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Simnikiwe Mzekandaba - 20 March 2023 The City of Cape Town’s business process outsourcing (BPO) sector now employs more than 70 000 people. This number is anticipated to grow in the coming months, as UK-based Arvato CRM Solutions plans to begin operations from Cape Town, reveals the city’s alderman James Vos. Vos, the city’s mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management, was speaking on the occasion of a site visit to two recently-opened call centres. The site visits were to Wipro Africa Delivery Centre in Century City, which is a joint venture with local mobile data platform, Rain, and Sigma’s office in Woodstock. Including its Woodstock team, outsourcing specialist Sigma employs 3 000 people in five call centres around the city, notes Vos, adding that their other centres are located in Diep River, Retreat, Mitchells Plain and Athlone. “I’m also excited to share that graduates from the Cape Skills and Employment Accelerator form part of the staff employed at these call centres,” he says. “This initiative is funded primarily by the city and the National Skills Fund that provides training and workplace experience in high growth industries for previously unemployed South African youth and women.” Commenting on Arvato, Vos indicates the company will be servicing clients from Cape Town, via international e-commerce company, Techsembly. The BPO sector, commonly referred to as the call centre sector, has been tipped as a catalyst in the fight against joblessness, particularly among local youth. South Africa has fast become one of the most favoured locations internationally for BPO companies, with the sector targeting 500 000 new jobs by 2030, based on industry estimates. In Cape Town, the provincial government has earmarked the sector as a priority industry to boost the local economy and extend job opportunities to more Capetonians. In 2021, the international BPO market in Cape Town contributed around R14 billion to the metro’s economy. “Thanks to the city’s investment into skills development and promoting Cape Town as an ideal call centre hub via our industry partner, CapeBPO, the metro has indeed become a world-renowned and sought-after destination for BPO companies. “Realising the potential of Cape Town’s high-growth industries will further boost the local economy and extend job opportunities to even more Capetonians,” Vos concludes. https://www.itweb.co.za/content/lLn14MmQKboMJ6Aa ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

Darren Parker - 20 March 2023 Photo by Creamer Media The gold and silver beneficiation industry needs stronger localisation laws to protect local economic development of small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) who participate in the sector, says precious metals refiner Rand Refinery CFO Dean Subramanian. He was speaking at a ceremony celebrating the graduation of a new round of students from Rand Refinery’s Silver and Gold Mentorship Programme and Intsika on March 17. “We need to work together and ensure localisation through legislation. There's lots of excuses in South Africa why we don't have the skills. But if you look at the success of South African companies around the world, we do have the skills and I think we just need to make sure that the legislation is in place, so there's no more excuses,” he said. This comes as the jewellery manufacturing industry has identified jewellery manufacturing as a critical skill – with 80% of commercial jewellery in South Africa being imported. Subramanian said that the new round of graduates would contribute to increasing employment and local beneficiation capacity in the downstream jewellery manufacturing and design industry. However, the initiative needed to be supported by the broader industry, he said. “The aim now is to ramp up industry support with an optimised curriculum.” The Silver and Gold Mentorship Programme is an enterprise development partnership between Rand Refinery, Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project (EJP), jewellery retailer NQ Jewellers, and industry body South African Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator, which was initiated in 2021. The programme saw 18 SMMEs graduating from the class of 2021 and another 14 in the class of 2022, which graduated on March 17. “We remain committed to supporting communities and enterprises in 2023. With the intake of 14 new graduates, we plan to further improve the programme within optimised mentorship curriculum to create an integrated young talent pipeline; the Jewellery Manufacturing Learnership for learners living with disabilities, executed in partnership with the Intsika Beneficiation Project, will be integrated into EJP as an extension of the jewellery learnership. The learners will get an opportunity to progress into the Silver Mentorship Programme for further development and capacitation,” Rand Refinery CEO Praveen Baijnath explained. The optimised curriculum will cover technical sales and marketing, unique design criteria and the provision of a gold loan, together with further capital investment. Baijnath emphasised that students with disabilities would also be given an opportunity to learn the skills to succeed in the sector. Participants in these programmes are provided the tools needed to succeed in the growing marketplace for well-made beneficiated goods. Last year, the top three SMMEs participated in the Mining