A B-BBEE Verification is based on a sampling of evidence and an element of risk. In other words, the process of analysing less than 100% of the evidence supplied. The procedure provides a Verification Analyst with a reasonable basis on which to conclude that all evidence provided is true and accurate. However, posing a challenge is a Learnership claim where the Learner is no longer employed. If that particular Learner is chosen as part of the sample, the B-BBEE Rating Agency will need to interview them for an organisation to claim its points. As per Clause 18.3.1.3 (e), the SANAS R47-03 document states the following: " (e) As part of the Verification process, the Verification personnel shall interview a sufficient number of black persons at all levels of the Measured Entity to provide assurance that the information gathered is sound. For the avoidance of doubt, interviews shall be conducted for the Skills Development element. This does not exclude the sampling of white persons or others who do not meet the definition of 'Black'." Therefore, an organisation must ensure that it has up-to-date contact details of Learners no longer employed. B-BBEE Verification Services are available to Members to ensure all documentary evidence is correct.

Under B-BBEE Legislation the concept of Miliary Veteran Is found under the definition of Designated Group Supplier and linked to the Miliary Veterans Act 18 of 2011 which identifies a Military Veteran as follows: “military veteran means any South African citizen who-- (a) rendered military service to any of the military organisations, statutory and non-statutory, which were involved on all sides of South Africa's Liberation War from 1960 to 1994; (b) served in the Union Defence Force before 1961; or (c) became a member of the new South African National Defence Force after 1994, and has completed his or her military training and no longer performs military service, and has not been dishonourably discharged from that military organisation or force: Provided that this definition does not exclude any person referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) who could not complete his or her military training due to an injury sustained during military training or a disease contracted or associated with military training;” B-BBEE Verification Services are available to Members in order to understand the definition of a Miliary Veteran.

Mercedes Besent | 21 September 2023 The Employment Minister, Thulas Nxesi, says he agrees with the call for affirmative action to be limited to Blacks and Whites, instead of creating separate targets for Indians and Coloureds. The Al Jama-ah leader, Ganief Hendricks, made the call, stating that Coloureds and Indians were Black. Hendricks was speaking in the National Assembly during an oral reply session for ministers in the Economic Cluster. However, Nxesi says that the aim of the categories in the Black group is to address historical imbalances. “You are right. In our definition of the national question, we talk about Blacks. But, because of our racial history, some people want to deny it and think that merit must only apply to Whites when they talk about merit. But we have been able to say it means these categories. We are saying all of them are Black, and in these interactions, we have said we are ready to listen. “We have even opened the period for people to make input on the regulations. We’re listening to the people. If there is anything fundamental they are putting, we are going to be able to re-look at some of the areas. But be comfortable that when we are talking about the disadvantage, we are talking about the Black people, all of them in their various groups. Unfortunately, we use these racial terms which are uncomfortable, but it’s part of our history created by some people.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/nxesi-agrees-with-limiting-affirmative-action-targets-to-blacks-whites/

