On 08 September 2023, SANAS has issued a notification to all B-BBEE Rating Agencies with regards to Submission of B-BBEE Verification Certificates and Reports to B-BBEE Sector Councils. Part of the notification states: During the STC meeting held on 5 April and 23 November 2022, the members decided that SANAS should check whether the B-BBEE Certificates and Reports were submitted to the Sector Council. The verification agencies must check and ensure that the rated measured entities have submitted the previous and current B-BBEE Certificates and Reports to their specific sector. This submission process will be assessed from the beginning of 2023/24, i.e. 1 April 2023. We encourage Members to take note of this Notification and submit accordingly to the relevant B-BBEE Sector Councils. B-BBEE Verification Services are available to assist members in understand these requirements.

The Financial Sector Transformation Council (FSTC) has recently released the 2020/21 State of Transformation Report which covers the theme of “Intentionality Beyond Tick Boxes: How meaningful is the transformation agenda?” The Report highlights the performance of the Financial Services Sector in respect of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment as well as the challenges that are still being faced. The below table extracted from the Report summarises the B-BBEE Statuses Levels of Large Enterprises operating in the Financial Services Sector. Members are welcome to engage further with the BEE Chamber to discuss aspects of the 2020/21 State of Transformation Report released by the FSTC.

Mandisa Nyathi | 15 September 2023 ActionSA has made bold plans to repeal the contentious Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, proposing to replace it instead with new policies. The party held its inaugural three-day policy conference this week to thrash out some of its key positions that will feed into a manifesto to attract voters in next year’s elections. ActionSA resolved that black economic empowerment (BEE) has, in its current form, failed to uplift black South Africans and there is a need to develop innovative and viable solutions to address persistent inequality in the country. Party leader Herman Mashaba told delegates that ActionSA would establish an opportunity fund with the help of the private sector to invest exclusively in grassroots opportunity generation among black, coloured and Indian communities who have been historically disadvantaged. ActionSA’s stance follows that of the Democratic Alliance, which rejected BEE in 2018, claiming the policy was not working. President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in the past, defended the ANC policy. ActionSA chief director of governance Nasiphi Moyo said the party’s objective was to ensure that every South African, regardless of their circumstances, had access to equal opportunities for success. “This can be achieved by knocking down human development barriers propelled by the apartheid government’s discriminatory policies. As an organisation, we support black empowerment,” Moyo said, adding that by “black, we are referring to all racial groups that were discriminated against by the apartheid government. This includes coloured people, Indians, and Asians”. Mashaba, who has often been accused of expressing xenophobic views towards African immigrants, said the current immigration regime made it hard for people to come to the country legally. He, however, acknowledged that South Africa had been built by migrants and still needed to attract skilled external labour to prosper. “But people must come here legally and, when they’re here, they must respect our laws,” he added. “We will deport you immediately if you break our rules under an ActionSA government. We are not going to play games with anyone. Immigration is one of those subjects that I’m unapologetic about.” He said ActionSA believed people seeking refuge in South Africa from “despotic countries” should be assisted, but only when they had credible documentation from their home countries. Mashaba said there was a strong push by party “extremists” who wanted stricter immigration laws, pitting them against those opposed to this suggestion. “On the one hand, there are those who want to ignore our borders or call anyone xenophobic for raising the issue of the failed implementation of our immigration regulations and our porous borders. “On the other side, there are those who are wilfully blind to the benefits that regulated immigration can offer our country, and act like quasi-law enforcement officials by unlawfully raiding businesses and detain[ing] people,” he said. ActionSA Limpopo leader Selo Lediga said that immigration was a big talking point for the province because “many immigrants use the Limpopo border to gain entry to the country”. Lediga called for a change in policing systems in the country and the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to secure borders. “Limpopo is the entry point of people from SADC [Southern African Development Community]. So the failure of the current government to manage our borders means that all these people that you see here, actually have to pass through Limpopo,” he said. John Moodey, the party’s senate member, said ActionSA would pass stringent laws to combat lawlessness. “Just like we cannot tolerate South Africans who break our laws, we must equally not tolerate people from other countries who break our laws,” he said. “It is time to take a harsher stance on criminals after they have been prosecuted as well. Our communities are under siege from hardened criminals and syndicates who have no regard for human life or dignity, yet our penal laws favour these very criminals and do little to deter their actions.” The party added in its policy