at which women are being killed is tantamount to those living in a country that has declared war on their lives. This despite the amendments to legislation such as the Domestic Violence Amendment Act of 2021, amongst others. Women continue to perish at the hands of loved ones with South Africa dubbed the ‘rape capital of the world’ by Human Rights Watch.

But rampant abuse in South Africa for women manifests itself financially and it is safe to say that the lack of economic opportunities for women provide breeding ground for this behaviour to continue. Black women in particular continue to be grossly disadvantaged and millions live in abject poverty because the are removed from economic opportunities. Yes, there are government programmes, but the issue remains with accessibility.

Michelle Obama once said that “the empowerment of women is the key to unlocking the potential of a nation”, and as the EFF we agree with this sentiment. Financial means of a woman benefit her family and her community. Our government is therefore missing opportunities to develop women where they are. They are satisfied with women being consumers and end users, but not as owners of means of production.

For instance, millions of South African women are informal traders. They have raised families from selling fruit, vegetables, food, and amagwinya on the streets and at taxi ranks. But how many of those women have the government developed and educated in order for them to infiltrate the value chain? They remain street vendors and informal traders, however, this sector employs over two million South Africans and accounts for 5% of the GDP according to StatsSA. Why then do these women remain traders for decades instead of receiving the necessary assistance to own fruit and vegetable markets and becoming suppliers? Why are they not growing to the stage of becoming large scale farmers and becoming producers rather than small scale resellers?

The situation is perpetuated because the agenda of women has always been treated as an event under the leadership of the ANC and it is evident that this imposed Government of National Unity is going to continue on this unimaginative streak, much to the detriment of society. They are not going to realise that developing women will decrease unemployment and also empower women to not subject themselves to abusive environments because of financial dependency. But, sadly, thirty years later we are discussing the announcement of a theme and not taking stock of where the country has failed women and how they are going to speedily address this.

Sixolise Gcilishe is the Head of Communications and Stakeholder Relations in the President’s office and an EFF Member of Parliament.

A closer look at the state of female entrepreneurship
in South Africa

Key insights from the Veuve Clicquot Bold International Barometer.

As part of Veuve Clicquot's ongoing commitment to supporting and celebrating women in business, the Maison created the Bold International Barometer in 2019 to shed light on and provide meaningful insights into the evolution of female entrepreneurship. Now in its 3rd year, the Barometer continues to lead the conversation around women and their presence in business, offering a deep dive into the data on female entrepreneurship in South Africa.

In 2023, over 49 000 women and men from 25 countries were surveyed. Encouragingly, South Africa's data results speak to a robust female-led industry. The survey, which was self-administered online, asked respondents to give their views on several statements relating to the nuances of being a business owner and entrepreneur.

Taking a global look first, the survey suggests that the rate of female entrepreneurship has slowed and is even diminishing in some countries. In some cases, this is due to both external–such as ongoing geopolitical crises–and internal factors, like striking a fair work-life balance.

This, however, is not the case in South Africa, where the data suggests a dynamic environment for women, fueled by a contagious desire among them to become entrepreneurs. Amanda Dambuza, Founder and CEO of Uyandiswa and the 2017 winner of the International Businesswoman Award by Veuve Clicquot, says: “I am forever impressed by the spirit of South African female entrepreneurs. Despite the many challenges they face, they get up and back themselves to ‘bring home the bacon’.

Next to Nigeria, we stand shoulders above the rest with high numbers of females identifying as entrepreneurs.”

In short, female entrepreneurship in South Africa is flourishing. South Africa stood out as one of the global leaders in female entrepreneurship where, currently, 61% of women self-identify as entrepreneurs (primarily aged between 20 to 29). According to the survey, they tend to be better educated and have higher incomes than their male counterparts. Yet they remain concentrated in lower-income sectors like beauty, food, retail, and fashion, while men dominate tech. However, in industries such as transportation, finance, and real estate, there is relatively equal representation, suggesting there could be potential for more women to succeed in these fields, should they want to diversify.

What's motivating women to become entrepreneurs?

According to the data, 39% of female respondents said that ‘being your own boss’ was the biggest driver for becoming an entrepreneur. Despite this, most women and half of men agree that it is more difficult for women to become entrepreneurs. Further to this, most women concur that securing business funding is easier for men, a view that remains consistent with previous years.

“[This] finding resonates deeply with me,” says Morongwe Mokone, the 2024 Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot winner and Co-Founder of Mo's Crib. “It highlights the persistent gender and structural barriers that women face.”

She continues by commenting on the need for strong role models among respondents, with most women and men agreeing on their importance.