Nozizwe Vundla | 21 September 2023 Supporting the owners of SMEs is one of the best ways to foster greater financial inclusion and a life of confidence for all, says Sanlam. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) comprise about 90% of all formal business in SA, contributing 34% of our country's GDP, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC). However, the IFC has reported that SA’s rate of early-stage entrepreneurship is three times lower than it should be, with SME sector growth of just 14% in nine years. Businesses are being held back by myriad factors, but primarily lack of funding and skills development. As a purpose-led group, Sanlam is committed to using its enterprise and supplier development (ESD) initiatives to champion SMEs. Along with its existing ESD programme, in collaboration with the Association for Savings and Investment SA (Asisa), Sanlam is introducing two new programmes in partnership with Black Umbrellas and Zevoli Growth Partners. Small businesses hire up to 60% of the country's workforce. Empowering entrepreneurs means shifting our nation’s narrative. It’s also a critical part of SA’s National Development Plan (NDP), which aims to amplify SME's economic contribution. Our entrepreneurs are our problem-solvers and community builders. Entrepreneurship is the biggest opportunity for SA to capture all the potential of our demographic dividend, our greatest untapped asset. It's one of the best avenues to amplify socioeconomic inclusion and give more people purpose, independence and dignity. Sanlam's ESD programmes are about creating ripples of economic sustainability for generations to come. Sanlam and Asisa The Sanlam-Asisa ESD programme was launched in 2013 and has created and sustained 3,578 jobs to date. It aims to transform Sanlam’s distribution network and contribute to job creation through the development of sustainable businesses that can grow and contribute to SA’s economy. The programme allows Sanlam to invest in its supply chain-aligned SMEs through three strategic projects: Project Accelerate is an 18-month intervention that assists 14 SMEs through business development support, with a focus on accessing markets, funding and relevant skills. Project Elevate concentrates on distribution development; it provides specialist practice management training to 24 black-owned financial planning businesses in Sanlam’s BlueStar network, with a focus on instilling practical skills and knowledge. Project Migrate provides specialist business development support to 11 financial planning businesses through an intensive coaching-based approach with targeted mentorship, combined with workshops. Sanlam and Black Umbrellas Sanlam has partnered with Black Umbrellas to support 30 black women entrepreneurs in their business journeys through three intensive programmes: The Masakhe programme aims to unlock the potential of 15 early-stage beneficiary SMEs, igniting their business ideas and paving the way for their full establishment as start-ups. The Siyakhula programme seeks to fuel the growth of nine established SMEs, empowering them to operationalise and scale their businesses, with a focus on increasing their key financial metrics. The Asindize programme will propel two existing SMEs that are ready to accelerate their growth to increase their revenue and create greater employment opportunities. Participating businesses must be at least 51% black-owned, with five permanent employees or more. Sanlam and Zevoli Growth Partners Zevoli Growth Partners helps to formalise township-based stokvels, transforming them into viable businesses. There are about 800,000 stokvels in the country, collecting about R50bn per year, with estimated membership of 11-million South Africans. They have a critical role to play in changing the nation’s savings rate. Supporting stokvels means indirectly supporting vulnerable individuals. Their success is vital to the country’s growth. Sanlam and Zevoli will assist participating stokvels through business mentorship, financial literacy and operational support, to position them for growth. Sanlam recognises that supporting the owners of SA's SMEs is one of the best ways of fostering greater financial inclusion and a life of confidence for all. Our country's entrepreneurs are key to solving the nation’s shared challenges. We owe it to them to help turn their big ideas into big business over the long term. We need to create an environment where they feel supported to succeed. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.businesslive.co.za/companies/2023-09-21-native-sanlam-champions-entrepreneurs-through-new-enterprise-and-supplier-development-programmes/

Smart Works | 20 September 2023 The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is a government programme aimed at alleviating poverty by creating work opportunities for unemployed South Africans. The EPWP continues to play a critical role in the socio-economic development and upliftment of people in various communities - particularly the youth. Skills development and training of EPWP participants has been a crucial element of Phase IV of the EPWP. The programme provided accredited training to participants in the form of short courses, skills programmes, learnership programmes and artisan development programmes in an effort to address the scarce and critical skills required by the economy. Some of the skills provided by EPWP implementing public bodies in the 2022/2023 financial year were the National Certificate in Road Works Construction in the Eastern Cape, the National Certificate in Landscaping in Mpumalanga, and Financial Literacy through the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). The public bodies provided 40 252 training opportunities in the four EPWP sectors, namely: infrastructure, social, non-state, and environment and culture. The EPWP has also played a critical role in promoting the development of young people through training and capacity-building. In this regard, 8 250 work opportunities were created for youth through the National Youth Service (NYS), as implemented by public bodies at different spheres of government. The Vuk’uphile Learnership Programme, which is a contractor development programme, has provided support to 87 contractors in order to improve their capacity to implement projects through labour-intensive methods. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/partnered/the-expanded-public-works-programme-is-committed-to-the-socio-economic-empowerment-of-communities-94ab2db0-9449-4e39-a22f-0a2b0c521d43

