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Nokulunga Mkize | 10 March 2023 Durban — KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza said she was concerned about the lack of youth employment and revealed that the department plans to prioritise this issue. Speaking at the Esicabazini Youth Development Academy during a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, she said youth employment, capacity building and uniting young people to talk about life challenges was going to make a significant change in their lives. She called for young people to make the most of every opportunity that they get to improve themselves. “We provide different skills to these young people. We pride ourselves that they are better equipped to play an active role in building the economy of this province,” said Khoza. She said the Department of Social Development remained the first point of contact that offered assistance to the youth through the rolling out of innovative skills development programmes. “Our academies give youth access to the worldwide web so they can get access to knowledge to better their lives. “We have these young people coming from different backgrounds, including child-headed households; diversion programmes; rehabilitation centres; youth with disabilities; youth recruited through Operation Sukuma Sakhe programmes; and in general, vulnerable youth,” said Khoza. She said about 109 graduates, women and men, had been equipped with different skills, including entrepreneurship, plumbing, electrical, community house construction and computers; some have learnt to become assistant chefs. Plus, they all come out with Code 4 driver’s licences. She added that the department had rolled out training programmes to these graduates to the tune of R5 million, which included training, accommodation, meals, uniforms and the purchase of start-up kits. Board Member of the National Youth Development Agency, Thulisa Ndlela, said they were happy these young people had been “rescued and given skills to cushion them from poverty”. Chairperson of Committees, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, said they were pleased that the department had this programme for youth. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/plan-to-prioritise-jobs-for-kwazulu-natals-youth-340f54b4-2568-4add-83a9-39d6f78aa451

Sibahle Malinga | 8 March 2023 South African organisations are falling into the continuous trap of recycling ICT skills – an error that is worsening the ICT skills dearth and strangling the country’s digital economy. This is one of the key findings of software giant SAP Africa’s report, titled “Africa’s Tech Skills Scarcity Revealed”, released during a media briefing this morning at SAP’s Johannesburg offices. The study, conducted by research firm Vanson Bourne, unravels the challenges and opportunities for African organisations seeking greater fourth industrial revolution (4IR) skills availability. It is based on a survey of enterprise and mid-market companies across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. According to the report, there has been no improvement in SA’s chronic shortage of all types of ICT skills across almost all sectors. In fact, the ICT skills gap continues to widen, hindering the continent's digital transformation efforts, it reveals. The most in-demand skills are those associated with the current set of emerging technologies, cyber security, data analytics, application development, software developer, project management, digital transformation, cloud integration and change management. Revealing the findings, Cathy Smith, MD of SAP Africa, said there is an urgent need for organisations to invest in skills development and training programmes, to ensure Africa can capitalise on job creation. While the contributing factors differ for each region, the key skills gap culprit in SA is the “recycling” of ICT skills, instead of companies investing in skills development initiatives and upskilling employees and youth, she added. The recycling of ICT skills in this context, she explained, refers to the vicious cycle of firms hiring and rehiring when existing staff leave the company – instead of grooming new talent and investing in skills development programmes that seek to retain workers. “African organisations still face some difficulties with attracting, retaining and upskilling suitably skilled tech workers. SA’s biggest problem is retaining skilled workers,” said Smith. “This often results in companies recycling skills – where we see many professionals job-hopping within the same local vendors – and the firm capable of paying the most salary is able to retain the employee. This results in human resources becoming very expensive in SA because of the huge demand, and many ICT professionals start thinking they are the crown jewels.” This has resulted in a fierce war for skills within the country’s tech sector, which is the worst affected, according to Smith. The report notes that only 53% of Kenyan organisations expect to experience a skills gap in the next year, compared to 80% of Nigerian companies and 73% of South African firms. Surveyed South African organisations placed greater emphasis on digital transformation skills, with 70% of South African companies saying these are in-demand skills, compared to only 33% of organisations in Kenya and Nigeria. Change management skills − deemed essential to successful digital transformation − were not highly prioritised among surveyed companies, revealing an opportunity for smarter investment in specific skills to improve the outcomes of these initiatives. Only 18% of companies cited change management as an in-demand skill. "Studies have shown that fewer than a third of digital transformation projects succeed, partly due to the fact that only 34% of change management projects are clear successes," added Smith. "For a continent that is rapidly transforming through the accelerated adoption of digital technologies, ensuring effective change management could greatly improve outcomes and equip organisations with new capabilities to drive growth and innovation." More than half of the world's population growth between now and 2050 will take place in Africa, where 1.3 billion people are expected to be born by mid-century. With the correct investment in skills development, Africa's economy could transition away from its reliance on natural resources, to build the world's future tech workforce, bringing untold economic and social benefit to the continent and its citizens, noted Smith. The report further found the skills shortage crisis has negative consequences for the continent's 4IR efforts, hampering companies’ digital transformation initiatives. Four in five organisations surveyed reported some negative effect from a lack of tech skills, with 41% saying employees are leaving due to the pressures they experience as a result of under-staffing. Other consequences include not being able to meet clients’ needs (reported by 46%), reduced capacity for innovation (53%) and losing customers to competitors (60%). More than two-thirds (69%) of all surveyed organisations expect to experience a tech skill-related challenge in 2023. According to the data, the limited ability to attract skilled new recruits is the top skills challenge for African organisations. However, organisations are taking steps to ensure they have access to the correct tech skills, with 41% saying upskilling of existing employees would be a top priority in 2023 and 40% saying the same about reskilling employees. "Companies are also adopting technology tools and flexible work practices to ensure they can attract, retain and mobilise the correct mix of tech skills," asserted Smith. "Seven in 10 organisations currently use a human capital management or employee experience tool, while nearly half (45%) of companies were open to remote work, although most want employees to be in the office at least some of the time. “This new workplace dynamic will require leaders to co-create new models for work, with constant collaboration with employees to ensure alignment with company objectives and culture." ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’ https://www.itweb.co.za/content/Gb3BwMWagB9v2k6V