Indaba, courtesy of Rand Refinery, and the winner represented Rand Refinery at the London Bullion Market Association conference in Portugal in October 2022. “I congratulate the class of 2022 on their immense achievements and look forward to seeing them flourish and grow in the future. At the same time, let us welcome our class of 2023 and wish them well as they learn the skills and gain the knowledge to chart their path to success. We are extremely proud to champion upliftment through beneficiation and nurture local talent through the programme. There is no greater reward than seeing these SMEs showcase their designs to the world highlighting South Africa's potential right here on our doorstep,” Baijnath said. The company’s Gold Zone has developed into a hub for precious metals fabrication and community skills development – one which focuses on disabled and previously disadvantaged local talent. This adds to local growth potential, Baijnath said, which is being addressed in the Silver and Gold Loan And Mentorship Programme in 2023. “Ultimately, upon completing the Silver Mentorship Programme, they will get an opportunity to showcase their jewellery at the [retail store] Jewellery Village at Monte Casino. We aim to capacitate, grow and support the local jewellery manufacturing sector, which I believe is untapped and ripe for growth,” he said. Subramanian said that the newly introduced R700 000 gold loan into the programme added diversity and opportunity, with Rand Refinery already making 937 g, valued at R700 000, of gold available to SMMEs who meet the compliance criteria. To date, SMMEs have accounted for 70 kg of the 143 kg that was made available. The Intsika Skills Beneficiation Project was established in 2003 in response to the high rate of unemployment, skills shortage, and lack of establishment of sustainable small business hubs among the historically disadvantaged demographic of South Africa. The qualifications are aimed at helping create a young and empowered workforce able to produce world-class locally manufactured and designed jewellery products for the South African and international markets. “Further capital investment has been approved to upgrade the EJP technical and commercial campus and modernise the facility with cutting edge jewellery technology. This will accommodate students with disabilities and provide best-practice jewellery technical training,” Baijnath said. Additional enhancements to the programme in 2023 promised by Rand Refinery include clear and unique design criteria and technical processes, which will culminate in the design competition and receipt of silver. Another highlight was the introduction of a market access avenue with the launch of the Jewellery Village store at Monte Casino, Johannesburg. Subramanian said that the temptation for cheaper gold or silver is always prevalent. He said that SMMEs should refrain from faltering in their business by being lured into the world of using materials from illegal mining or refined scrapped with unknown provenance. He said the jewellery industry commands a high level of trust, governance and compliance but he warned of “bad actors who wittingly contaminate the ecosystem with materials of questionable provenance”. Only responsibly sourced gold and silver is sold at the store and provided in the programme. The refinery complies with the requirements of London Bullion Market Association responsible gold and silver guidelines for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals. https://www.miningweekly.com/article/rand-refinery-cfo-urges-for-greater-localisation-in-jewellery-industry-2023-03-20/rep_id:3650 ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

Nicole McCain - 21 March 2023 Numerous challenges still face the country, the South African Human Rights Commission says. South Africa celebrates Human Rights Day on Tuesday. The day commemorates the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, when almost 70 people were killed in an anti-pass protest As South Africa celebrates Human Rights Day on Tuesday, there are still many challenges that prevent citizens from fully accessing their rights, political players have said. Human Rights Day is celebrated on the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. During a peaceful protest against unjust pass laws, 69 people lost their lives and 180 were wounded when police opened fire. This year's Human Rights Day comes at a time when the country continues to battle several human rights challenges, including the power crisis, according to the South African Human Rights Commission. Other challenges included climate change and natural disasters, gender-based violence, unemployment, lack of service delivery, rampant corruption as well as crime and racial tension, the commission said. "As South Africa commemorates this day, the commission calls on all South Africans to hold fast to their fundamental freedoms in all that we do, and at all times to be reflective that together acting with dignity and respect, we will get through these challenges, and emerge a nation proud of its human rights culture and importantly united in our diversity," the commission said. Human Rights Day presented an opportunity for all South Africans to reflect on the "country's painful and unjust past" and the significance of the transition from apartheid to the democratic dispensation, the commission added. The Commission said: While there are many pressing challenges in