Ivor Price | 19 September 2023 Momentum Metropolitan and Agri Enterprises are sowing the seeds of women’s empowerment in through the Women in Farming programme. Bridging gender gaps and nurturing economic growth, they’re driving positive change for a more inclusive farming landscape In a powerful stride towards economic inclusivity, Momentum Metropolitan is taking the reins in the agricultural sector through its Women in Farming programme. Now in its second year, the collaboration with Agri Enterprises solidifies its commitment to fostering gender equality and economic growth in farming. This is the view of Nkosinathi Mahlangu, portfolio head of youth employment at Momentum Metropolitan. Speaking to Food For Mzansi, Mahlangu’s excitement is palpable as he explains, “Our objective is to stimulate and encourage emerging female entrepreneurs by establishing knowledge-based economies in rural areas. We’re currently focusing on KwaZulu-Natal, aiming to tackle socio-economic challenges faced by women in agriculture, particularly improving market access for female-owned enterprises.” Community upliftment at the forefront Momentum Metropolitan’s involvement in the agricultural sector is a testament to its commitment to uplifting the community. “The journey began in 2018, with the Momentum Metropolitan Foundation exclusively focusing on youth employment and empowerment,” Mahlangu reveals. “Our vision was twofold: to upskill young people for employment and to support young entrepreneurs. Women in Farming was our inaugural entrepreneurial programme, addressing both gender disparity and economic opportunity.” The significance of the initiative lies in its response to a deeply rooted issue. “Black women, especially, face vulnerability in unemployment,” Mahlangu states. “Our programme tackles the challenges women encounter in agriculture. In South Africa, female-headed households often rely on women to provide for their families. While women play a critical role behind the scenes, Women in Farming puts them in the driver’s seat, fostering a new generation of female farmers.” Success stories worth celebrating Mahlangu’s voice lights up as he shares success stories. “Our first year exceeded expectations. We built confidence and equipped these young women with the skills to run their businesses effectively. Beyond upskilling and capacity building, we facilitated access to land and markets. Female participants gained support from local authorities, fostering mentorship and sustainable growth within their communities.” The journey wasn’t without its challenges. “During the initial in-class training, businesses suffered from the absence of their owners, leading to unexpected setbacks like floods,” Mahlangu explains. “We learned from these experiences, providing support to help these entrepreneurs bounce back, with a focus on preventing future setbacks.” Women and youth unemployment Empowering women and disadvantaged South Africans aligns with Momentum Metropolitan’s core mission. “We believe in collaboration to achieve success,” Mahlangu asserts. “Empowering women and addressing youth unemployment are intertwined. The Women in Farming programme positions us to be a catalyst in socio-economic development. By creating platforms for potential job creators, we’re amplifying women’s voices and contributions to food security.” Explaining Momentum Metropolitan’s partnership with Agri Enterprises, a subsidiary of Agri SA, Mahlangu stated, “We saw an opportunity to play a role in bridging the gender gap, while also ensuring that economic activity flourishes.” Seeds of progress sown Operating as the commercial arm of Agri SA, Agri Enterprises occupies a central role in charting the course for the future of the country’s agricultural sector. Year after year, this forward-thinking entity extends its reach to encompass thousands of new-era farmers from across the nation, presenting pioneering solutions that propel the industry towards progress. Together, the partners continue to champion women’s empowerment in agriculture, and the landscape of opportunities and equality in South Africa’s rural regions is shifting for the better. Through their Women in Farming programme, the seeds of progress are sown, promising a bountiful harvest of economic empowerment and sustainable change. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/momentum-agri-ent-bridging-gaps-empowering-women/

Siviwe Melapi | 20 September 2023 Cape Town - Local radio station Smile FM has promised to create job opportunities for about 10 000 people before Christmas. Over the next 12 weeks, it will reveal the companies that will also be helping with this campaign. Looking at how South Africa’s unemployment rate has remained high for many years, Smile FM, with Leelyn Management, in association with the City, decided to join hands pledging to be this year’s Father Christmas to unemployed Capetonians by finding them jobs before December 25. Managing director Lois O’Brien said the station was determined to tackle the status quo, taking positive action to make a difference in people’s lives and staying true to their name by putting smiles on faces. “As the go-to radio station in Cape Town, we’re proud to be able to leverage our network and audience to connect deserving job seekers with employers, helping improve the lives of families all across the Cape Town metropole.” Breakfast show host Ryan O’Connor said they were calling on companies to let them know when they had jobs so they could connect them with job seekers in their area with the requisite skills. Economic Growth Mayco member James Vos said in the past three years, almost 89 000 people had signed up to the platform and completed the assessment. “The City is working on multiple fronts to create an environment that gives businesses the space to grow while creating employment opportunities for Capetonians. “The metro’s unemployment rate fell by 7% year-on-year thanks to the projects and programmes we have enacted, such as our work with partners in Cape Town’s high-growth industries to drive skills development that makes people more employable. “We are also proud to lead the Jobs Connect workforce development programme in which unemployed people are able to find training and work opportunities on a platform that is easy to use and comes at a minimal cost.” Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “The City is pleased to partner with Smile FM to facilitate thousands more employment opportunities for Capetonians using our Jobs Connect platform. We call on businesses to support this initiative and for job seekers to make use of the support on offer, including help with CV formulation.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/cape-radio-station-pledges-to-create-jobs-for-about-10-000-individuals-before-christmas-4eab8507-bf5b-45d5-8b6d-17c84d3f7a31

