Murray Swart | 28 September 2023 Mayco Member for Economic Growth James Vos cut the ribbon at the opening of Ivilitex yesterday, a new high-tech clothing and textile manufacturing facility in Epping. The garment manufacturer is a division of the Ivili Group, a South African women-owned company that is aiming to lead the charge towards increasing locally produced apparel from the current 44% to 65% by 2030. ‘I had the privilege of meeting with the founders of the Ivili Group last year and helping them to connect with other suppliers and roleplayers in the clothing ecosystem,’ said Vos at the official opening. ‘To see them take this massive step forward, both for themselves and for the clothing and textile manufacturing sector at large, is gratifying and an example of the power of networking opportunities.’ Ivilitex’s initial production will consist of jeanswear for the local retailer market and will make use of state-of-the-art technology that will allow for the production and washing of garments with optimum levels of output and efficiency while maintaining the lowest impact on the environment. With this machinery, the factory team can produce a pair of jeans in less than 13 minutes. Once their full staff complement of a few hundred people are on site, the facility is aiming for a capacity of 1 500 units per day and 33 000 per month. Vos said that Cape Town is home to a colourful patchwork of clothing and textile companies and that the industry was a key driver of economic growth and job creation in the metro and province. ‘From the small and medium-sized enterprises to large retailers with global footprints, the local industry makes up around 14% of manufacturing employment in the country, meaning that it facilitates an estimated 60 000 to 80 000 jobs. Of this, 23 800 people work in Cape Town.’ ‘Research by the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster – a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that the City proudly funds and works with to foster sectoral skills development and investments – has found that at least 20 000 jobs can be created in this industry in the Mother City alone.’ ‘To do this, we must focus our efforts on building local production and supporting innovative products and practices such as those from companies such as Ivili Group. Over the next financial year (July 2023 – June 2024), the City has allocated R41 million in its ‘Building Hope’ Budget towards SPV projects to attract jobs and investors to Cape Town. With our projects and programmes, we will continue to lay the foundations for a stronger economy that supports more people and makes Cape Town the easiest place in Africa to do business,’ he added. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’ https://www.capetownetc.com/news/clothing-and-textile-factory/

Jessica Hawkey | 27 September 2023 Even as South Africa grapples with one of the highest youth unemployment rates globally – with 8,9-million unemployed young people according to Statistics South Africa – traditional approaches to tackling the issue have been met with limited success. By Jessica Hawkey, MD of redAcademy A major challenge is that most skills development programmes focus only on training, and leave the rest to young people. It is clear that an alternative model is needed to tackle youth unemployment: one that not only imparts skills that are in demand, but provides real workplace experience and employment upon completion. Young people in South Africa face immense challenges, starting right when they are still in school, and have to figure out what path to take next to earn a living and be able to support their families. A lack of career guidance and exposure to the right social networks, however, tends to result in youth enrolling in courses that do not match with their skills and interests or current industry requirements, reducing their chances of success and employability. An academic qualification alone is of little help, with data from Stats SA showing that one in four young people in South Africa come from an environment where no one in their family is formally employed, leaving them with little support or guidance to navigate the world of work. Then, based on research conducted by Youth Capital, an advocacy campaign centering youth voices and experiences in solutions to tackle the youth unemployment crisis, there is the high cost of job seeking with youth having to spend between R500 and R1 000 per month, just to look for work. This is a high cost for someone who is unemployed, and often they are forced to choose between putting food on the table and going out to look for work. It comes as no surprise, then, that the majority of youth have been looking for work for more than one year – according to the same Youth Capital research report, titled “Beyond the cost: What does it really cost young people to look for work?”. Then, there is the family pressure: because they have studied, there is an expectation that they should now be earning and contributing, which places an additional burden on them and potentially impacts their mental health. It has become painfully apparent that the traditional ways of skills development and training have failed to make a substantial impact in tackling youth unemployment in the country, and that alternatives are required. There is a need to move away from training for training’s sake, and toward scalable, sustainable solutions that equip young people with relevant skills that are in demand by the market, thereby providing real career pathways. Private sector partnerships the way forward One such example of an alternative approach to youth skills development is redAcademy, a Cape Town-based organisation that partners with the private sector and operates inside clients’ live IT environments. Through its rigorous and refined