our country, including widespread socio-economic pressures which continue to deepen inequalities, we should reflect that human rights should be preserved at all times and that it is most important to uphold human rights equally during times of strife, as well as ease. This is how we defend our hard-won rights. Parliament's presiding officers – National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Amos Masondo – said since the dawn of democracy, peaceful protests by every person or under political formations were guaranteed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. "However, it is the responsibility of those who participate as well as the law enforcement officers to ensure that no one infringes on the rights of others when they exercise theirs," the presiding officers said. "Parliament promotes and supports the right to peaceful protest and demonstration and urges all South Africans, at all times, to act responsibly and ensure that no one's right to safety is violated and intimidated." Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo said that there were "challenges that continue to threaten the progress made as a country". "Chief among these challenges are the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality, a great socio-economic burden that is borne mostly by young people who constitute the majority in this country," they said. In a statement, the ANC said the country celebrated Human Rights Day "in difficult times". "We are aware that living conditions and the provision of basic services have seriously deteriorated for years, with a daily impact on South Africans' lives. Citizens of this country raised challenges in accessing adequate healthcare, electricity, food and housing, and complained of low salaries that make it impossible for people to meet their basic needs," the party said. The party called on South Africans to redress all historical imbalances while advancing socio-economic transformation. The ANC said: It has become increasingly urgent and important for us to intensify our work to restore the relevance, capability and credibility of the ANC so that it continues to be an effective force for transformation. As the ruling party, we will continue to fight towards ensuring that all people enjoy the same fundamental human rights. DA leader John Steenhuisen said that as South Africans commemorated their hard-won human rights, "we must never lose sight of the basic rights of which millions are still deprived". "Until all South Africans have access to three meals a day, until every citizen has access to housing and sanitation, and until all South Africans can live in dignity, we will never truly be free," he said. Action SA said the ruling party "eroded the gains made since the 1994 election" and called on South Africans to oust the ANC at the poll next year. "The people who fought so bravely for our democracy would not be happy with the state of Sharpeville today, with its drug problems and poverty. Neither would they be happy with the state of South Africa, and we have to fight to achieve their dreams for a better South Africa," said Action SA president Herman Mashaba. The EFF said the history of the Sharpeville massacre had been distorted by the ANC, adding that it "feels ashamed for not being part of the historic anti-pass demonstrations". "As a result, the substance of the Sharpeville massacre has been hollowed into a generic Human Rights Day to remove the prominent role of the PAC in sparking the consciousness of our people and the international community against the dompass system," the EFF said. "The EFF reminds the people of South Africa of the brave heroes and heroines who led the anti-pass campaign and reaffirms their role in the history of our liberation. Today, the rights which they fought and died for are yet to be attained in their entirety, as African people are still subjected to the apartheid labour reserves called townships and remain landless." https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/sa-still-battling-human-rights-challenges-sa-human-rights-commission-says-20230321 ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

Schedule 1 defines a ‘Voting Right’ as a Voting Right attaching to an Equity Instrument owned by or held for a participant, measured using the Flow-through Principle or the Control Principle. An ‘Exercisable Voting Right’ is a Voting Right of a Participant that is not subject to any limit. Therefore, an ‘Exercisable Voting Right’ is not a ‘Voting Right’. The difference between the definitions is that ‘Exercisable Voting Rights’ refer to ‘Voting Rights’ that are not subject to any limitations. Technical Compliance Services are available to assist members with understanding these differences.

When an organisation uses a Trust as a Special Purpose Vehicle for the Ownership element, points are awarded based on the Beneficiaries and not the Trustees. Put another way; a B-BBEE Verification does not measure the Trust itself. Still, it qualifies for Ownership points based on who the Beneficiaries are that hold the Rights of Ownership that are in no way limited. Ownership measurement is on ‘Black’ People who have Voting Rights, Economic Interest and Net Value which collectively refer to Rights of Ownership. If the Rights of Ownership is limited in any way, a B-BBEE Rating Agency will not award points. Technical Compliance Services are available to assist members with understanding Ownership claims.