Vusi Mona | 19 September 2023 The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) submits, for the benefit of Moneyweb’s readers, the following perspective on the transformation of the construction industry in response to ‘Sanity will prevail’ in preferential procurement rules dispute – WBHO, a news article published by Roy Cokayne on 15 September 2023 without approaching Sanral for comment. Given that Sanral’s preferential procurement policy is before the courts – and out of respect for the judiciary – we do not intend to ventilate the merits of our case in the media. However, it is untenable that the leadership of the construction companies involved in the litigation are given so much space to air their views while ours is ignored. We, therefore, deem it important to share with the public that Sanral is vigorously implementing its transformation policy. Economic transformation is an important requirement of the Constitution of South Africa and is not only the imperative of government but of all fair-minded South Africans, not least of business. Overall, there has been progress in the first 30 years of democracy. However, certain sectors require specific interventions to increase the pace of transformation. It is no secret that the construction sector is lagging behind. The transformation of our society must translate into meaningful change for the people who were disadvantaged by decades and centuries of apartheid and colonialism. In transforming the construction industry, we are not only advancing government’s broad transformation objectives but also ensuring that communities and black businesses benefit from the Constitutionally enshrined principle of economic empowerment. Almost 30 years into our democracy, we have learned that the transformation of businesses and the economy must go way beyond ownership. It is not enough for companies to be black-owned; it is also important to look at how communities will benefit from their contracts. Sanral’s intervention has ensured that communities benefit from jobs going to locals as well as smaller subcontracts going to local businesses. In many instances, smaller companies have used their interactions with Sanral as a way of upgrading their company’s status, ensuring that they are able to bid for contracts outside of their area of origin. Sanral is aware that transformation is a highly contested area in South Africa and that there are many, particularly those in business, who rail against it because they perceive it to be negatively impacting on their profits. We ask them to consider whether any right-thinking business can allow the inequalities, poverty, and unemployment in our country to remain unchallenged. We are guilty of trying to correct this untenable situation, and of that we are proud. Sanral will vigorously pursue our mandate to improve the quality of the country’s road infrastructure, contribute towards growing our economy and transform the construction industry in order to achieve greater participation from previously disadvantaged communities. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/right-of-reply-sanral-responds-to-criticism-of-new-preferential-procurement-rules/