“[This] emphasises the need for female visibility and representation,” Morongwe adds. 72% of aspiring South African female entrepreneurs can name a successful woman they admire, surpassing the global average. Refilwe Sebothoma, 2024 Bold Future Award winner and Founder of Hakem Energies adds: “It remains our responsibility to keep forging a way for those who come after us. In this way, success doesn't become a too far-fetched idea but a reality which can be attained by fellow women entrepreneurs.”

However, as glowing as some of these statistics may be, women still face challenges that, in many cases, their male counterparts don't experience. In addition to difficulties accessing funding, women also must navigate balancing work and family, with 63% of women and 56% of men agreeing this is harder for female entrepreneurs.

Further to that, since the conversation about working women can't happen without mentioning their families, half of the female respondents believe that female entrepreneurship disrupts family life, compared to only 25% who feel the same about male entrepreneurship.

“Women must know without a shadow of a doubt that despite cultural and family pressures, they deserve to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship,” says Amanda.

Further to this, two-thirds of women say that managing entrepreneurship with family life is harder for women, and about half say that working full-time affects family life. This indicates that while entrepreneurship is thriving amongst women in South Africa, there is still much work to be done to support women getting into business, as well as helping them stay there.

“It is encouraging to see the growth and resilience of women in this field despite economic challenges,” says Morongwe. “However, it is essential to focus on breaking down the barriers that limit women's participation in higher-revenue sectors and ensure equal access to funding opportunities. By addressing these issues and promoting diverse role models, we can further empower women and drive sustainable economic growth.”

“Authenticity, resilience, and just being ourselves is very important. As women, we need to keep making a difference, no matter how insignificant we think it is because when that impact is replicated, women will change the world,” concludes Refilwe.

About the Bold Woman Award

In 1805, Madame Clicquot took the reins of the House after the death of her husband, at a time when women did not have the right to work or even hold a bank account. Over the years, she revolutionized the sector.

To mark its 200th anniversary, Veuve Clicquot decided to pay tribute to this great, daring woman, and in 1972 created the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award (Bold Woman Award), followed by the Clémentine Award (Bold Future Award) in 2014. For nearly 50 years, the House has honoured and featured women who have built, taken on, or developed a business–to date, over 450 women across 27 countries.

In response to society's evolution since 1972, starting in 2019 the award has been part of an international programme: Bold by Veuve Clicquot, a series of initiatives to generate conversations around the world, designed for more impact and inclusiveness.

Veuve Clicquot

A new African agenda for geopolitical rivalry shaping 21st century

Many countries have been “rediscovering” the strategic importance of Africa, which, with its rapid population growth, represents a huge market for their goods, Dr Yacoob Abba Omar writes.

Observers of the Forum of China-Africa Co-operation, attended by 50 African leaders in Beijing recently, debated the rise, decline, and future of rival powers.

These analysts are in good company–historians ranging from North African Ibn Khaldun in the 14th century to 20th century British historian Paul Kennedy have spent much time analysing the ebb and flow between hegemonic powers.

They were standing on the shoulders of ancient scholars such as Thucydides, the Greek historian, who argued that the central cause of the 434-401 BCE Peloponnesian War was “the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta”. The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) will be hosting a conference in October focusing on contemporary manifestations of power transitions, asking whether the current geopolitical rivalries will lead to greater conflict or a more co-operative, multipolar world.

The triennial China-Africa forum should be seen alongside many other countries' attempts to court Africa. In 2021, President Emmanuel Macron hosted a France-Africa summit, while in the past two years President Joe Biden hosted a US-Africa summit. Russia President Vladimir Putin hosted the second Russia-Africa gathering and in March Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosted an Italy-Africa gathering. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia have also been “rediscovering” the strategic importance of Africa.

Much of this interest is due to Africa's rapid population growth as it represents a huge market for their goods, a high concentration of critical minerals, and 54 votes at the UN. This attention has seen a broadening of trade relations. India has become Africa's third-biggest trading partner after the EU and China, while the United Arab Emirates' trade with Africa has increased almost 500% in the past two decades. The UAE is now also the fourth biggest investor in Africa, having ploughed in nearly $60 billion in the past decade. How should Africa handle these developments? Lazarus Chakwera, Malawi's president and a seasoned summiteer, recently said while it was “good to have a Chinese meal sometimes”, an all-you-can eat buffet was even better. Chidi Odinkalu of the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy is worried that Africa continues to find itself on the menu and that it is disconcerting that single countries think it's OK to negotiate with the collective leaders of Africa at once.