Opinion - Issac Mashaba - 20 March 2023 Demonstrators picket outside the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg, 6 March 2023, as part of the Nehawu strike action. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Whoever said one cannot break what is already broken never considered the current South African government and its deep desire to totally destroy what it has already broken. Over the past three decades, the ruling party planned – and continues to oversee – the collapse and destruction of just about everything. With great fanfare, they keep telling us that this is progress and a sign of a resilient democracy. We all know it isn’t. The government has opted to make us an under-developing country – a title that aptly describes our current status and which fills them with immense pride. This anti-development stance has been the creator of one of our greatest ills: unemployment. That been driven by another great ill: institutionalised corruption. We have become the servants to our so-called political leaders. It is the country’s total lack of true leaders that has, instead, taken us down the road of destruction, doom and gloom. And after so many years in power, the government still blames the evils of apartheid. With infrastructure visibly collapsing around us, our economy limping along with signs of collapse, declining direct foreign investment, and the country facing a national blackout, our government appoints more ministers, at great cost to the rapidly diminishing tax base. Solving this problem is easy: increase taxes and work hard to drive away investors. Our economy is contracting and foreign investors are selling off their SA shares and bonds and fleeing the country in droves. They have become sick of trying to conduct business in a state driven by a failed government. And that is not the fault of apartheid. Corrupt policemen at OR Tambo, despite being caught for numerous offences, are still in their posts. The much-discussed Zondo report has resulted in no high-profile imprisonments. The state-owned chicken producer has spent millions of rands trying to stop whistle-blowers exposing corruption there. This doesn’t say much for our judiciary. The contracting economy, largely as a result of constant power failures and uncontrolled criminality, is taking its toll on the country. But the policy the government has adopted to fix this is “better never than late”. Opposition parties threaten with national shutdowns when they don’t get their way. Daily strikes and protests by healthcare officials, the police and other critical services are escalating. Hospitals are shut down, trashed and patients are dying. Threats to shut down OR Tambo International Airport are ignored. Evidence relating to corruption is stolen – no doubt at a cost. This is not democracy; it is more akin to anarchy with leadership complicity. Despite this chaos, the government still lays blame elsewhere. The policy of forcing business practises to only employ certain people based on colour has contributed to the downward spiral. Let us be very blunt: B-BBEE (broad-based black economic empowerment) has failed – miserably. It has resulted in established companies closing their doors and creating more unemployment. The skills exodus we are experiencing, results from the desire of entrepreneurs to conduct business elsewhere without constant government interference and attempts to take control of the business environment. Anyway, why aren’t black-owned businesses forced to employ people of other races based on quotas? Our government saw fit to dispose of the public sector skills we once had. People who understand public administration and services were replaced by people who have no clue – and many of them have fake degrees, as do some of our ministers and director-generals. This has contributed to the collapse of our public service sector, whose members likewise go on strike when their demands are not met. But leaders such as ours, who have managed to build nothing and who thrive on hate, can only destroy and lead us to becoming an under-developing country. https://www.citizen.co.za/news/opinion/dont-blame-apartheid-for-sa-woes/ ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

Devdicourse News Desk - Staff Writer - 16 March 2023 Cabinet has welcomed today’s State Visit to South Africa by President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the United Republic of Tanzania. Image Credit: Twitter(@PresidencyZA) Cabinet has welcomed an agreement signed between government and Stellantis South Africa to develop a new vehicle manufacturing facility in the country. According to the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Stellantis South Africa has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial Development Corporation and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) to develop a new vehicle manufacturing facility. The manufacturing plant is planned to be set up in a South African Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by 2025. Stellantis is one of the world's leading automakers and a mobility provider. The Minister said it’s storied and iconic brands embody the passion of their visionary founders and today’s customers in their innovative products and services - including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep®, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. The Minister was addressing the media in Pretoria on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting that took place on Wednesday. Cabinet also welcomed the approval by the Competition Tribunal of the international merger between European brewer Heineken