recruitment methodology young people are upskilled to match the exact requirements of corporate partners. Candidates here enter into a one-year programme where the first six months are weighted toward theoretical and practical components, and the second six months are weighted towards actual, real-world development of solutions for private sector partners. In this way, Sprinters, as the candidates are known, get workplace exposure as well as experience software development in the real world. Not only does such an approach take the cost out of job seeking for South Africa’s youth, but they are also exposed to a network that links them with opportunity when they are done with their year-long course. In this case, Sprinters have permanent employment from the very first day after completing the course, due to the work experience gained from the programme. “redAcademy understands that young people come from difficult backgrounds, as well as the societal issues they face, and has created an environment that is supportive and works to ensure that they are setting up these young people for long-term success. This includes partnering with the private sector right from the start in order to train young people based on what is needed by industry,” says Kristal Duncan-Williams, Project Lead at Youth Capital. Upskilling also has to go beyond academic training; businesses often don’t hire young people because of the growing gap between the world of study and work, and they are hesitant to invest their time and resources into training to bridge this gap in order to get new employees up to speed. Apart from a six-month involvement with private sector partners that gives them experience in the world of work, redAcademy also focuses on areas such as soft skills, which cannot be learnt from a textbook, but can only really be learnt through modelling and practice. Many businesses are so busy with the day to day work that training first-time hires is just too much to ask, but the reality is that the addition of skilled youth can help them grow. However, most are unaware of what initiatives are out there to provide them with the skilled young people that they need. Involving business owners upfront in initiatives like redAcademy can help them find the right employees to grow their business and benefit from having access to work-ready youth; while young people get the opportunity to start a career in a growing field. “Nine million young South Africans are currently unemployed. South African businesses have to think about how they can address this challenge; if this high level of unemployment persists, where will they get employees from in the future? Who will be their future customers if no one has money to spend? redAcademy works for young people who have a natural talent and affinity for the technology field. While not all young people want to work in this field, it does create more pathways to leverage their talent and meet the skills needs of local businesses, and this model is the answer,” says Duncan-Williams. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://it-online.co.za/2023/09/28/skills-training-done-right-for-young-people-and-employers/

Roy Cokayne | 28 September 2023 Has been interdicted from implementing its new preferential procurement system on 67 projects. The SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) has defended its controversial new procurement scoring system and maintains the interim interdicts obtained by two construction companies preventing the implementation of it on 67 projects will not delay the rollout of its planned project pipeline. Sanral chair Themba Mhambi also stressed on Wednesday that Sanral will not bear any grudges against the construction companies that have challenged the road agency’s new scoring system. H&I Construction was granted an interim interdict in the High Court in Gqeberha, stopping Sanral from proceeding with the adjudication and award of two specific tenders in accordance with the amended tender scoring system as advertised by Sanral on 19 May 2023 in an addendum to its tender document. Nine construction companies submitted affidavits in support of H&I’s application. The High Court in Pretoria granted construction and infrastructure company SMEC South Africa an interim interdict stopping Sanral from proceeding with and/or implementing and/or giving effect to the outcome of the tender adjudication process related to a list of 65 bids to tender invitations. Both interim interdicts were granted pending applications to review and set aside the new scoring system. ‘Tainted’ tenders Sanral CEO Reginald Demana said the “tainted” tenders affected by these interdicts represent possibly about a third of the about 200 tenders Sanral has in the market. Mhambi said it takes between 12 to 18 months from the time Sanral advertises a tender to when it gets people on the ground with hard hats, shovels and wearing boots, which means the current issues with the interdict and the new preferential procurement scoring system is not going to stop Sanral working. “Our staff members can hardly cope [with all the work]. We have a project manager handling up to 21 projects,” he said. “So let’s kill the misconception that Sanral has come to a standstill … [and] the construction industry has come to a standstill.” Transformation Mhambi added that Sanral believes transformation is a constitutional imperative, and it will drive transformation as long as they are the governing structure of Sanral. He said despite all the transformation initiatives Sanral is pushing, the biggest construction companies in South Africa are still the biggest beneficiaries of the work being done by the roads agency. “We will continue to support big companies in the construction space, but we will not do that at the expense of the small