Motor News Reporter | 8 March 2023 Dealer group chair says racial transformation is moving at a slow pace at SA dealerships. Picture: SUPPLIED The pace of transformation within vehicle dealerships remains woefully slow, and urgent action is needed if the automotive industry is to achieve true transformation, warns Mpho Dipela, chair and shareholder of the Legacy Motor Group (LMG). “A lack of diversity and representation in dealerships has become an increasingly pressing issue within the automotive industry. There are still only a few major black dealer principals within this space rather than achieving broad-based transformation and empowerment, and there is a particular lack of black and female employees at the middle to senior management level,” he says. “Given the importance of the sector as an economic driver and job creator, industry stakeholders and particularly manufacturers urgently need to increase focus on skills development, job creation and ownership throughout supply chains,” continues Dipela. Demonstrating the significance of the sector, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa) notes the automotive industry currently accounts for about 4.3% of SA’s GDP, 17.3% of the country’s total manufacturing output and represents the fifth-largest export sector. Dipela argues, however, that original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) social investment efforts have largely focused on manufacturing, rather than taking a holistic approach to supply chains. “The barriers to entry for smaller black businessmen to secure partnership agreements with OEMs, and take ownership of dealerships is extremely high, and OEMs have also tended to favour a few larger players rather than consider smaller players,” he notes. “Likewise, while the investments made by OEMs in skills and development programs has yielded numerous benefits for employees entering the industry and working within manufacturing, there has not been a sufficient level of change at the management tier within the dealer network,” he emphasises. To address this imbalance, OEMs must re-examine programmes supporting the development and promotion of black individuals within middle to senior management levels at dealership level. This will not only promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, but also strengthen the industry by bringing in new perspectives and ideas, and stimulating broad-based empowerment, notes Dipela. “By investing in these programmes, and supporting small players seeking to own successful dealerships, OEMs can help to create a more inclusive and diverse supply chain, while also contributing to the overall growth and economic impact of the industry.” He adds that OEM dealer principal programmes provide valuable opportunities for individuals to expand their knowledge, skills, and networks. “It is important that we continue to see and support initiatives like these in order to promote greater equality, and maximise the socioeconomic impact of the industry. Majority black-owned companies have already proven themselves as economic powerhouses, producing and selling high-quality vehicles to the local and international markets, and demonstrating their acumen within the industry, according to Dipela. “At LMG, we have seen the impact that empowerment and creating new income opportunities can have on communities and households, which is why we hold the values of diversity and inclusion in the highest regard. “We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for all of our employees, customers, and partners. And we hope to see more industry stakeholders and OEMs invest in the same, so that we can be a truly progressive industry in every way.” Asked for comment on Dipela's concerns, chairperson of the National Automotive Dealer’s Association (Nada) Mark Dommisse says: “As an association, Nada is unable to enforce and implement transformation, diversity and inclusion processes with its membership, as each business has its own objectives and strategy it follows. “Having said that, we are committed to assisting members in their transformation endeavours and have a transformation, diversity and inclusion subcommittee in place to do this.” “It may not always look like it’s developing as fast as it should, but it is thriving in the pipeline of sales managers, workshop and parts managers, accountants and back-office staff who are future shareholders of listed entities, owners of non-listed groups, and already displaying an inherent shift in the industry towards a bright and equitable future,” said Dommisse. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/life/motoring/2023-03-08-lack-of-transformation-needs-urgent-action-at-car-dealerships/

Katie Mohamed | 8 March 2023 Women empowerment platforms like W-Suite drive key dialogues around gender inequality and how equal opportunities engender empowerment. However, this is not entirely accurate. Equal opportunities are not enough. We all start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action. A focus on gender equity, with the goal of equality, needs to be part of every society’s DNA. Ultimately, one size does not fit all, so how do we shift the gender conversation from one of “equality” or “equal rights” to one of “equity”? This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Embrace Equity”. Whereby equality means providing the same to all, equity recognises that each person has different circumstances, allocating tailored resources and opportunity to individuals in order to achieve an equal outcome. If equality is the goal, then equity is our means of getting there. So how far are we from an equitable culture? In theory, many countries would consider themselves to have cultures of equality - whereby opportunities are both legally and societally indiscriminate on the basis of gender. The South African Constitution has been globally praised for championing equality in all matters of potential discrimination. However, while the outcome intended may be one of equality, the implementation of “equal rights” legislature is misleading in presuming that such (albeit good-intentioned) doctrine would manifest such an outcome. Equity, however, is far more intricate than a piece of legislation. It requires independent and individual action in order to progress forward. Which is why, this International Women’s Day, it is important to engage in impactful conversations around equity. It is vital that we, regardless of gender, open ourselves up to having these dialogues and understand that most often equality is an outcome and not an action. We need to raise awareness around what constitutes equity in the professional space, and particularly in position of power. For example, if there is a 50/50 gender split on the board of a powerful international corporate, can that corporate claim that it practises gender equity? Gender equality definitely, but can this hypothetical company attest that each of its board members had the same path towards their position? Are they all equally talented? Are they all from the same backgrounds? Are they all equally resourced? How many of them are in their position due