and South African alcohol producer Distell Group Holdings. “The merged entity will promote worker ownership by establishing an employee share ownership plan and giving workers board representation,” Ntshavheni said. The merger, which will create the largest cider manufacturer in the country, is subject to a range of public interest conditions that include the promotion of supplier development, maintenance of local procurement, promotion of investment in research and development and increased local manufacturing capacity. South Africa-Tanzania relations Cabinet has welcomed today’s State Visit to South Africa by President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the United Republic of Tanzania. The visit is at the invitation of her counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa. The visit follows the South Africa-Tanzania Ministerial Bi-National Commission (BNC) held in Pretoria on Wednesday. “In addition to its solidarity with South Africa’s liberation struggle, Tanzania is one of the country’s foremost trading partners, with total trade between the two nation’s increasing from R6.89 billion in 2021 to R8.71 billion in 2022. “There are more than 250 South African companies in diverse sectors in Tanzania,” the Minister said. https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/2381573-cabinet-welcomes-development-of-new-vehicle-manufacturing-facility ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

Mzwandile Mamaila - 16 March 2023 CATHSSETA Hospitality students conducting their practical training. Source: CATHSSETA website https://cathsseta.org.za/ SOUTH African SETAs increase skills development and training. This initiative enhances the chances of employability and brings structural transformation and growth to the economy. The lack of skills and training contributes to South Africa’s high poverty and unemployment rate. Fortunately, some initiatives seek to train and equip people who lack practical skills and training, increasing their chances of employability. In March 2000, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) were introduced to assist with developing the skills of unemployed South Africans. SETAs identify a person’s theoretical skills and aim to improve those skills by providing practical training. When participating in a SETA programme, new skills will be taught or enhancement of already existing skills. SETAs provide skills development and training through Learnerships, Skills Programmes, Internships, Apprenticeships, Bursaries, Candidacies, and Adult Education. There are various sectors that SETAs offer training in, such as Agriculture, Hospitality, Business, and Banking. South Africa consists of 21 SETAs funded by the Skills Development Levy (SDL). The SDL is a 1% fee paid by businesses. This fee is subtracted from the total annual salaries paid to employees. The SDL was introduced after the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. This act encouraged the growth of knowledge and competencies in workspaces and aimed to improve productivity and employability. Working coherently with this act is section 11 and 12 of the SDL acts. This section states that companies that fail to pay the SDL on time should be fined, with 10% added interest to their SDL payment. According to CATHSSETA Regional Manager for the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Western Cape Region, Martha Collet, there has been an increase in the demand for SETA training programmes and an uptake in participants in the past few years. Unfortunately, there are not enough funds to cater to every applicant. “We receive our funds from the levies, and we have lost funding from some businesses due to COVID-19,” she stated, highlighting how businesses have stopped paying the SDL due to Covid – 19. Even though employers received a four-month payment holiday, which excused them from paying the SDL from the 1st of May 2020 to the 31st of August 2020, some businesses required an extended holiday. “We are recovering. It’s an industry recovery, so it’s quite normal,” Collet added with hope, believing that all companies will recover from the harm caused by COVID–19 and disputing that some companies intentionally stopped paying the SDL for personal reasons either than COVID-19. It is still questionable whether the fines and added interest to late SDL payers have been charged to businesses who have stopped paying the SDL, as stipulated in sections 11 and 12 of the SDL acts. However, Collet stated that they increased their stakeholder base, highlighting how CATHSSETA has tried to find alternative funding. https://www.cbn.co.za/industry-news/skills-training-development/equipping-south-africans-with-the-necessary-skills-and-training/ ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

Sinazo Alungile Novukela - 16 March 2023 According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics SA for the first quarter of 2022, the graduate unemployment rate was relatively low in South Africa compared with those of other educational levels, while youth unemployment continues to be a burden, irrespective of educational attainment, and seemingly a very dangerous threat to democracy. Photographer: Armand Hough. African News Agency (ANA) The dawn of democracy raised hope for many previously disadvantaged South Africans. It symbolised a chance to rebuild and a new dawn. It also set a chance to try bandage the wounds that had been bleeding under apartheid. However, the status quo we see today is contrary to what was anticipated. People believed that the doors of opportunity were going to open to alleviate the burden of many households that lived below the poverty line. What we see today are huge statistics of youth unemployment – the biggest threat and challenge. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics SA for the first quarter of 2022 showed the graduate unemployment rate was relatively low in South Africa compared with those of other educational levels. But youth unemployment is still a burden, irrespective of educational attainment, and seemingly a very dangerous threat to democracy. Covid-19 made matters worse, weighing the levels of employment opportunities even further down. It is hard for the economy to absorb the youth into job opportunities, but government initiatives such as temporary employment opportunities – education assistants at schools and internships to gain work-related experience – put young graduates in good stead in terms of employment opportunities. These opportunities provide hope and are temporary relief, but when such opportunities conclude, the problems persist. “In order to live like a king, you have to work like a slave!” Due to high inflation, the current food basket price is higher than in the past. Therefore, for many to survive, a “side hustle” is an alternative that will go a long way in bringing in additional income. This will help many households to meet the extra costs that some pay cheque incomes may not cover. We must sell clothes and hair, we must open consultancy businesses and we must wash cars. The “side hustle industry” is widening and becoming more rewarding, especially to the unemployed seeking a way to look after their families. While we take the side hustle notion lightly, imagine how well the country’s economy would grow if more people branched into businesses. This notion concurs with what the president said in his 2022 State of the Nation Address, that the government does not provide jobs; businesses do. A side hustle is not limited to selling, but also to providing a service, extending it even beyond the borders. Over the past few years, young South Africans have discovered ways of using the internet to gain lucrative livelihoods. While some look at crypto-currency and foreign investments, others are carving out their niche in teaching online or becoming social media influencers. Teaching online involves offering tutoring services to learners over the internet, but increasingly, teaching the English language to non-English speakers across the globe at set rates. With the high rate of unemployed graduates, this teaching option is becoming an alternative route, especially with the basic certification being a degree in any field of study and an understanding of the language at a native level, of which South African citizens are regarded as native speakers. A Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate is an added advantage. There is also an increase of social media content creators over TikTok, YouTube and Instagram who get paid to create content as per the viewers’ ratings. Teaching English online to non-English speakers across the world is a form of employment that is challenging and rewarding. Some bold movers have taken the risk of moving to non-native English countries to work as English teachers. This is a move they have to take to relieve themselves and families from poverty issues. Evidently, the rate of young unemployed graduates looking for opportunities to branch out and work in those countries is steadily increasing. It is a viable solution, but it also comes at a cost, considering that some have studied for different careers but are forced by circumstances to ditch their passion in the name of earning a living in foreign countries. Gone are the days when young people would wait on the government to create employment for them. Young people use opportunities to create viable solutions to challenges they face. The struggle faced by the youth in 2023 is different to those the youth faced in the 1970s. These differing scenarios need a different kind of solution. Having detailed the suffering faced by graduates, this raises the question on the advantages of obtaining a qualification as a means of tackling poverty. Getting employed goes far beyond the borders of South Africa. This may look like a solution to financial struggles; but having something meaningful to do will also address other social issues – suicide-related deaths as a result of depression and anxiety emerging from being unemployed. Sinazo Alungile Novukela is a graduate from the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University in Communications and Journalism, respectively. She is an intern in Communications at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. She writes in her personal capacity. https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/opinion/viable-side-hustles-to-beat-youth-unemployment-225f47c2-f08e-4e04-815b-aa3c08655bc4 ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’