proposals that there was a need to reaffirm a commitment to democratic principles and peaceful resolution to conflict in the country’s foreign affairs stance. “ActionSA affirms that respecting the borders and autonomy of neighbouring countries is essential for regional stability and development,” it said. It added that it would continue to advocate for a fair multilateral system that ensures equitable representation and power-sharing between countries from the global north and south. “Through diplomacy, south-south cooperation, and alliance-building, South Africa seeks to influence global decision-making processes and advocate for reforms that address the imbalances in the international system.” The party also adopted a policy on a universal basic income, the expansion of social welfare grants and a one-year of voluntary vocation service for school leavers. Mashaba said this was meant to help people who left high school with no prospects of studying further or finding a job. “This reality is true for too many young people and ActionSA must provide young people with the place to learn skills, gain experience, and drive the meaning that comes with work and productivity,” Mashaba said. The party also adopted a policy that would relax visa requirements to allow qualified migrants to enter the country, including expanding the list of countries whose citizens can visit South Africa without visas and implementing e-visas and visa-on-arrival programmes. ActionSA however rejected its leader’s strong opinion in favour of the death penalty, arguing that it was in breach of human rights. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://mg.co.za/politics/2023-09-15-actionsa-comes-down-hard-on-bee-migration/

SA Good News | 15 September 2023 JOHANNESBURG: 13 September 2023 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has granted $1.3 million (just over R24 million) to NGO Save the Children in South Africa for youth entrepreneurship and social innovation projects over a three-year period. Save the Children has been adopted as part of the Accenture Skills 2 Succeed (S2S) programme. Accenture has been working with Save the Children in other countries, but this is the first time they have engaged the South Africa cohort. “The programme aims to equip young men and women who experience the most inequality in South Africa with the skills needed to pursue decent work and economic growth successfully. The programme also equips youth with the attitudes, knowledge and values to develop a sustainable and resource-efficient society,” states Khethiwe Nkuna, Responsible Business Executive for Accenture in Africa. “The project will reach youth ages 15-24 in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng Provinces who experience the most inequality and discrimination, including women, migrants, refugees and unaccompanied youth,” she adds. Nkuna further explains that Accenture plans to engage 30,000 youth (50% women) through awareness-raising interventions on skills development, employment readiness, gender equality and inclusion, green job opportunities and climate change. “We also aim to improve the knowledge and skills of 20,000 youth (50% women), including 100 migrant, refugee and unaccompanied youth, through training in employability skills, and growth and green mindset,” she says. Accenture emphasises that this entrepreneurship-focused program will support 12,000 youth (50% women) in improving career readiness and resiliency, finding decent jobs, building their businesses or continuing to higher education, as well as reach 860 adults, including educators, CSO staff, parents, caregivers community leaders and employees to create an enabling environment for youth’s career readiness and resiliency. Why focus on South Africa now? South Africa is classified as a middle-income country with a high human development index rating. However, it is one of the most unequal countries in the world. Poverty, unemployment and environmental degradation exist alongside wealth, modern cities and developed infrastructure. Despite high standards for some children regarding living conditions, access to education and employment prospects, many of South Africa’s children and youth face a future of unemployment, underemployment and hazardous work. Consequently, poverty and protection issues abound. To help address the complexity and interrelated nature of the issues vulnerable young people face in South Africa, Nkuna lists the scope of this project that will focus on the following matters: Developing the career readiness and resilience required of youth to enter emerging job markets: Vulnerable youth will be equipped with the necessary skills in the job market. Accenture will support young people with growth in employability skills and green mindset training to improve their chances of obtaining formal, green, decent jobs. “To account for the fact that undocumented migrants may not be able to enter the formal sector, we will conduct a pilot to provide undocumented migrant youth with training on entrepreneurship skills, materials and in-kind support for viable business ideas. This is especially important for migrant girls to avoid falling into situations of exploitation,” states Nkuna. Job linkages, focusing on green jobs: The project will promote in-school and out-of-school youth connections with employers. The project will conduct job fairs, informational talks, career counselling and awareness-raising campaigns to create an enabling environment where young people understand what work is available, how to access it, and where they can be supported. These activities will benefit employers’ understanding of young people’s skills, where to find them, and what development they might need. Closing the digital skills gap: The project will address