to wealth, privilege or nepotism? When we provoke conversation around equity, it gives us the insight to review such situations and dig into what we can do to change the existing gender paradigms in businesses, many of which are unknowingly running under the guise of being enterprises of equality. And of course, the concept of equity is not limited to business, but is executable in all facets of society. If you truly believe in an inclusive world, then you will truly believe in the need for society to understand the difference between equity and equality. Who we are today is a completion of all the unique experiences we have encountered throughout our lives. To be authentic women leaders, we need to enthusiastically embrace these experiences and how they have defined us. And in doing so, we need to realise that every other woman we meet has had different, unique experiences that have defined their journey. Perhaps embracing equity starts with embracing something else - the concept of “sonder” - defined as the profound feeling that everyone, whether you know them or not, is living a life as complex as your own. Once we understand that the fundamental uniqueness of everyone’s life journey nullifies any concept of equality, then only can we begin to embrace equity. “Equality is giving everyone a shoe; equity is giving everyone a shoe that fits.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/820/236673.html

Creamer Media Reporter | 8 March 2023 Africa Automation and Technology Fair and Infosecurity Africa celebrate International Women’s Month The month of March marks International Women’s Month, with International Women’s Day celebrated on 8 March. Adopted by the United Nations[1], this year’s theme of ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ recognises the gap in technology access for women across the globe and seeks to celebrate progress while highlighting fairness for women in all facets of life. There are more women in South Africa than men[2], yet men still largely dominate certain fields such as working in manufacturing and infosecurity. Fortunately, many women are breaking through gender roles and old perceptions, leading the way and inspiring other women to do the same. South Africa’s B-BBEE laws promote the inclusion of women[3] and while there is still more work to be done to see better results across the country, it is positive that South African laws support better inclusion. An estimated 98% of businesses in South Africa are SMMEs, but according to Stats SA, 47% of women living here are economically inactive.[4] To improve this misaligned narrative, women need to be empowered and given access to information and upliftment, such as networking opportunities that can help to encourage professional growth. Upcoming events that seek to offer these opportunities are the 12th Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF), co-located with the inaugural Infosecurity Africa, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, running from 9-11 May 2023. Infosecurity Africa, the African edition under leading global cybersecurity and information security events group, will cover the latest trends, threats, and cybercrime prevention tactics. The AATF’s theme this year is ‘For Africa from Africa’ and will comprise all things automation and technology. The exhibitions will drive industry development and bring together the leading entrepreneurs, small businesses and public and private stakeholders in automation, technology, infosecurity and manufacturing to one venue. “It’s an opportunity to get inspired and to see an array of individuals and businesses working in these industries. Supporting women who are doing great work among them is very important to us,” says Carol Weaving, Managing Director at RX Africa, the award-winning organisers behind these exhibitions. “Women have been underrepresented in the workforce generally, but that trend is shifting and in exciting ways as women make strides in fields like automation and cybersecurity. At RX Africa, we believe in creating dedicated event spaces that make it easy to discover the latest trends and growth opportunities, and to meet the right suppliers or new business partners in these featured industries.” Visitors can look forward to hearing from the Women Economic Assembly (WECONA) at a networking breakfast on 11 May during the AATF[5]. WECONA has united industry associations and companies in industry-wide support towards reaching gender transformation targets. “Tackling inequality in the key sectors of our economy through the WECONA initiative has encouraged many women to strive towards professional growth, which inspires other women to do the same. We want to keep building on this progress and our vision to bolster the participation of women-owned enterprises in our economy,” says Futhi Mtoba Co-Chair of the Women Economic Assembly. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/empowering-south-africas-women-working-in-automation-manufacturing-and-infosecurity-2023-03-08/rep_id:4136

Terence Corrigan | 7 March 2023 Comments made en passant – which is a pretentious way of saying ‘in passing’ or ‘as an aside’ – can sometimes be very revealing. This occurred to me while looking up an episode of SAFM Sunrise from early November last year. Discussing race-based empowerment policy – Black Economic Empowerment, BEE – prominent journalist said that he couldn’t see an alternative to current policy, unless the country ‘magically’ achieved a 5% growth rate. By implication, he thought BEE would be necessary to distribute the very scarce economic rewards in South Africa’s economy in the absence of the rapid expansion of those rewards: apportioning for a few when there’s not enough for all. Expanding the pool of those rewards would be a feat of ‘magic’. It’s an interesting choice of words. Magic suggests the manipulation of reality to the will of arcane forces. It is the intrusion of powers from realms and planes not bound by the laws of nature and in defiance of science. It’s the stuff of fable, mythology and the supernatural. Probably more than anything else, magic is an avatar for the unattainable. To the extent that we may even acknowledge its existence – and I’d be willing to presume that Grootes does not – we see it as something beyond ordinary observation and control. Unknown and unknowable, it is the province of witches and warlocks and superannuated sages standing apart from the pedestrian existence in which most of us move. Economic growth So, what does this imply about the very this-worldly-significant matter of economic growth? To apply Grootes’s metaphor, it is unattainable. More than that, achieving it would demand an esoteric cognition denied to ordinary mortals. And if growth is the stuff of magic, it would follow that South Africa’s current trajectory – its miserly GDP growth rate of 1% or 2% a year (the optical illusion of post-Covid recovery aside) – would be the natural order of things. It is a matter to be accepted and accommodated, inter alia, through policies like BEE. Getting growth going would not in fact require magic. It should not even be especially difficult. That’s at least a start. Last year, Rashad Cassim of the South African Reserve Bank put it to reporters thus: ‘Going from a 1% economy to 3% isn’t rocket science.’ That’s correct. Provided (very) basic conditions are in place. From the point of view of the state, we need something colloquially termed ‘good enough governance’, that is, enough competence to guard against the state becoming a hindrance, and to provide a couple of enablers. A stable (enough) supply of water and power would be one. Keeping crime to a manageable level. Businesses will find a way to do their thing. No incantations necessary. Getting beyond that 3% mark is the tough part, and the necessary one. To quote Cassim again: ‘Unfortunately, 3% gets the economy going, but it will not bring the unemployment down. To get unemployment down, we really need systematic 5% growth every year and that’s a different debate.’ But a growth rate of 5% would not in fact be a feat of magic; indeed, it is a necessity to make inroads into South Africa’s unemployment crisis. Between 2004 and 2007, growth went from 4.6% to 5.4%, a short but illustrative burst of success. Of course, this was spurred in no small measure by a demand for commodities, but the principle holds: where opportunities exist, and where a robust business community is in a position to seize them – both points raising questions about the role of the state to mediate those opportunities and support business – economic activities can expand, with corresponding growth in the demand for labour. Incidentally, it was the National Development Plan, not the Grand Grimoire, that envisaged 5.4% growth over a sustained period. Nevertheless, the failure to get anywhere near this goal might well make it seem unattainable. This is effectively what Grootes was saying. And it should be said that he is no outlier in holding this perspective. With South Africa having experienced well over a decade of lousy economic performance, the idea of ramping up economic expansion must seem like something magical. It’s also more or less the assumption underlying how the ruling party and the government (the greater part of the country’s political elite in other words) approach South Africa’s political economy. Divvying up the rewards Unable to encourage growth, and probably increasingly uninterested in doing so, the government’s focus has become firmly set on divvying up the rewards. What has developed is an apparatus of extraction – intermediaries, fixers, sinecured appointees, 30-percenters, and the like. They represent a common feature of politicised economies, those who have turned political power into pecuniary advantage. This has attached itself to the productive economy, the activities that produce, sell, and distribute things. It is in the latter, the productive economy, that economic growth should be generated; but that is subject to the limits imposed by the former, the extractive system. This is a large part of the reason the country is now faced with the catastrophic failure of its electricity supply, why swathes of local government are governance basket cases, why South African English gifted the language the word ‘tenderpreneur’. South Africa is not an attractive place to do business; that the business community endures is a testimony to its resilience. But resilience is a virtue that ideally should not be required. It’s in this context that the more important question about BEE should be asked. Not whether there is an ‘alternative’, but whether we can afford the system we have. If growth of the order of 5% is an objective, a more productive line of inquiry is whether BEE furthers that goal. If not, it is difficult to justify its existence. BEE is typically described as a means of economic inclusivity, for bringing black people into the economy – which will have the direct and intended effect of expanding the economy as a whole. It’s a policy that seeks to be judged by its intention, and this is often how it is judged. It is interesting that its record is seldom scrutinised. Multiplicity of crises This may partly be because it’s not an easy thing to study. South Africa’s economy is labouring under a multiplicity of crises, of which racial ‘empowerment’ policy may be a factor. With or without such a policy, we’d probably still be in trouble. But the very fact that the country’s economy has signally failed to approach its growth objectives would be reason enough to reflect on those policies intended to help it on its way. Yet it seems indisputable that the policy has imposed costs on the economy. Where premiums are paid to ensure the appropriate racial provenance of goods and services, this is inherent in the policy. From time to time, this problem is voiced by prominent people within the state. In widely-reported comments at an event in 2012, Minister Gwede Mantashe called on ‘BEE firms’ to quit seeing the state as their cash cows and to stop demanding inflated prices and providing substandard products. (There’s probably some irony in this…) A more serious problem has been the use of BEE as a tool for extraction. BEE has been a great justification for passing resources to those with appropriate political pedigrees. This has come to be an effective tax on the country and a malign influence on its institutions. Warnings about this were issued back in 2007. As one study – by Daron Acemoglu, Stephen Gelb, and James Robinson – commented: ‘In discussing the benefits of BEE we included the social benefit of the avoidance of populism and noted that individual firms could not benefit from the whole extent to which they helped to provide a social benefit. In addition to social benefits however, there may be social costs of BEE. A clear one is that [Narrowly-Based] BEE via the forging of links between firms and politically connected people may lead to rent-seeking and the introduction of regulations and policies that favour existing incumbents. This can reduce market competition and innovation and it can also distort government policy. This may appear as benefits on firms’ balance sheets because it increases profits, but it is obviously a cost for society and likely reduces economic growth.’ These themes were revisited at the Zondo Commission, which pointed to the manner in which the policy has been used and abused to undermine the common interests of the country. It was clear: ‘Ultimately in the view of the Commission the primary national interest is best served when the government derives the maximum value-for-money in the procurement process and procurement officials should be so advised.’ This brings to mind another remark by Grootes in his broadcast, that the ‘vast majority’ of people benefit from BEE. It’s not apparent how this could be supported, though it certainly contradicts to a substantial degree polling evidence. In fact, IRR polling in 2015 and 2016 asked respondents directly whether they had personally benefited from a BEE deal. Some 14% said they had benefited from an ownership deal, and no more than 12% from a BEE-influenced tender deal. Hardly a majority by any definition. Business think tank SBP found in its enquiries around small business growth that very few small entrepreneurs – this included black people – felt that they had gained much from the policy. It was in fact an encumbrance on their businesses. Rhetoric aside, it offered very little to small businesses. William Gumede, Associate Professor in the Public and Development Management Department at the Graduate School of Business Administration at Wits University, has argued that BEE deals had transferred some R1 trillion. But this, he said, had been to the benefit of ‘a handful of politically connected politicians, trade unionists, and public servants.’ Far from expanding the economy, this ‘had crowded out genuine black entrepreneurs and killed the development of a mass entrepreneurial spirit in black society.’ In this view, the policy is not only failing to help, but is positively damaging to the country, its people and its prospects. It contributes to putting that 5% growth rate out of reach. There is nothing magical about this, merely the logical outcome of policy choices and their implementation. Perhaps the only magic being cast around this issue is the dogged faith that BEE is sacrosanct and cannot be abandoned or even substantively reformed. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’ https://www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/blinded-by-bee