companies. “We will do that within a context that makes use of the big companies to assist the smaller companies to benefit, hence our sub-contracting requirements, request for skills transfers to smaller companies, our insistence on the employment of local communities wherever we are doing business and our insistence on progressively increasing the ownership of black people in businesses in South Africa,” he said. ‘Business as usual’ Kaiser Khoza, Sanral’s chief legal, risk and compliance officer, said 65 projects plus two in Port Elizabeth were interdicted but not Sanral’s procurement policy. “We are continuing to implement that policy. There is a saying that an administrative decision or action remains valid until set aside by a court of law. “It remains valid. Sanral is business as usual,” he said. In the judgments to Part A of H&I and SMEC SA’s applications, the judges found that Sanral had implemented the new procurement policy without consultation. Attorney Hein von Lieres, who is acting for H&I, said the Part B court process had been delayed because Sanral failed to provide a complete record as required by the uniform rules of court. Von Lieres said it was only after H&I brought an application to compel Sanral to supplement the record that the roads agency eventually acquiesced and supplemented the record on 1 September 2023. “Sanral ought to have filed its answering papers to H&I’s founding affidavit and first supplementary founding affidavit by 13 September 2023. “The supplementary founding affidavit was filed on 31 July 2023. Thereafter, Sanral had 30 court days to file an answer, which brings one to 13 September 2023. “Bear in mind that the second supplementary affidavit … was necessary because Sanral had not delivered a complete record and had to be encouraged to supplement the incomplete record,” he said. Compliance Khoza disputed that Sanral had failed to comply with the court rules in terms of the timelines for filing its answer to H&I’s founding affidavit. He said Sanral waited a long time for the reasons for the judgment to Part A of the application, and it is only when that is delivered that it triggers the next step. Khoza also stressed that Sanral got more time to answer because H&I had filed supplementary affidavits, and WBHO had joined H&I’s application and had only filed its papers on Friday. He said the Judge President in the High Court in Gqeberha had “killed” all these issues by getting all the legal teams together, and everyone had agreed it was in their best interests to expedite the hearing of the application. Khoza said Sanral must file its answering affidavit by no later than this Friday, and a full bench will hear the matter in November. ‘Wrong facts’ During Wednesday’s Sanral briefing, Mhambi also addressed a number of issues where he claimed people had received “the wrong facts”. They included claims that: There are people who are suspended by Sanral because they refused to implement some decision retrospectively because that would have been illegal; Talk of resignations in droves; There is tension between the board and the management of Sanral; and Sanral is in a state of collapse. Mhambi said nobody at Sanral has ever been asked to implement any resolution retrospectively and illegally. He also denied Sanral has had “resignations in droves”. Mhambi confirmed about 27 people had resigned out of a workforce of about 550, but only about nine were people in its core business, and only one was a senior person who left after being charged with wrongdoing. He said there is “healthy tension” between the board and the management of Sanral. Mhambi further disputed that Sanral is in a state of collapse. “We are inundated with work even as we are talking. Check the reports of the big companies listed on the JSE and how much is in their order books from Sanral, and check how they see their pipeline moving forward from Sanral business. “We are being blackmailed. This is a ‘gogga’ that is being used to try and galvanise some sections of our society against the leadership of Sanral. “We do want to put that on record, and we want to blow that myth to smithereens,” he said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/sanral-continues-to-roll-out-its-project-pipeline-despite-interdicts/

Thobeka Ngema | 28 September 2023 Durban — UMlalazi Local Municipality and its employees in KwaZulu-Natal have been nominated in four categories in the Sebenza Women Awards 2023. UMlalazi Municipality communications manager Nonhlanhla Jele said that the municipality is on the rise with accomplishments on women empowerment. Jele said that women empowerment as a socio-economic fabric towards nation-building continues to grow leaps and bounds among women within uMlalazi Municipality. “For the first time in the history of this municipality, we have seen noble women of varying scales of capacities and capabilities ascending into elite Sebenza Women Awards for 2023,” Jele said. “This has come in the form of recognitions and nominations into various categories and sectors such as government and leadership, farming, and construction.” Jele said that uMlalazi Municipality as an institution has also risen to prominence with its recognition and nomination into the category of best practice in promoting gender equality. She said the municipality’s first woman mayor in the history of 60 years of its existence, councillor Queen Xulu, expressed gratitude following the nominations and encouraged other women to excel in their fields of competency. “Among the key recognitions and nominations, Her Worship, the mayor of uMlalazi Municipality, Queen (QT) Xulu has been given a nod in the category of Women in Government, while Lindelihle Gumede and Khanyiswa Thusi are nominees for the category of Women in Farming, Zinhle Ngema nominated for the category of Women in Construction, and lastly, uMlalazi Municipality getting nominated for the category of Best Performing Municipality in Gender Equality,” Jele said. The Sebenza Women Awards are scheduled to take place on October 6, 2023, at the Durban ICC. The annual Sebenza Women Awards is an event focused on rewarding women’s excellence and showcasing their brilliance, strength and achievements. This event also pays special attention to the youth, game changers and women from disadvantaged communities striving to make the world a better place. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/municipality-recognised-for-promoting-gender-equality-09ed2e55-1da4-4066-b15a-b703eb52dee8