the divide regarding young people’s lack of access to technology, connectivity, and basic digital skills. The project will work with partners to provide youth with essential digital skills training and internet connectivity through local Community Service Organisations (CSOs). “This will help young people access the job market using technology and increase their skillsets and employability – a big focus for Accenture,” shares Nkuna. Addressing the specific needs of migrant boys and girls: The project will address young migrants and asylum seekers’ unique needs. The project will build their capacity to successfully transition to decent employment by strengthening their transferrable life skills, business skills, financial literacy, and vocational training skills. Unleashing the power of young people as advocates and leaders for social and climate action: The programme will form a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) with programme participants. YAC members will receive additional training in leadership, communication and advocacy. The YAC will advise the programme and elevate the voices of young people in programme implementation. The YAC will also be the leading force for youth-led advocacy. Understanding and improving gender equality in the labour market: The Labour Market Assessment undertaken at the beginning of this project will collect data to understand barriers young women face in obtaining and retaining decent employment and employers’ needs and challenges when employing women. “Participants for the project will be selected from public schools, afterschool programs, TVET colleges, CSO and community youth programs, youth-centric Community Service Organisations (CSOs), and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in local township communities and existing Save the Children programmes,” says Marumo Sidwell Sekgobela, Acting Programmes Director at Save the Children South Africa. “Employee engagement initiatives with Accenture will also support us with implementation of programme.” “Accenture’s investment will enable Save the Children to build upon strong S2S programming by extending the programme and adding new countries. It will also add innovative elements to address inequality, empower youth to be voices of change and give them the skills they need to succeed in the green economy. Together, we will equip youth to pursue new economic opportunities and contribute to developing a just, sustainable, and resource-efficient society,” Nkuna concludes. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with 732,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners, and communities. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.sagoodnews.co.za/accenture-grants-1-3-million-to-save-the-children-for-youth-entrepreneurship-and-social-innovation/

Comfort Makhanya | 17 September 2023 The agency and foundation have a mutual inclination towards the attainment of national development objectives. The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and MTN Foundation have formed a groundbreaking partnership, demonstrating the commitment of both public and private sectors to youth development in South Africa. On September 8, the agency and the foundation hosted a Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony at NYDA’s head office in Midrand. The two organisations will collaborate to provide education, employment, training, and job opportunities for young people, preparing them for the challenges of the future. This partnership reflects a critical alignment of interests between the agency and the foundation, marking a significant step towards realising the ambitious goals of the National Development Plan. Asanda Luwaca, the executive chairperson of the agency, said, “The partnership will help bridge the gap between resilient young people and those willing to transform that resilience into something that will improve their conditions.” Arthur Mukhuvha, the foundation’s general manager, expressed the importance of private-public sector partnerships. He said the foundation was dedicated to equipping young people with the tools and resources needed for a brighter future. Mukhuvha emphasised the significance of digital skills training and how it would expand horizons, fostering innovative thinking and adaptability in the youth, which were essential traits for success. A local youth, Thabo Mopeli commended the agency and said, “Wow, NYDA means business. Thank you NYDA team. We appreciate what you are doing for the youth.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://midrandreporter.co.za/323901/nyda-and-mtn-foundation-join-hands-in-youth-development/

Siphelele Dludla | 14 September 2023 The South African government has capitulated to the demand that it reduces the requirements for black ownership to be below 51% in the qualification criteria for the R1.2 billion Tourism Equity Fund (TEF). The TEF was launched in January 2021 by the Department of Tourism to provide a new financial support mechanism to stimulate investment and transformation in the tourism sector. However, the fund was placed on hold after lobby group AfriForum and trade union Solidarity brought the case before the High Court, contesting the legality and rationality of the 51% black-owner/managed qualification criteria for the fund. Last week, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille confirmed that she would seek Cabinet approval for the TEF as her department has revised the qualification criteria after the fund was stalled for more than two years due to litigation. Speaking during the post-Cabinet media briefing today, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet was updated on the settlement reached on the implementation of the TEF as a result of the court case