Bizcommunity | 7 March 2023 Talent management, technology, Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) and Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) are some of the important procurement topics that will be under the spotlight at the third Women in Procurement (WIP) Conference, which takes place on 23 March 2023 at Times Square in Pretoria. The procurement industry is in a transition phase, presenting both challenges and exciting opportunities. "Skilled procurement personnel are vital to ensuring that procurement is efficient and optimised – and there are many opportunities for women to grow and thrive in this industry," says the WIP conference convenor and organiser Masego Khutsoane. "The WIP conference is a necessity: not just for women, but for society as a whole. Gender parity in the workplace is crucial to ensuring that the imbalances of society and positions of influence are addressed. This event is a step towards addressing this." Procurement is a key driver of development and an enabler of service delivery. The government is the single largest buyer in the country, spending more than R500bn on goods, services and construction works a year through more than 1,000 procuring entities. The one-day WIP conference will address how women in the procurement space can accelerate their journey to value, by better-harnessing networks, intelligence and the experience of those at the forefront. "Our speakers’ journeys, thoughts and learnings will deploy delegates towards success, understanding and intentionality in their careers," she explains. Khutsoane is also the founder and CEO of Procurementor, a company that equips institutions and individuals with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to increase organisational effectiveness. The WIP conference aims to: • Introduce a targeted mentorship and coaching programme for procurement professionals; • Increase awareness of opportunities for women empowerment and funding; • Expand networks to enable collaboration with other experts; and, • Provide a platform for women in procurement to network and collaborate on various business opportunities. The draft programme includes: • Keynote address: Mpho Matsitse - Head of industry and value advisory: SAP Africa • Fireside Chat: MJ Schoemaker (Sapics president) and Allison Anthony (senior lecturer of public procurement law: Unisa) • Master Class: Dawn Smith – head of training: Caliba Group • Pressures in procurement: Mmatshepo Rasebopye - director for supply chain management; Gauteng Provincial Government "The WIP Conference is committed to pursuing gender quality and promoting women’s voices, access to opportunities and leadership in procurement," concludes Khutsoane. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/389/235890.html

Pamela Stein & Jamie Jacobs | 7 March 2023 Image source: lightfieldstudios – 123RF.com The term "gender empowerment" was developed to describe the process of increasing the power and influence of women in society, while recognising the importance of including men and non-binary individuals in the process. People from marginalised genders, including women, non-binary individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community often face significant challenges in their professional lives. Women make up a large portion of the working-age population - exceeding that of the male population. Despite this, women and people from marginalised genders remain underrepresented in positions of authority and power. This disparity continues to be of great concern as women and non-binary individuals have a significant contribution to make to the economy. A report published in October 2022 by Statistics South Africa titled Gender Series Volume IX: Women Empowerment, 2017–2022, highlights the fact that women in South Africa still face big challenges, and empowerment remains a critical issue across all sectors in South Africa. Challenges The various challenges that women and non-binary individuals face in the workplace include discrimination based on their gender identity, which can take the form of prejudice, harassment, or unequal treatment. Pay disparity has also recently been highlighted as a major concern in this regard and it is compounded by unequal opportunities in the workplace. People from marginalised genders are at a higher risk of violence and abuse, including sexual violence, domestic violence, and hate crimes. This can have significant physical, psychological, and emotional effects, and impacts on their ability to perform in the workplace. According to the StatsSA report, women are more likely to be unemployed than men and are less likely to participate in the labour market. This data confirms that, despite the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (EEA) being in operation for more than 20 years, its primary objective of gender (and racial) equality in the workplace has a long way to go. Employment equity legislation The EEA imposes affirmative action obligations on employers which are aimed at promoting gender equality and eliminating gender-based discrimination in the workplace. Designated employers have a legal obligation to set employment equity targets, which include proportionate representation of women at all levels of the workplace. Job requirements must be continually assessed and elements that may discriminate against women and non-binary individuals must be removed. Employment policies or practices cannot discriminate against marginalised gender groups. Given the historical background and socioeconomic landscape of South Africa today, it is not surprising that gender discrimination is often coupled with racial discrimination. To address this, employers should implement affirmative action measures that are based on multiple intersecting grounds, so that people from marginalised genders who are the least represented in the workplace, and who face both gender and racial discrimination, can participate meaningfully in the workplace. Ensuring safe working environment Goal 5 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals promotes the attainment of gender equality in all spheres of life, including the workplace. Goal 8 calls for sustainable and inclusive economic growth through the provision of decent work to all individuals. In general, work is considered decent when: it pays a fair wage and it guarantees a secure form of employment and safe working conditions. Employers have a responsibility to address gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the workplace in terms of the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace, 2022. This involves creating a workplace culture that promotes respect and dignity for all employees and providing training and resources to help employees understand what constitutes gender-based harassment and sexual harassment. Employers should also have clear policies and procedures in place for reporting incidents where such harassment occurs and should take prompt and appropriate action to address any incidents that are reported. This code of good practice also touches on the role employers can play in assisting employees dealing with domestic violence (a social ill that disproportionately affects women and non-binary individuals) through referrals to counselling networks and the possible provision of additional unpaid leave, among other measures. This demonstrates the drive towards promoting workplaces in which employers