Polity | 27 September 2023 Millions of unemployed and unskilled Gauteng residents continue to suffer with no jobs and no skills as the now defunct and money pit Tshepo 1 Million failed to deliver on its promise. This programme, launched in 2014 as Tshepo 500 000 for skills training, job placement, and entrepreneurship development and further developed as Tshepo 1Million in 2017, has failed the people of Gauteng. According to the 2022/23 annual report for the Office of the Premier, the Tshepo 1 Million programme has not met the Technical Indicator Descriptor (TID) requirements and failed to meet the consistency test. This is concerning, as the annual report would have indicated the achievements of this programme and progress that has been made in terms of creating employment opportunities in the province. The annual report for the 2022/2023 financial year notes that this programme in conjunction with Harambee, was terminated on 31 March 2023. In addition, a transition plan to wind down the Tshepo 1 Million is currently underway. The fact that there are no numbers for this programme for the year under review raises many questions. This means this programme was a waste of money, and only a handful benefited. The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be tabling questions to Premier Panyaza Lesufi in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine how many unemployed residents benefitted from this programme, what skills they were equipped with, and how the new programme announced by Premier Lesufi during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) will be implemented. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.polity.org.za/article/premier-lesufis-tshepo-1-million-programme-fails-unskilled-and-unemployed-youth-2023-09-27

Polity | 24 September 2023 170 young people graduated at the University of Johannesburg on 22 September 2023, trained by the Gauteng Department of e-Government in collaboration with the University of Johannesburg. These young people were enrolled with the department’s ICT and SMME training program which took place over a year, developed to empower the youth with essential ICT skills in the digital era. The program focused on Incubating digital start-ups by training and mentoring digital entrepreneurs who own Small and Medium Enterprises as well as developing ICT skills for unemployed youth (ages 14 to 35) through training and mentoring them. The department’s Deputy Director General (DDG) of Information, Communication, and Technology & Support Services (ICTSS) Castro Mosina stated that under the program, 103 graduates completed the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMME) Development Program, which aims at furthering their skills and capabilities within the entrepreneurial landscape. On the other hand, 67 graduates completed the ICT Skills Development Fourth Industrial Training that aims at equipping the youth with 4IR skills. “The department continues to train and up-skill Gauteng youth who own small businesses as well as expose them to the ICT sector. The program was extended to the townships of Gauteng across all the 5 regions namely Westrand, Sedibeng, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, and Tshwane in order to equally distribute the opportunity and ensure that there is fairness. It is part of the department’s mandate to fight against unemployment” said Mosina. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.polity.org.za/article/gauteng-department-of-e-government-trains-170-youth-in-ict-2023-09-22

Rajan Naidoo | 26 September 2023 The lead-up to the Matric class of 2023’s final exams, anxiety looms. While some will pursue tertiary education, the majority face the highly competitive job market and the harsh prospect of unemployment. Rajan Naidoo, MD of EduPower Skills Academy, says that in this crucible of chances and challenges, the concept of learnerships emerges as a beacon of hope–a bridge between education and employment – and a lifeline to a brighter future for the nation’s youth. “As things stand, school leavers have little hope of finding work. They lack essential skills, have no access to training opportunities and limited access to finance for entrepreneurship – in a stagnant job market,” he notes. With hundreds of thousands of matriculants entering the job market, youth unemployment will rise even further – adding to the fact that in Q2 of 2023, young people aged 15-24 and 25-34 face unemployment rates of 60,7% and 39,8% respectively. Naidoo says this situation has been escalating over many years and has become a national crisis. Labour supply and demand He emphasises the widening disparity between labour supply and demand, exacerbated by the market’s need for skilled workers which leaves millions of unskilled school leavers behind. “Our education system does not adequately prepare learners for the workforce,” he says, “and we urgently need to prioritise and focus on skills development.” Naidoo acknowledges skills development as being a long-recognised government priority and he commends the actions already taken which have resulted in a value chain in