brought by AfriForum and Solidarity. “Cabinet was updated on the actions taken to implement the settlement agreement and the changes to the TEF, effected on the basis of the settlement agreement,” Ntshavheni said. “The department and the Minister of Tourism were taken to court by AfriForum and Solidarity, which delayed the implementation of the TEF, and because the case was being prolonged, it was prudent to find an out-of-court settlement. The settlement was then we are going to implement the TEF in line with the current BEE Codes applicable to the Department of Tourism. “Accordingly, the TEF will be implemented in line with existing Tourism Sector Code targets of minimum 30% black ownership instead of the 51% originally proposed TEF targets. Cabinet supported the implementation of the TEF.” The fund will provide a combination of debt finance and grant funding to facilitate equity acquisition as well as new project development in the tourism sector by black entrepreneurs. The Department of Tourism will capitalise the fund with an amount of R540 million, which will be matched with a contribution of R120m from the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and R594m from commercial banks that will be participating in the programme. The two groups who challenged the implementation of the TEF in court suggested that it deviated materially from the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act, read with the Tourism Code. At the time, AfriForum and Solidarity said the Covid-19 crisis had highlighted the government’s race-based objectives and wanted to use the plight of people in the tourism industry as an opportunity to drive their transformation agenda, while cadres with political connections cannot use the crisis in the tourism sector as an opportunity to fill their pockets. The court eventually ruled that the foundation of the TEF was unconstitutional. However, in April this year, the department proposed to settle the matter, and the groups accepted the settlement and withdrew their litigation, thereby unblocking the TEF. When De Lille reflected on her 100 days in office in June, she said the revised implementation plan was being finalised within the existing B-BBEE legislation and the Tourism B-BBEE Codes. She said the target was to have the TEF fully disbursed by March 2024 and to develop and implement mechanisms to unlock the implementation of the TEF to ensure black ownership within the confines of the law and support small to medium enterprises in the tourism sector. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/black-ownership-requirement-for-tourism-equity-fund-revised-914708eb-676b-4daa-95d0-0c5ecde51ab1

Cosatu | 15 September 2023 The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) urges Parliament to strengthen and expedite the long-awaited Public Procurement Bill. 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 there is no single public procurement legislative framework and as a consequence, the situation in many state institutions is akin to something from the wild west. The existing legislative gaps were brought to a fore in 2022 when the Constitutional Court declared that Treasury lacked the legislative powers to set local content and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) public procurement criteria. The Zondo Commission heard countless evidence of how our leaky public procurement systems enable industrial scale corruption and wasteful expenditure. COSATU engaged extensively with Treasury on the Bill at Nedlac. We are pleased we reached consensus on many key interventions and the majority of the Bill’s provisions. Our support for the Bill is premised upon its: Establishing a single public procurement framework for the entire state. This will enable common standards to be established across an often fragmented and chaotic government institutions. Requiring public procurement processes take into account and support local content and BBBEE. This is key to supporting and creating local jobs and transforming our still racially skewed economy. Requiring a single online portal be set up where all tender information will be available to the public. This will shine a massive spotlight on the murky world of tenders and help expose and discourage corruption. Enabling the centralised procurement of certain key items to enable the state to save the fiscus badly needed revenue. Empowering the Chief Procurement Office in Treasury to intervene and halt public procurement that falls foul of the law. This will be a powerful tool to tackle often openly corrupt government tenders. Whilst the Federation supports this critical anti-corruption bill and looks forward to its passage by Parliament, we believe the Bill and its regulations need to be strengthened to: Elevate local content into a requirement for public procurement. This is key to protecting and growing local industries and badly needed jobs. Incentivise whilst blowers who expose corruption. This will be key if we are to turn the tide in this existential battle. 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 persons in senior office. It is critical Parliament move with strengthen expedite this progressive Bill into law before the conclusion of the 6th administration. 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.polity.org.za/article/cosatu-urges-parliament-to-strengthen-and-expedite-the-long-awaited-public-procurement-bill-2023-09-15