Opinion | 19 September 2023 The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) welcomes the Public Procurement Bill currently before the National Assembly. The federation has campaigned for many years for this critical bill to reach Parliament. This is a long-overdue progressive bill that will lay the foundation for a single public procurement system across the entire state, e.g. departments, municipalities, entities and state-owned enterprises. Currently and amazingly, there is no single public procurement framework and, as a consequence, the situation in state institutions is akin to the Wild West with many doing as they please and little space for the legislatures or the public to hold them accountable. The existing legislative gaps were exposed by the 2022 Constitutional Court finding that the Treasury lacked the legislative power to set local content and broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) public procurement criteria. This resulted in the scrapping of the preferential procurement regulations the government had put in place to support B-BBEE and locally produced goods. The Zondo Commission heard countless evidence of how our leaky public procurement systems enable industrial-scale corruption and wasteful expenditure. Cosatu and organised business engaged extensively with the Treasury on the bill at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). We are pleased that we reached consensus on many key interventions and the majority of the bill’s provisions. Cosatu’s support for the bill is premised upon its: – Establishing a single public procurement framework for the entire state. This will establish common standards across fragmented and chaotic government institutions. This is fundamental if we are to be hold the state accountable. – Requiring public procurement processes to support local content and B-BBEE. This is key to supporting and creating local jobs, transforming our still racially skewed economy, and growing our fragile manufacturing sectors and creating badly needed jobs. – Creating a single portal where all tender information will be available to the public, thus shining a massive spotlight on the murky world of tenders and helping expose corruption. – Enabling the centralised procurement of certain key items to save the fiscus badly-needed funds, e.g. allowing it to purchase vehicles or medical supplies in bulk at negotiated reduced prices. – Empowering the Treasury’s Chief Procurement Office to halt procurement falling foul of the law. This will be a powerful tool to tackle corrupt tenders. While the federation supports this critical anti-corruption bill and looks forward to its passage through Parliament, we believe the bill and its regulations need to be strategically strengthened to: – Elevate local content into a requirement for public procurement. This is key to nurturing local industries and badly needed jobs. Currently the bill simply provides for points to be allocated for local procurement. This is insufficient and, in effect, makes it optional. Some argue that the state should not be required to support locally produced goods if cheap imports are available as this will save it money. The problem with this short-sighted approach is that imports are often cheaper because they have been subsidised by their own governments. Our number one crisis is our dangerously high 42.1% unemployment rate. Supporting locally produced goods is the fastest and most sustainable way to grow local businesses, value chains and jobs. Money spent on locally produced goods circulates within the economy and much is returned to the state through taxes. Money spent on imports is immediately repatriated to that country. – Incentivise whistle-blowers who expose corruption. This will be key if we are to turn the tide in this existential battle. Public procurement and its R1 trillion annual expenditure are the heart of state capture. The police are woefully under-resourced to defeat this cancer eating at the heart of the state. The public is paying the price for this. Incentivising persons to blow the whistle on public procurement corruption by offering them a percentage of the money recovered will provide a powerful incentive for persons with actionable information on corruption to take the risk and blow the whistle. This would be a game-changer for South Africa. – Require the disclosure and recording of any relatives of politically influential persons who receive tenders as a way of preventing the abuse of public procurement by politicians. The bill takes a bold stance against state capture and nepotism by its ban on public representatives, political party leaders and state officials from doing business with the state. It prohibits their immediate relatives from doing business with the state institutions where their relatives are employed. It requires these persons to disclose the details of these relatives when applying for tenders. To take these progressive requirements to their logical conclusion, it is critical that a register be kept of such persons, and it be publicly accessible. As we enter the final stretch of the 6th administration, Parliament must strengthen and expedite this progressive bill into law. We cannot afford any further delays in rebuilding our public procurement system. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/most-welcome-public-procurement-bill-takes-a-bold-stance-against-state-capture-and-nepotism-cosatu-b1c9c90d-fe82-4dfe-a004-6f76527b3f31

BusinessTech | 18 September 2023 The Play Your Part Small Business Academy offers world-class practical business courses to help young people realise their business dreams. Brand SA's Play Your Part initiative, a nationwide programme designed to inspire and celebrate active citizenship, has expanded to an academy that will boost entrepreneurship. In collaboration with the Start Up Tribe, the Brand SA Play Your Part Small Business Academy aims to equip thousands of people with essential tools and skills needed to fulfil their business aspirations. Tailored for people from various backgrounds, the academy's practical courses provide invaluable guidance for students, start-ups and small businesses alike. As SA's youth grapple with an alarming unemployment rate of 46.5%, initiatives such as the Play Your Part Small Business Academy are beacons of hope for the nation's young people. SA also faces a skills shortage across many industries. The academy aims to address this with its array of free short business development courses. These courses serve as a springboard for budding entrepreneurs, encouraging them to take their initial steps into the world of business. In March 2023, young successful entrepreneurs endorsed and supported the Play Your Part Small Business Academy across multiple social media platforms. Recognising the commitment to support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the academy was awarded the Certificate of SME Support Excellence from the global organisation, World Class Cities. The academy has had an influx of young people enrolling in and inquiring about their courses. They've hinted at expanding their offering to accommodate new academic faculties. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.businesslive.co.za/redzone/news-insights/2023-09-18-native-brand-sa-empowers-countrys-youth-with-free-sme-academy/