are alive to the obstacles people from marginalised genders face in society and the impact these have on their performance in the workplace. Financial equality Employers must promote an inclusive and supportive working environment to advance gender empowerment in the workplace. This can be done through policies which are effective in prohibiting gender-based harassment and sexual harassment, and through the promotion of equal pay for equal work. Differentiation in pay on the basis of gender is prohibited under section 6(1) of the EEA and employers are obliged to ensure at all times that they remunerate employees equally where such employees work is the same or substantially the same, or equal value is performed. The provisions of the Code of Good Practice on Equal Pay/ Remuneration for Work of Equal Value, 2015 defines work of equal value as work that is the same, similar, or comparable in terms of skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions. It requires employers to conduct a job evaluation to determine the relative worth of different jobs, and to ensure that employees are paid fairly based on the results of that evaluation. The code also sets out specific steps that employers should take to address any disparities in pay that are identified, including providing training and education to employees, negotiating with unions, and adjusting pay levels as necessary. Flexible working arrangements such as work-from-home policies, hybrid working arrangements, and part-time work can help women and non-binary individuals to balance their work and home responsibilities. Employers should promote gender equality by creating a workplace culture that values and respects differences. This can be achieved through initiatives such as diversity and inclusion training and mentorship programmes. Consequences Employers should take heed of the need to empower women not only because it is morally the right thing to do, but also because should an employer fall foul of any of the provisions of the EEA, they may be subject to fines and/or imprisonment depending on the infringement. Reputational damages arising from non-compliance is also a considerable risk. In January 2023, the chief director for statutory and advocacy services of the Department of Employment and Labour announced that JSE-listed companies would be inspected during the first quarter of this year to monitor their compliance with the EEA, with this year marking the five-year anniversary for the approval of their affirmative action plans. The chief director warned that the minimum penalty that could be imposed on a non-compliant company is an amount which is the greater of R1.5m or 2% of the employer's turnover. This announcement is timely given the effective date of the Employment Equity Amendment Bill being September 2023. The Bill introduces measures to accelerate transformation in the workplace. Gender empowerment in the workplace is a critical issue in South Africa, and employers play a crucial role in its advancement. By taking steps to comply with the affirmative action imperatives set out in the EEA and the codes of good practice, creating an inclusive and supportive working environment, promoting equal pay, providing opportunities for professional development, and addressing gender-based and sexual harassment, employers can help to break down the barriers that prevent women and non-binary individuals from achieving socio-economic empowerment and advancement. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/820/236597.html

Creamer Media Reporter | 7 March 2023 The future is bright for two small businesses from Postmasburg, after 40 of their employees received technical skills training that will significantly enhance their ability execute complex Anglo American projects that they are contracted to and improve their prospects to ultimately acquire new business within and outside the mining industry. The two businesses currently perform construction and civil works at the Kapstevel South Project, a new pit and infrastructure development project at Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela operations. Their newly-certified workforces will improve their prospects of securing further work and attract talent, while the individuals themselves are now better placed to further their careers in the construction industry. The training was part of a pilot project by Anglo American’s enterprise development arm, Zimele, in collaboration with Kumba Iron Ore’s Kapstevel South Project team and Tjeka, a private Further Education and Training institution, to build skills and capacity in local businesses. Anglo American Zimele is about creating sustainability in business. It is focused on building sustainable livelihoods in Anglo American’s host communities and on strengthening relationships to create synergies within Anglo American and with broader mining industry partners. The 40 individuals were trained in the areas of manhole construction, painting, paving, and plumbing, for which they have now received NQF 2 (manhole construction and plumbing) and NQF 3 (paving and painting) certifications. Lesiba Malema, owner of Smart Valve, had 11 employees participating in the programme. “The value in the training for us was that it integrated painting, paving with plumbing, which is Smart Valve’s area of specialisation,” said Malema, who participated in the training as a plumber. An earlier training project with Tjeka saw managers, supervisors and key technical staff for suppliers get the skills they needed to deal with complex technical issues related to their construction projects. “By giving local people skills, we’re ensuring that our operations in the area directly contribute to the growth and sustainability of the community,” said Janus van Zyl, Assistant Project Manager for the Kapstevel South Project. Anglo American Zimele’s focus is on building sustainable livelihoods in the company’s host communities. It also offers a loan funding programme and helps create market linkages for enterprises participating in its enterprise, supplier and youth development programmes. It helped facilitate around R2.8 billion worth of contracts and purchase orders in 2022 alone, bringing the total since 2018 to R6.11 billion to SMMEs from around Anglo American’s host communities in Limpopo, North West and Northern Cape. Zimele’s technical enablement programme runs alongside its three main coaching and mentorship programmes: Enterprise development, through greater mentorship and by increasing the pace of economic development around Anglo American’s operations; Supplier development, by leveraging Anglo American’s existing inclusive procurement spend and by helping host community suppliers access new markets; and Youth development, through training for relevant skills that make economic opportunities more accessible for young people in host communities. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/local-businesses-set-to-soar-after-employee-upskilling-programme-2023-03-07/rep_id:4136