Roy Cokayne | 15 September 2023 Group says new tender scoring system ‘makes no sense’. JSE-listed construction and engineering group WBHO believes sanity will prevail in the dispute between major construction groups and the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) over the road agency’s new preferential procurement rules for its tenders. WBHO CEO Wolfgang Neff said this week that sense must prevail in the dispute with Sanral. “To allocate five points for 100% black ownership, in percentage terms, that is 5% government would be paying more for using 100% black-owned business,” he said. Neff stressed, for instance, that WBHO’s management does not own the company. “I think exco [executive] ownership is less than 1%. WBHO is owned by its staff members through Akani with 20%, the PIC [Public Investment Corporation] owns a chunk of us, and then pension funds. “I just think it makes no sense what the guys [Sanral] are doing,” he said. Neff added that another criteria of Sanral’s new preferential procurement policy is for main contractors to subcontract more than 35% of the project, which is currently the case. However, Neff said a Sanral project is extremely complex, and the main contractor is taking on all the risk and providing the guarantees. “So to start farming out the critical work to contractors who don’t have the experience or skill set becomes just too risky. It makes no sense,” he said. Court challenge Sanral is facing a high court challenge after allegedly unilaterally introducing the new preferential procurement scoring system for its tenders earlier this year. The new scoring system significantly downgrades the importance of the broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) Act ratings of most bidders. An urgent application by Cape Town registered H&I Construction to interdict Sanral from implementing the new scoring system when adjudicating two specific tenders, pending an application to review and set aside this new scoring system, was heard in the High Court in Gqeberha in July. Judgment was reserved and has not yet been handed down. WBHO has applied to join Part B of H&I Construction’s application to review and set aside the new scoring system. H&I Construction challenged the decision by Sanral to change its scoring system for the award of the tenders on the grounds that: It does not comply with the requirements set out by Section 2 of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act 5 of 2000; and It was introduced without H&I Construction being consulted. Francis Chemaly, commercial manager at H&I Construction, said the new scoring system Sanral now seeks to employ “is unconstitutional and irrational and therefore reviewable both on grounds of legality and under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act”. “Sanral introduced these changes to its tendering system without consulting those directly affected by it, including the applicant [H&I Construction]. “The proposed new scoring system is so unfair, so irrational, uncompetitive and cost averse, that potential bidders such as the applicant [H&I Construction] will simply not be able to present a bid on a viable, cost-effective basis, and have any hope of scoring sufficient points in a fair process to have the bid awarded to it, should Sanral be permitted to proceed with its new scoring system for these tenders,” he said. ConCourt ruling The new scoring system introduced by Sanral follows the February 2022 Constitutional Court judgment that ruled that then minister of finance Pravin Gordhan had acted beyond his powers in promulgating new regulations in 2017 that introduced pre-qualification B-BBEE criteria that bidders had to comply with before they would be permitted to proceed to the next stage of the bidding process. This Constitutional Court defeat led to current Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana repealing the 2017 regulations and replacing them in 2022 with new regulations that allow organs of state to determine their own preferential procurement policies pending the promulgation of the Public Procurement Bill. WBHO and other major construction groups have a lot to lose because of the new scoring system. Neff said a significant uptick in activity from Sanral resulted in a 43% increase in activity from the local roadwork sector in WBHO’s financial year to end-June 2023. He said the high levels of roadworks on hand at the beginning of the period were further supplemented by the award of: The R3.5 billion Keyridge project along the N3; A R1.2 billion improvement project along the R63 to the intersection of the N6 near Bhisho; A R2.9 billion project in a joint venture for the construction of the N2 Wild Coast Highway Section 20 between the Msikaba Bridge and the Mtentu Bridge; and Four additional mid-sized projects with a combined value of R1.4 billion. Neff added that post the group’s year-end, the roads and earthworks division had conditionally been awarded an additional R1.3 billion project to be executed in a joint venture. WBHO’s road and earthworks increased its order book by 131% to R14.78 billion at end-June 2023 from R6.4 billion in the prior year. By sector, roadworks comprise 62% of WBHO’s enlarged order book compared to 26% in the prior year. WBHO’s consolidated order book grew by 43% to R32.5 billion at end-June 2023 from R22.2 billion the previous year. Neff said Sanral still has a lot of projects that are out to tender and a lot of projects that are still pending. “It’s just the whole procurement issue [that needs] to be sorted out for them to award those things [contracts],” he said. “I think reason should prevail, and then there’s a whole heap of work for everyone in this country.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/companies-and-deals/sanity-will-prevail-in-preferential-procurement-rules-dispute-wbho/