which: * Government offers incentives and grants that encourage corporates to actively support learnership programmes and create job opportunities. * Training providers such as EduPower, focus on comprehensive learnership programmes that include job-readiness skills, training and entrepreneurship. * And finally, the youth benefit through their commitment to the learnership process. “These multi-tiered partnerships have made significant strides in supporting skills development and job placement initiatives for young people, but it is not enough,” he asserts. “Youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb that will not self-correct. A massive effort is required to create the sweeping transformation that’s needed and whilst there are pockets of excellence, business as a whole needs to step up to the plate and actively embrace and pursue the opportunities presented by this crisis to get our youth working.” Closing the skills gap Naidoo says that government incentives have created a powerful motivation for business involvement in accessible learning environments for matriculants. However, they must be strategically leveraged by business to obtain their intended results – closing the skills gap – and now, mitigating the crisis we face due to youth unemployment. “Learnerships have proved to be the most successful way to bridge the gap between education and employment when executed effectively. By combining theoretical classroom learning with practical on-the-job training, they offer a structured pathway for school leavers to gain a comprehensive skill set that is immediately applicable in the workplace and the experience necessary for meaningful employment,” he adds. Learnership ROI Naidoo calls for additional strategies to encourage more businesses to fund learnerships, emphasising the need for a paradigm shift in approach. “We must deliver learnerships that promise companies a greater return on their training investment. Businesses should partner with reputable training providers to tailor learnerships to their specific needs that will deliver the required skills. This will assist in future-proofing their operations and contribute to reducing the magnitude of the economic and social risks we are currently facing.” “The positive impact of learnerships benefits learners and sponsoring companies alike, potentially transforming South Africa’s future,” he concludes. “Through learnerships, we can expand our young people’s prospects in the labour market, providing income security and instilling hope and dignity. A skilled and employed youth population drives economic prosperity, offering a more promising future for our nation.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://it-online.co.za/2023/09/26/learnerships-will-get-sa-working/

27 September 2023 | Daily News Reporter Durban — The eThekwini Municipality’s two small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) development initiatives, the Durban Business Fair (DBF) and Durban Fashion Fair (DFF), have been hailed by entrepreneurs for being a perfect link to opportunities, a great platform for exposure and opening many doors to ensure their development. The DBF and DFF were hosted successfully from September 20-24 at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and the Durban Exhibition Centre and attracted approximately 20 231 visitors, who heeded the call of supporting local. There was a total of 609 exhibitors who showcased their businesses and products. The main highlight of the week-long empowerment activities was the hosting of the Durban Business Fair Excellence Awards, which incorporated the Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards and Lion’s Den Business Plan Competition Awards on September 23. A total of 23 businesses scooped up to R50 000 each of business support prizes, with youth owned businesses dominating the honours. The DBF Excellence Awards had a total of five categories. The DBF Excellence Award was won by Afya Food; Eagle Eye Clothing took the Youth-Owned Business Award; while the Rural/Township-Based Award was scooped by Insika Interiors. Mrs HairFidance won in the Women-Owned Business category while My Space Academy was given a long-standing Special Recognition Award. The Lion’s Den Business Competition Awards that had three categories encourage innovation and competitiveness among entrepreneurs. Guru’s Eatery won in the Emerging Business category and M Branding & Advertising took second spot. For the Established Business category, Premier Group was the winner and Babuse General Trading took second position. Spot on Fire Control received the Entrepreneurial Excellence award followed by Pro Resin. In the DFF Recognition Awards, Zamaswazi was named the Designer of the Year; Martin John Bespoke took the Fashion Innovation award; while the Best Women’s Collection was Eullue and Best Men’s Collection was Vyagor Louve. The Best Collection of the week was awarded to EYC Couture while Jigga was named the 2023 Emerging Designer. Further to their cash cheques, both designers were selected to supply their products to Edgars stores. Sduduzo Nkwanya scooped the first place while Silondile Makhanya took second position and Nokuzola Ndlovu came third in the DFF Rising Star category. For the DFF New Faces (models), Nobuhle Mnguni won in the standard size female category; the plus size female award went to Fezeka Dlamini and Lwandle Khulu won in the male model category. Chairperson of eThekwini Municipality’s Economic Development and Planning Committee, Councillor Thembo Ntuli, applauded the achievements of both the DBF and DFF. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/durban-business-and-fashion-fairs-lauded-for-being-a-pillar-for-smmes-51d70a0b-3c31-4fad-9de7-b0de0bf86359