Alex Vines of Chatham House cites the case of Djibouti to describe the strategy of being friends with many nations but the client of none. This tiny state has rented out its Red Sea coastline for the bases of competing powers, including China, the US, France, and Japan.

However, such openness to external alliances can contribute to tragedy as seen in the Sudan war, which began in 2023 and involves a range of powers including the Gulf states as well as Egypt and Ethiopia. Coups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have seen the expulsion of French and US troops and the forging of closer ties with Russia and mercenary group Wagner.

The sweeping generalisations that marked coverage of last week's forum gathering overlooked two important developments in Africa-China relations. The first, as articulated by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is that African countries “would like to narrow the trade deficit and address the structure of our trade” and his call for “more sustainable manufacturing and job-creating investments”.

The other development is the shifting nature of the financing of projects, an example of which is the Tazara railway line $1 billion refurbishment. Built in the 1970s with Chinese help under Mao Zedong, it connects Zambia to Tanzania. The new investment will avoid borrowing and raise cash through a concession to Chinese investors, encouraging more direct investment.

There is also a geopolitical angle to this development: the line will compete with a US-backed railway running from the central African copper belt to Angola's Atlantic coast in a bid to access the continent's critical minerals.

Mistra's conference will need to reflect on these various developments as part of the process of developing a new African agenda, one that is drafted with and implemented by scholars, business, labour, and governments.

Dr Yacoob Abba Omar is the Director of Operations at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA).

20 years of B-BBEE: what is the future of the policy?

A dialogue of stakeholders on BEE will hopefully broaden the consensus base in society and the economy on the policy, which is critical for ‘emptying the cupboard’ on implementation and compliance with the B-BBEE Act, writes Tshediso Matona.

Two years ago, I assumed the reins of Commissioner for B-BBEE, slightly ahead of the 20-year milestone of the BEE policy, which first became a law in 2003.

I came with optimism and excitement about a responsibility of utmost national importance, of the B-BBEE Commission, created in 2016 to oversee and guide implementation of the B-BBEE Act and the Code of Good Practice in complying with the policy by government and the private sector.

One of the immediate challenges I couldn’t miss and have had to contend with since, is uncertainty, and cynicism, about B-BBEE policy. This is also fed by a narrative punted in the media that the policy only benefits a small group of elites–those with established connections in business and politics. The mischief in this narrative finds expression in a lobby, by a right-wing fringe for BEE to be abolished without a clear alternative being offered.

A more honest assessment of B-BBEE is that it has had mixed outcomes–which is to say it is neither a total failure nor a total a success. While in the early years a few black elites were hugely enriched due to the policy, there has since been a steadily expanding class of black small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs; industrialists and suppliers; directors of boards of companies and managers; skills training for thousands of youth and women; employees who own shares in companies they work for; and community upliftment investments–all of whom are beneficiaries of BEE, and in particular the broad-based aspects of the policy. On the other hand, the original case for BEE as a legislative intervention tool remains compelling in the face of the persisting racial fault-lines of inequality and poverty left by apartheid, which are deepening as unemployment grows and economic growth remains stagnant. This suggest that if there was no BEE, it unavoidably would have had to be enacted, in some form or guise. And for now, the country has the current BEE tool in place to address the economy’s racial fault-lines, not another one which might be wished for, but is not available, at least as yet.

The logical implication therefore, which is my central submission in this short piece, is that the future of B-BBEE lies in better implementation for better results in progressively achieving an inclusive growth. The inroads made through the BEE tool thus far suggest it has enormous potential and scope to yet fully realise its purpose.

To do better in the coming years of BEE requires that we take stock of lessons learnt thus far, and where we are at present. As one of its functions, the B-BBEE Commission tries to keep track of the trends in the implementation of B-BBEE, and we will continue to chase the true numbers that measure progress made thus far drawing from multiple sources, including the prescribed annual B-BBEE reports submitted by JSE-listed companies, organs of state, and public entities, along with BEE Certificates issued by Verification Agencies. According to the Commission’s 2022 National BEE Status and Trends Report, black people make up over 92% of the population, and only own 33.9% of the economy (with black female ownership at 14.2%).

The Commission also has a function to assess and vet major BEE transactions of value R20 million and above, and since its inception in 2017 has assessed 688 transactions worth R1 trillion to facilitate share ownership by black people. Regarding Enterprise and Supplier Development score-card requirements, complying entities achieved 70% of their targets in 2022, and spent a combined R15 billion. Furthermore, R31.3 billion was invested in Skills Development. Such investments are vital support for economic advancement and the growth of small enterprises owned by black youth, women, persons with disability, and in rural areas, and in this way pave the way for a more equitable future, especially in light of well-known access to funding and skills barriers to economic inclusion for black entrepreneurs and youth.