SA News | 13 September 2023 Trade, Industry, and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has highlighted the significant strides achieved by the Black Industrialists Policy within the food and energy sectors. The transformative policy, initiated in 2015, is reshaping South Africa's economic landscape by nurturing new enterprises led by black South Africans. Briefing the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition on Tuesday, Patel said historically transformation policies primarily focused on facilitating black ownership in existing enterprises. However, the Black Industrialists Policy centres on promoting the development of new enterprises, fostering entrepreneurship and ensuring the emergence of businesses controlled by previously marginalized groups. During the briefing, Minister Patel presented 46 case studies of Black Industrialists across the country in the food and energy sectors. The evolution of empowerment policies over time has broadened their scope. Initially, they centered on individual share ownership, enabling capital accumulation among black South Africans. Subsequently, they embraced broad-based empowerment and community initiatives. Today, the policy prioritises Black Industrialists, supporting individual black entrepreneurs with controlling stakes in new firms and employee share ownership (workers empowerment). Minister Patel underscored that the Black Industrialists Policy is just one pillar of a broader transformation agenda. Other transformation instruments include industrial financing, sector master plans, localization, competition measures, B-BBEE codes, equity-equivalent investment programs, special economic zones and state preferential procurement. The Black Industrialists Policy spans various industries, including agro processing, automotive components, textiles, steel and metal fabrication, mining, machinery and equipment, aerospace equipment and technology. "The Black Industrialists Policy represents a pivotal shift in South Africa's transformation strategy. It fosters new enterprise development, entrepreneurship, and economic inclusion while addressing historical disparities and promoting innovation,” Minister Patel said. “The policy's impact on the food and energy sectors underscores its significance in driving South Africa's economic transformation,” the Minister said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/minister-briefs-parliament-black-industrialists-policy

Thabiso Goba | 13 September 2023 Though ActionSA supports affirmative action programmes that address the apartheid-created racial inequality in the country's economy, the party’s president has called for the act to be repealed. JOHANNESBURG - ActionSA supports race-based affirmative programmes, however it is against government's Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policy. The B-BBEE Act of 2003 was introduced by the South African government to address the racial inequality in the country's economy due to apartheid. In ActionSA's draft policy document, under economic justice, the party recognises that black, coloured, Indian and Asian people still face exclusion from opportunities. However, ActionSA President Herman Mashaba said the B-BBEE Act should be repealed, as its original intention was being abused by political interests. "Included in our proposal is the establishment of the Opportunity Fund, an unprecedented fund contributed by the South African businesses that will invest exclusively in grassroots opportunity generation in black, coloured and Indian communities that have been historically disadvantaged," he said on Tuesday. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://ewn.co.za/2023/09/13/political-interests-abusing-original-purpose-of-b-bbee-act-notes-mashaba

Creamer Media | 13 September 2023 Engen and the Breede Valley Association for Persons with Disabilities (BVAPD) celebrated Casual Day, which is South Africa’s leading fund-raising and awareness campaign for Persons with Disabilities. Launched in 1995, Casual Day is an annual awareness and fund-raising campaign held on 1 September benefiting person with disabilities. Each year, South Africans are encouraged to go to work, or school dressed differently and to wear the official Casual Day sticker and merchandise to show their support. As part of the festivities, the BVAPD had a variety of fun filled activities, including games and competitions for staff, partners, and members of the disabled community. Engen handed over a cheque for R262,000, as part of the second instalment of a three-year pledge totalling R848 680, which was made to the Breede Valley APD in 2022. BVAPD is a Western Cape-based non-profit organisation that renders therapeutic, social and community development services to persons with disabilities in the areas of Worcester, Rawsonville, De Doorns, Touws River and surrounds. The inclusion of people with disabilities is a key focus area of Engen’s social investment, with all supported projects seeking to create sustainable value for all parties concerned. Amongst various success stories, Engen’s support for the BVAPD is to drive a new skills-based pilot project called WeMove. BVAPD’s Michelle Vos said: “We are extremely excited to report that the pilot has been such a success that we have managed to secure off-site positions for thirteen of our beneficiaries at various organisations including a major grocery chain, local panel beaters, a creche and a bike shop. Vos thanked Engen for their support, which she said had a far-reaching impact on beneficiaries, their families, and the community of the Breede Valley. “We are grateful to Engen for assisting us in empowering persons with disabilities to improve their socio-economic future,” commented Griessel. “Access to skills development and employment for persons with disabilities remains extremely limited and deprives them of taking their rightful place in the socio-economic life of South Africa,” she added. According to Engen’s Stakeholder Engagement and Transformation Manager, Dr James Xolani Nyawera, the company’s support of