Andrew Bahlmann | 24 September 2023 The following is my wish-list to change South Africa’s economic trajectory. Some are quicker to implement than others, and some are already showing signs of movement but could be accelerated: By addressing these specific areas of concern, South Africa can remove barriers to growth, attract investments, and create the necessary infrastructure for sustained economic development. While these steps may not address all of South Africa's economic challenges, they provide a starting point for targeted interventions that can yield tangible and quicker results. By implementing these practical measures, South Africa can set itself on a path towards economic transformation and sustainable growth. 1. Immediately reform Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) requirements: Update BEE policies to encourage broader participation and remove barriers to entry for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), allowing them to compete effectively for government contracts and procurement opportunities. Simplify BEE compliance processes, reducing administrative burdens for businesses while ensuring transparency and accountability. 2. Boost power transmission grid and Independent Power Producer (IPP) investment: Accelerate the development and implementation of transmission infrastructure projects to strengthen the power grid and ensure efficient electricity distribution. Facilitate greater involvement of IPPs by streamlining licensing processes, providing clearer regulatory frameworks, and promoting private sector investments in renewable energy projects. 3. Enhance road, rail, and harbour investment: Increase public-private partnerships to fund and expedite road infrastructure projects, enhancing connectivity between major industrial hubs and improving transportation efficiency. Prioritise investment in rail infrastructure to support the movement of goods and passengers, reducing congestion on roads and lowering transport costs. Modernise and expand harbour facilities to accommodate larger vessels, improve logistics operations, and facilitate international trade. Overall, prioritise the modernisation and expansion of major transportation hubs, such as ports, airports, and railways, to improve connectivity and enhance logistics efficiency. 4. Create more dedicated start-up incubators across the country that provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to funding for aspiring entrepreneurs. 5. Revamp TVETs and offer greater incentives for German-style apprenticeships: Re-evaluate the curriculum of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions to be led by industry needs - and not only offer it to disadvantaged school-leavers with poor basic numeracy and only interested in the stipend – and ensure graduates possess job-ready skills. 6. Fast-track work permit processing to try counter the extreme loss of skills to emigration: Streamline the process of granting work permits to foreign investors and skilled professionals, reducing administrative hurdles and encouraging foreign direct investment. 7. Create dedicated agencies to actively promote South Africa as an attractive investment destination, providing tailored support and information to potential investors. 8. Simplify and expedite the process of registering and starting a business, reducing bureaucratic requirements and minimising red tape. 9. Facilitate cross-border trade: Implement measures to streamline customs procedures, reduce trade barriers, and enhance border infrastructure to facilitate smoother trade and increase regional integration – in the same fashion as Zim borders has done at Beit Bridge. 10. Immediately end cadre deployment and strengthen anti-corruption efforts: Establish specialised anti-corruption task forces with sufficient resources and authority to investigate and prosecute corrupt practices, ensuring transparency and deterring fraudulent activities. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/top-10-suggestions-to-change-sas-economic-trajectory-5581a86e-f954-405c-a004-3d3a034a9518

Bizcommunity | 25 September 2023 In a bold statement, the head of Sanral said on Friday that it would not back down from its efforts to transform the construction industry, despite legal challenges from some of the country's largest contractors. Agency chairman Themba Mhambi said at an event near Cape Town that the big construction firms had enjoyed lucrative contracts for too long and needed to make room for smaller and medium-sized businesses. Mhambi says Sanral, contrary to media reports, does not want to destroy the major construction companies but will support and strengthen them while also pushing them to transform. “We are going to damage Sanral if we destroy the big construction companies we have in South Africa, like WBHO, Murray and Roberts, Haw and Inglis (H&I), and so on. If we destroy them, we will be destroying Sanral and South Africa,” said Mr Mhambi. “Therefore, don’t believe all the lies that are told that we want to kill these construction companies. We don’t want to do that. We want to support them, we want to strengthen them to get more business but there is one condition and that condition is that they must understand that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white,” said Mhambi. Time for black South Africans to benefit Mr Mhambi stressed that it is time for black South Africans – Africans, Indians and Coloureds – who had previously been excluded from benefitting from massive infrastructure projects to benefit alongside the well-established industry players. “Those people who have in the past been excluded from benefitting from road construction, bridge building, pavements, manufacturing of guard rails, the production of asphalt – those who have been excluded from benefitting from all those things – must now benefit as well. That is the