Sue Segar | 18 September 2023 A young woman, from a household where nobody has worked before, joins a programme as one of 20 black women trained to become commercial drone pilots. Soon she will be running her own drone business, servicing an ever-growing demand. A young man – identified as a talented youth – joins Nedbank as an intern. A year or so later, he is appointed full-time engaged in business analytics in the bank’s IT division. A young person from a Western Cape community known for gangsterism, is part of a group of 150 youths to be trained as a barista. His future looks bright. All these youngsters are part of the fast-growing Youth Employment Services (YES) programme, a national business-led movement of South African companies, which, in collaboration with the government, aims to address South Africa’s biggest socio-economic crisis – unemployment. 117 851 young people placed in first job experience The YES programme – the country’s biggest social impact programme for jobs that is fully funded by the private sector – is growing from strength to strength, said YES CEO Ravi Naidoo. Naidoo said that, as of last month (August) a total of 117 851 young people had been placed in their first private sector job experience. The programme is proving to be a “game changer” in South Africa where the low economic growth rate means that the unemployment trend is not reversing. More than 400 000 job-seekers come into the market annually, but, over the past ten years, only about 150 000 jobs have been created each year. The YES programme, an initiative of CEOs from organisations countrywide, kicked off, operationally, in 2018. The programme formally got going in 2019, but had to virtually shut down during COVID-19. “Since COVID, the programme has rocketed. Most of these 117 000 jobs have come in during the last two years. Last year the number increased by about 30 percent in terms of the number of people joining the programme. “A lot of companies are joining now: we have 1 549 companies sponsoring these interns,” Naidoo said. The programme is open to talented black South African youth between 18 and 35 years old, with a matric qualification, and who are currently unemployed. About 61 percent of YES participants are from social grant-recipient households.. 12 month internship The learners sign a 12-month contract with businesses to gain experience in the workplace. During the programme, they are equipped with practical knowledge and skills in future-facing sectors, so as to encourage entrepreneurship and improve their chances of finding employment. It is also an opportunity for them to demonstrate their abilities, embrace a work ethic, and prove their worth. They receive a stipend to cover basic expenses. “Typically, these youths come from very disadvantaged backgrounds. We give them their first work experience … in jobs and opportunities that can stick in the economy. The youth will, hopefully, go on to develop a career, become absorbed into a private sector job … or start their own business and become the employers of the future. We give them the skills, work experience, and social networks needed to help them become change makers who contribute to the country’s economic prosperity.” “We want as many of these people as possible from these backgrounds to get these opportunities they otherwise would never get because that’s how you build a broader economic base. Many of these youths will continue to interact with their old communities, and to have an impact there. “What we need are jobs and initiatives that have a multiplier effect down the line. If South Africa is to succeed over the next 10 years, we need to get as many of our talented youths as possible into meaningful roles in the economy,” Naidoo said. Renewables and tourism present many opportunities The YES initiative is now part of the sector plan for the renewables sector plan for SA, where there is a dearth of skills. “We want to get many more youths to learn the technical skills to build capacity in that industry.” He added that the programme is currently also partnering with the Western Cape government. “The premier announced a partnership with YES in May, during the state of the province address. We are already putting people into programmes in the Cape.” Naidoo commended the corporate sector for buying into the YES programme, adding there are a number of benefits to do so, in terms of BEE and other benefits. “We find that BEE level 1 companies still work with us because they can use our programme for their sustainability reports.” Asked about future plans, Naidoo said they hope to get more companies to join the YES programme. “We had our best month ever in June, when 5 298 youths were sponsored. In terms of our collaboration with the Western Cape government, we intend to assess the growth opportunities in the province and then channel some of the youths into these growing sectors. In the Cape, a key sector we are interested in is Tourism. We currently have a number of young people working in that sector already. We also plan to place more youths into renewables and solar PV-type work because there are huge opportunities, countrywide, in that sector. There is a huge opportunity for us to grow our capacity as a country while we fix loadshedding … and, in the process to become the experts in the world, because there is going to be loadshedding all over the world – they just don’t know it yet!” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.cbn.co.za/industry-news/skills-training-development/yes-programme-yields-long-term-results/

The liquidity of an Enterprise Development Beneficiary matters. A long-term Enterprise & Supplier Development Strategy more often than not incorporates future Bonus Points for elevating a Beneficiary from Enterprise Development status to that of Supplier Development. However, core to successfully claiming these points is that the Enterprise or Supplier Development Beneficiary remains in business. In other words, claims only qualify if an Enterprise or Supplier Development Beneficiary’s business is liquid and actively trading. Therefore, organisations must put measures in place to track the performance of their Beneficiaries. Enterprise & Supplier Development Services are available to Members to assist with crafting sustainable Enterprise & Supplier Development strategies.