the Breede Valley APD was part of its drive to help create an equitable society where persons with disabilities can share access to every sphere of educational, work, and social life. “Together we can forge a future that is inclusive of all people,” commented Dr Nyawera. “As a caring and inclusive company with ‘heart,’ this aligns with Engen’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which endeavour to ensure a better and more sustainable future for all.” As a company, Engen champions nine of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 – Quality Education, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all and SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, which aims to drive progress, create decent jobs for all and improve living standards. “For Engen, disability inclusion is one of the company’s key social investment focus areas, giving us an opportunity to contribute towards inclusive rights in South Africa,” added Dr Nyawera. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/engen-joins-hands-with-breede-valley-apd-for-casual-day-celebrations-2023-09-13

Cameron Mackay | 12 September 2023 Nonprofit organisation Just Share has released the results of a study assessing gender equality at board and executive level at the JSE Top 40. “While women make up 46% of South Africa’s economically active population – and despite a significant increase over the last 20 years in representation of women in the lower-to-middle occupational levels – only 35% of board seats and 25% of executive level positions at the Top 40 companies are held by women,” states Just Share. The company also points out that, while transformation in South Africa’s labour market remains a significant challenge, there has been more focus on racial transformation than there has on gender equality. “Despite the considerable strides made in reducing gender gaps in education, there remain significant gender disparities in labour market outcomes. This is reflected in the under-representation of women in senior decision-making roles across the private sector.” Over two decades after the promulgation of the Bill of Rights, and the introduction of legislation to give effect to the right to equality in the workplace, the twenty-third 'Commission for Employment Equity Yearly Report (2022 to 2023)' finds that “the South African labour market continues to be racialised and gendered”. The report also finds that “the provision of opportunities appears to remain inherently linked to certain population groups and gender at the upper occupational levels”. Just Share points out that the JSE Top 40 companies are no exception to these trends. Services, trading and distribution company Bidvest Group is the only company in the Top 40 with gender parity or better at both board and executive level, Just Share notes. Seventy-five per cent of the company’s board positions are held by women, and 50% of its executives are women. Only four other companies have gender parity at board level (miners Exxaro Resources and Impala Platinum) or executive level (multinational metals company BHP Group and retailer Woolworths). Just Share also stresses that only five of the Top 40 have company boards led by female chairpersons, including miners AngloGold Ashanti and Impala Platinum, local banks Standard Bank and Capitec, and retailer Shoprite. Further, only four in the Top 40 have female CEOs, namely Anglo American Platinum, Bidvest Group, Exxaro Resources and retailer Clicks Group. The JSE Listing Requirements require issuers to adopt a policy for the promotion of gender diversity at board level, as well as to report on the application and consideration of the policy and on the progress made towards achieving voluntary targets. “Compliance with these requirements is patchy across the Top 40. Eighty per cent of the Top 40 companies have publicly available policies and gender diversity targets at board level. These targets are usually set well below 46% (which would reflect the percentage of women who are economically active) or 50% for gender parity. Gender diversity targets are seldom updated even when they have been achieved, and some companies set targets which are below what they have already achieved. "In response to questions from Just Share at the JSE’s yearly general meetings, the JSE has repeatedly stated that it takes no responsibility for monitoring compliance with the board gender diversity policy requirements of the Listings Requirements, and that it expects shareholders to monitor and exert pressure on listed companies for the achievement of gender equality.” Just Share argues that this approach is not in line with guidance from the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative, of which the JSE is a member. The SSE recommends that exchanges take a number of steps to advance gender equality, including setting gender targets or other requirements for listed companies, promoting transparency on the market’s gender performance, and addressing barriers to gender equality on company boards. “The exchange and the institutions which invest in its issuers have significant power and opportunity to advance gender equality, but there is much more for them to do to ensure that women are more equally represented in senior leadership roles. “Asset managers and asset owners should be playing a much larger role in engaging companies which have not adopted gender diversity policies and targets to ensure that they do so, and in driving the adoption of gender diversity targets at all issuers which are ambitious enough to accelerate progress towards gender equality,” the organisation states. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/just-share-reports-slow-progress-on-gender-diversity-in-leadership-roles-at-jse-top-40-2023-09-12