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BR Reporter | 16 March 2023 The minimum requirement to get into FNB’s Graduate Programme is an undergraduate degree or an equivalent in any field. Picture: Nadine Hutton/Bloomberg Youth employment and skills development continue to be big challenges in South Africa. In line with the country’s efforts to improve the employment prospects of young people, FNB says it continues to look at sustainable ways to assist youth and young talent in developing the necessary skills that will help them in the future. This year, as part of its annual Graduate Programme, the bank said it will provide 250 youth with work experience in fields such as information technology (IT), commerce, data and analytics, and engineering, etc. Donald Khumalo, FNB Human Capital Executive, says, "We've been running the Graduate Programme for several years, and it continues to play a critical role in nurturing business leaders of the future and producing the skills that South Africa desperately needs. “Our investment in young talent is consistent with our business ethos ‘How can we help you?’ as we recognise that a lack of work experience is often a barrier for young people seeking employment opportunities. Our focus on critical skills further affirms FNB's strategic ambition to build a platform business of the future." The FNB Graduate Programme supports, mentors and affords young people opportunities to contribute through participation in real business projects, innovations and engagements with experts around key initiatives. FNB has trained and supported over 1 000 graduates who are now senior leaders in some of its business units as CEOs, heads of departments, etc. The minimum requirement to get into FNB’s Graduate Programme is an undergraduate degree or an equivalent in any field. Joanna Preston, Head of Young Talent at FNB Human Capital, said, “Since the pandemic, the way we communicate, engage, attract, and select talent for our graduate recruitment has shifted.” “The move to a virtual way of working has given rise to a multitude of innovative ways of communicating and engaging students through interactive online events, digital interviews, assessments, as well as digital onboarding. "Since 2020, graduates have had the opportunity to work on over 20 different solutions, such as customer education in branches, spend classification on the FNB app, structured trade and commodity financing, chatbots, and analytics; this also includes other app-related improvements. “The extraordinary support from the teams in which graduates are placed leads to opportunities to unlock innovation, global competitiveness and social upliftment while creating connections and relationships that contribute to young people's prospects.“ ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/careers/fnb-looks-to-provide-250-jobs-with-graduate-programme-04665896-a99a-40c2-bac8-278238286c15

Ntandoyenkosi Dlamini | 15 March 2023 Ayanda Sikobi will be starting a new role at the K-Line Shipping Company. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Ayanda Sikobi has been facilitating all of eThekwini Maritime Cluster's (EMC') Enterprise and Supply development programmes. The eThekwini Maritime Cluster (EMC) has bid farewell to Ayanda Sikobi who will be starting a new role at the K-Line Shipping Company. Sikobi, a former Marburg Secondary pupil, first joined EMC as an intern back in 2019 applying her trade in the Clusters Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programme. eThekwini Maritime Cluster Managing Director, Zenzile Gwamanda, said being a beneficiary of the Training and Skills Development’s Graduate placement programme, Sikobi is a testimony and a success story for the EMC brand. She said Sikobi has been facilitating all of EMC’s Enterprise and Supply development programmes. “She graduated with a Bcom Honors majoring in Economics from Westville University. She co-authored an article with Massachusetts Professor Portia Ndlovu in Maritime Awareness. She was an Assistant Research for Professor Mickey Chasomeris of the University of KwaZulu-Natal GSB. In 2021, she completed her MSc in Maritime Affairs, majoring in Shipping Management and Logistics at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmo-Sweden, a postgraduate Maritime university founded by the International Maritime Organization, a specialised agency of the United Nations. A 14 months scholarship programme sponsored by the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA),” she said, adding that looking after the ESD portfolio, Ayanda excelled in her duties prompting the trust and belief of the management. Gwamanda said among the things Sikobi achieved while with the eThekwini Maritime Cluster included an Aquaculture entry level certificate (Gariep), Aquaculture Specialist certificate attained in Egypt; Speaker for the Xiamen (China) Nice-Durban Dialogue: Mutual Learning Among Maritime Civilisations For A Shared Future; Masters in Maritime studies from the World Maritime University. “I wish her a bright future ahead. While I hope our paths cross in the future, I wish her all the luck and prosperity in the world even if that does not happen. May you only meet good people and make the best memories. This is what EMC is all about. From the grassroots level to being an industry expert. The eThekwini Maritime Cluster has taken a mandate to contribute to the fight against youth unemployment by introducing programmes like the graduate placement programme. We’ve had many of these success stories and we want to continue and achieve greater than we have,” she said. She added: “My experience would tell me not everyone would be an entrepreneur or have their own businesses. Fortunately, at EMC we implement programmes focusing on all levels for the benefit of every individual in our society. The Graduate Placement programme will continue with the work done, placing graduates within the Maritime industry for work exposure, experience, and retained by the industry for continued growth,” said Gwamanda. Gwamanda said although Sikobi’s departure saddens them, she will be sadly missed, adding that everyone at EMC is happy for her because she has more promising possibilities ahead of her. “The EMC team wishes her the best of luck at her new job,” she said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://southcoastherald.co.za/491512/maritime-career-for-local-woman/