condition. And that condition does not come from anywhere other than the Constitution of SA.” Mr Mhambi’s remarks come after some of the country’s biggest construction companies sought court interdicts against Sanral to stop new construction tenders from being issued using the roads agency’s new Preferential Procurement Policy (PPP), which requires big companies to share significant portions of the work with smaller players. "You can't be a billionaire by sharing" “When these millionaire and billionaire companies say to us ‘we are going to take you to court Sanral because you are depriving us of the millions and billions that we are making alone’ I understand them, because you can’t be a millionaire or billionaire by sharing. They are going to resist sharing.” Mhambi was speaking at an event in Franschhoek, outside Cape Town, on Friday night to celebrate Sanral’s 25th anniversary. Sanral is an entity of the National Department of Transport and is mandated with the management, maintenance and development of South Africa's proclaimed national road network. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/360/242201.html

Luke Fraser | 24 September 2023 National Treasury is trying to reign in spending, but government officials are not too keen on the plan. There has been speculation that South Africa will introduce widespread budget cuts as the country faces a revenue shortfall and a wider-than-expected budget deficit. Although the full scale of these changes will only become known when Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tables the mid-term budget on 1 November, it was reported that Treasury proposed several ideas to President Cyril Ramaphosa to mitigate the looming crisis. These proposals included: Increasing value-added tax by 2%, closing programs, Reducing or merging the number of government departments and state-owned enterprises, Managing the public-sector wage bill Reforming the skills development levy. However, as reported by the Sunday Times, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala said that Treasury’s proposal to cut his department would ultimately create more work for other departments and lead to job losses. “Most departments have primary mandates, and it’s not just about managing the building you are in. The police, for example, need to work on protecting citizens, dealing with crime and ensuring that criminals are successfully prosecuted,” Zikalala said. “If you say they must now look after their own properties, you will be adding a responsibility. So there must be a discussion on that. I am not saying we must not, but one thing that public works should own up to is that it has not optimised its capacity.” “Public works must optimise on the infrastructure that we have. That’s why we are saying let’s run the programmes that are going to help the government going forward, even to generate income.” The minister added that the private sector can either use or buy government buildings to generate income. He said that scaling down programmes, such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), to fund the R350 Social Relief and Distress (SRD) grant – which Treasury has actually called to cut in its entirety – will result in job losses. “Therefore, it is important that we structure the EPWP in a way that is massive and makes an impact. I think there must be a focus on economic growth and protecting those projects and programmes that are creating job opportunities,” the minister said. His comments echo the ANC’s strong opposition to the cuts, with many questioning how the party can cut spending ahead of a national election. Unions have also threatened to strike if the cuts go ahead. “We think the Treasury proposals on a freeze on vacancies, reducing the headcount, cutting departments, cutting programs, is going to collapse the capacity of the state,” said Cosatu spokesman Matthew Parks. Other problems with the plan Speaking with Newzroom Afrika, Duma Gqubule from the Centre for Economic Development and Transformation said that Treasury’s cuts will prove counterproductive. Gqubule noted that cutting spending will hurt GDP growth as the government, including state-owned enterprises, accounts for 40% of GDP. “If you cut (spending) so deeply, it reduces GDP, it reduces the tax revenue, and it results in a higher debt ratio,” he said. “A national budget does not work like a household budget. If you and I cut spending, we save. For the government, it’s almost like a self-defeating purpose.” He also questioned Treasury’s opposition to the SRD Grant, which only makes up R35 billion of the government’s R2.2 trillion in spending – roughly 1.5%. He argued that Treasury is using scare tactics by suggesting that the program, which assists 8 million people, can be terminated shortly before an election. There have also been concerns over the constitutionality of a new “financial law” that will introduce compulsory austerity measures if the country hits a specific debt size without consultation with the government or social society. “I believe that Treasury has crossed a line. These proposals will collapse the economy, and they will also result in social unrest,” Gqubule said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/720730/warning-over-treasurys-plan-to-save-south-africa/

The Ownership element of the B-BBEE Scorecard assesses the proportion of Ownership held by Black People within an organisation and is one of the Priority elements under B-BBEE Legislation. As per the Amended General B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice, and using the Verification Manual as a guide, Ownership must be measured on the date of a B-BBEE Verification and not on the date of an Ownership transaction. Ownership Services are available to Members to assist with understanding requirements for Ownership.