These critical levers for transformation can achieve more if they are well deployed and targeted, and not just as tick-box exercises, including through considering aggregating and better directing the funds.

Even as B-BEE remains a policy validated by the country’s Constitution in clauses calling for equality and redress of past injustices, in reality BEE policy is fraught with contradictions and tensions, with vested interests contesting it on the one hand, while some citizens and communities continue to feel economically marginalised or disadvantaged on the other, and yet others have experienced significant advantages and opportunities thanks to the policy and other transformation laws.

Looking back to 20 years of BEE, our view as the B-BBEE Commission is that the pace of transformation and economic inclusion has been slow, and are slower now with the economy functioning below its potential, which further intensifies inequalities and hinders the majority of black people from gainful economic participation.

Among the challenges and issues bedevilling BEE policy and law are:

• • Low compliance levels with the B-BBEE Act and targets set therein, including those set in the Sector Codes, as outcomes consistently fall short of the prescribed benchmarks;
  
• • The failure to incorporate B-BBEE into business strategies and government plans;
  
• • Low levels of reporting as prescribed in the BEE Act;
  
• • The prevalence of fronting schemes and misrepresentation;
  
• • Unethical conduct in some verification processes; and
  
• • Insufficient B-BBEE funding, which limits equity transactions and other black empowerment initiatives.
  

In light of these challenges and issues, in my view, the strategic posture for B-BBEE going forward is to seek to ‘empty the cupboard’ of implementation and compliance with the law, focusing on its offerings and possibilities, and clinically addressing its challenges, shortcomings, and the ills that impede its full potential.

Encouragingly, there is opportunity and space for better implementation of BEE under the Government of National Unity, which has placed as a top priority in its Statement of Intent “rapid, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, the promotion of fixed capital investment and industrialisation, job creation, transformation, livelihood support, land reform, infrastructure development, structural reforms and transformational change, fiscal sustainability, and the sustainable use of our national resources and endowments”.

In this context, re-invigorating commitment to implementing BEE better calls for a fresh re-engagement by government and all key stakeholders, to canvass diverse perspectives and experiences within the South African society, which could be part of the national dialogue on the future of the country that has been proposed at the heights of government and civil society.

There is no denying that the original intent of B-BBEE has been degraded by various challenges, including misunderstanding, scare-mongering, and a host of unintended results, which feed the uncertainty and cynicism I referred to above, delegitimising the policy and causing widening loss of commitment to its objectives, in the private sector and, I dare say, in the state. There is thus a pressing need for open and honest conversations about B-BBEE to address its various challenges, explore innovative solutions, while also highlighting BEE’s opportunities and potential to drive meaningful change and upliftment of communities across our nation. This dialogue must be inclusive, engaging a diverse range of voices from different sectors of society, including business leaders, policymakers, community representatives, and must result in clarity of roles, rights, and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved.

Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that B-BBEE fulfils its promise for a more equitable and just economy in South Africa, along with other pieces legislation and policy frameworks, enabling all South Africans to share in the country's economic growth and opportunities.

A dialogue of stakeholders on BEE will hopefully broaden the consensus base in society and the economy on the policy, which is critical for ‘emptying the cupboard’ on implementation and compliance with the B-BBEE Act. Even then, as a process to renew and reframe a social contract for the future of B-BBEE, the endeavour is likely to be a complex and multifaceted task, and will require buy-in, clarity on parameters and outcomes, planning, and strong leadership.

To be sure, the intention of such an exercise would not necessarily be a ‘root and branch’ overhaul of the legislation in the first instance, but should be to achieve all-round re-commitment to the BEE policy’s purpose and the spirit of the law, with amendments to the B-BBEE Act limited to those that address the known challenges and that will improve implementation and overall compliance, bearing in mind that, the total overhaul of Act will take an uncertain and likely long time to achieve.

The future of B-BBEE will therefore be rooted in the ideas that will come out of the dialogue and renewed social contract, and the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities of stakeholders in the mammoth task of advancing transformation and slaying the demon of economic exclusion that still devils our democracy, holding us hostage to being the most unequal country in the world! This is necessary, because it is important that all South Africans agree with ideas that they own up to, for their own benefit, and with a better awareness about the offerings of B-BBEE.

We are thus all called to action! We dare not squander our future and most importantly the future of our children!

Tshediso Matona is the Commissioner of the B-BBEE Commission