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Tania Govender | 6 March 2023 This year has seen South Africans suffer with load shedding every day so far, with no end in sight for the foreseeable future. The economic impact is undeniable – many Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) have been left unable to cope with the frequent and unpredictable power outages. Downtime, disruption to business, damage to equipment from power surges, and an increase in crime are just a few of the impacts being felt. Businesses are looking at all available avenues to optimise their expenses to curb rapidly rising costs. As labour is typically a business’ biggest operating cost, job losses loom as companies look to downsize or reduce operating times. Surviving this trying time will require innovative and flexible staffing solutions, and a Temporary Employment Services (TES) provider may be perfectly positioned to be of assistance. Handling the crisis The economic impact of load shedding is massive. Energy minister Gwede Mantashe has said: “It is estimated that load shedding costs the economy about R1 billion a day.” Production costs increase, which means that the cost of products increases and these costs are then passed on to consumers, which can in turn impact sales. With no immediate relief on the horizon, and with many SMMEs unable to afford alternative power solutions, other avenues need to be explored. This often takes the form of reduced shifts or reduced staff numbers to minimise fixed overhead costs. However, it can be resource-intensive to effectively manage the scaling up and down of a workforce in this manner. If it is not done correctly, and in line with labour laws and guidelines as well as in consultation with affected communities, the impact on business can be detrimental. Job losses are a real possibility, however, TES providers can step in and help to mitigate this risk with more flexible employment solutions. The value of TES In light of these challenges, it has become essential for companies to find solutions that can help provide some financial relief. One area that can be of significant benefit is introducing flexibility in staffing supply, which allows businesses to pay only for staff supplied as and when their services are needed. This can help businesses to cope with unpredictable load shedding schedules. Furthermore, it is the added value that a TES solution can offer that sets it apart. In addition to flexible staffing, a TES provider also covers multiple other services that businesses typically pay separate service providers for, which multiplies both cost and management complexity. A packaged staffing solution can save a lot of money as well as administrative headaches and can make business simpler and more cost-efficient to run. This will include full, detailed recruitment of temporary workers, including screening and verification, so the business will not have to expend time or resources for recruitment and associated costs. The TES partner will also manage a pool of additional workers with the necessary skills and experience so that they can be supplied quickly and when necessary whilst also managing union and/or ward councillor meetings and negotiations Further to this, TES providers can also assist with the management of Human Resources (HR) and Industrial Relations (IR) processes including employment contracts, disciplinaries, counselling, terminations, and attending Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) cases. With a TES partner providing flexible staffing, businesses can have peace of mind that they remain compliant with every aspect of labour legislation. In addition, if employees need to be placed for a short time, a TES provider will be able to offer other employment opportunities within their client base to enable them to supplement their income. TES providers also offer temporary employees benefits that are generally only available to permanent staff, or that SMMEs may not be able to afford, such as funeral cover, medical cover, training and development. Surviving and thriving With the effects of load shedding on revenues and profits, businesses need to be extremely cost conscious. A reputable TES partner provides cost-effective services that can save businesses money, offering a quick solution with a fast turnaround to realise cost savings. On top of this, businesses making use of TES solutions have peace of mind that their employees have a better chance of securing additional work if they are ever placed on a short time. An established and reputable TES provider will offer excellent value for businesses while delivering the flexible staffing solutions that have become necessary for surviving and thriving in an uncertain and tumultuous economic climate. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/to-survive-load-shedding-businesses-need-innovative-and-flexible-staffing-solutions-2023-03-06/rep_id:4136

Terence Corrigan | 6 March 2023 Terence Corrigan writes on the concept of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) in South Africa. Journalist Stephen Grootes suggested that unless the country achieves a 5% growth rate, he cannot see an alternative to the current BEE policy. This article argues that Grootes’ suggestion implies that economic growth is unattainable and that it is a magical feat. Corrigan posits that achieving economic growth of 5% would not require magic but instead basic governance structures such as a stable supply of water and power and a manageable level of crime. Further, it highlights that the focus of the government has become the distribution of economic rewards rather than encouraging growth, and it poses the question of whether BEE is the most productive method for achieving growth in South Africa. Growth is not magic, and BEE is not sacrosanct Comments made en passant – which is a pretentious way of saying ‘in passing’ or ‘as an aside’ – can sometimes be very revealing. This occurred to me while looking up an episode of SAFM Sunrise from early November last year. Discussing race-based empowerment policy – Black Economic Empowerment, BEE – prominent journalist Stephen Grootes said that he couldn’t see an alternative to current policy, unless the country ‘magically’ achieved a 5% growth rate. By implication, he thought BEE would be necessary to distribute the very scarce economic rewards in South Africa’s economy in the absence of the rapid expansion of those rewards: apportioning for a few when there’s not enough for all. Expanding the pool of those rewards would be a feat of ‘magic’. It’s an interesting choice of words. Magic suggests the manipulation of reality to the will of arcane forces. It is the intrusion of powers from realms and planes not bound by the laws of nature and in defiance of science. It’s the stuff of fable, mythology and the supernatural. Probably more than anything else, magic is an avatar for the unattainable. To the extent that we may even acknowledge its existence – and I’d be willing to presume that Grootes does not – we see it as something beyond ordinary observation and control. Unknown and unknowable, it is the province of witches and warlocks and superannuated sages standing apart from the pedestrian existence in which most of us move. Economic growth So, what does this imply about the very this-worldly-significant matter of economic growth? To apply Grootes’s metaphor, it is unattainable. More than that, achieving it would demand an esoteric cognition denied to ordinary mortals. And if growth is the stuff of magic, it would follow that South Africa’s current trajectory – its miserly GDP growth rate of 1% or 2% a year (the optical illusion of post-Covid recovery aside) – would be the natural order of things. It is a matter to be accepted and accommodated, inter alia, through policies like BEE. Getting growth going would not in fact require magic. It should not even be especially difficult. That’s at least a start. Last year, Rashad Cassim of the South African Reserve Bank put it to reporters thus: ‘Going from a 1% economy to 3% isn’t rocket science.’ That’s correct. Provided (very) basic conditions are in place. From the point of view of the state, we need something colloquially termed ‘good enough governance’, that is, enough competence to guard against the state becoming a hindrance, and to provide a couple of enablers. A stable (enough) supply of water and power would be one. Keeping crime to a manageable level. Businesses will find a way to do their thing. No incantations necessary. Getting beyond that 3% mark is the tough part, and the necessary one. To quote Cassim again: ‘Unfortunately, 3% gets the economy going, but it will not bring the unemployment down. To get unemployment down, we really need systematic 5% growth every year and that’s a different debate.’ But a growth rate of 5% would not in fact be a feat of magic; indeed, it is a necessity to make inroads into South Africa’s unemployment crisis. Between 2004 and 2007, growth went from 4.6% to 5.4%, a short but illustrative burst of success. Of course, this was spurred in no small measure by a demand for commodities, but the principle holds: where opportunities exist, and where a robust business community is in a position to seize them – both points raising questions about the role of the state to mediate those opportunities and support business – economic activities can expand, with corresponding growth in the demand for labour. Incidentally, it was the National Development Plan, not the Grand Grimoire, that envisaged 5.4% growth over a sustained period. Nevertheless, the failure to get anywhere near this goal might well make it seem unattainable. This is effectively what Grootes was saying. And it should be said that he is no outlier in holding this perspective. With South Africa having experienced well over a decade of lousy economic performance, the idea of ramping up economic expansion must seem like something magical. It’s also more or less the assumption underlying how the ruling party and the government (the greater part of the country’s political elite in other words) approach South Africa’s political economy. Divvying up the rewards Unable to encourage growth, and probably increasingly uninterested in doing so, the government’s focus has become firmly set on divvying up the rewards. What has developed is an apparatus of extraction – intermediaries, fixers, sinecured appointees, 30-percenters, and the like. They represent a common feature of politicised economies, those who have turned political power into pecuniary advantage. This has attached itself to the productive economy, the activities that produce, sell, and distribute things. It is in the latter, the productive economy, that economic growth should be generated; but that is subject to the limits imposed by the former, the extractive system. This is a large part of the reason the country is now faced with the catastrophic failure of its electricity supply, why swathes of local government are governance basket cases, why South African English gifted the language the word ‘tenderpreneur’. South Africa is not an attractive place to do business; that the business community endures is a testimony to its resilience. But resilience is a virtue that ideally should not be required. It’s in this context that the more important question about BEE should be asked. Not whether there is an ‘alternative’, but whether we can afford the system we have. If growth of the order of 5% is an objective, a more productive line of inquiry is whether BEE furthers that goal. If not, it is difficult to justify its existence. BEE is typically described as a means of economic inclusivity, for bringing black people into the economy – which will have the direct and intended effect of expanding the economy as a whole. It’s a policy that seeks to be judged by its intention, and this is often how it is judged. It is interesting that its record is seldom scrutinised. Multiplicity of crises This may partly be because it’s not an easy thing to study. South Africa’s economy is labouring under a multiplicity of crises, of which racial ‘empowerment’ policy may be a factor. With or without such a policy, we’d probably still be in trouble. But the very fact that the country’s economy has signally failed to approach its growth objectives would be reason enough to reflect on those policies intended to help it on its way. Yet it seems indisputable that the policy has imposed costs on the economy. Where premiums are paid to ensure the appropriate racial provenance of goods and services, this is inherent in the policy. From time to time, this problem is voiced by prominent people within the state. In widely-reported comments at an event in 2012, Minister Gwede Mantashe called on ‘BEE firms’ to quit seeing the state as their cash cows and to stop demanding inflated prices and providing substandard products. (There’s probably some irony in this…) A more serious problem has been the use of BEE as a tool for extraction. BEE has been a great justification for passing resources to those with appropriate political pedigrees. This has come to be an effective tax on the country and a malign influence on its institutions. Warnings about this were issued back in 2007. As one study – by Daron Acemoglu, Stephen Gelb, and James Robinson – commented: ‘In discussing the benefits of BEE we included the social benefit of the avoidance of populism and noted that individual firms could not benefit from the whole extent to which they helped to provide a social benefit. In addition to social benefits however, there may be social costs of BEE. A clear one is that [Narrowly-Based] BEE via the forging of links between firms and politically connected people may lead to rent-seeking and the introduction of regulations and policies that favour existing incumbents. This can reduce market competition and innovation and it can also distort government policy. This may appear as benefits on firms’ balance sheets because it increases profits, but it is obviously a cost for society and likely reduces economic growth.’ These themes were revisited at the Zondo Commission, which pointed to the manner in which the policy has been used and abused to undermine the common interests of the country. It was clear: ‘Ultimately in the view of the Commission the primary national interest is best served when the government derives the maximum value-for-money in the procurement process and procurement officials should be so advised.’ This brings to mind another remark by Grootes in his broadcast, that the ‘vast majority’ of people benefit from BEE. It’s not apparent how this could be supported, though it certainly contradicts to a substantial degree polling evidence. In fact, IRR polling in 2015 and 2016 asked respondents directly whether they had personally benefited from a BEE deal. Some 14% said they had benefited from an ownership deal, and no more than 12% from a BEE-influenced tender deal. Hardly a majority by any definition. Business think tank SBP found in its enquiries around small business growth that very few small entrepreneurs – this included black people – felt that they had gained much from the policy. It was in fact an encumbrance on their businesses. Rhetoric aside, it offered very little to small businesses. William Gumede, Associate Professor in the Public and Development Management Department at the Graduate School of Business Administration at Wits University, has argued that BEE deals had transferred some R1 trillion. But this, he said, had been to the benefit of ‘a handful of politically connected politicians, trade unionists, and public servants.’ Far from expanding the economy, this ‘had crowded out genuine black entrepreneurs and killed the development of a mass entrepreneurial spirit in black society.’ In this view, the policy is not only failing to help, but is positively damaging to the country, its people and its prospects. It contributes to putting that 5% growth rate out of reach. There is nothing magical about this, merely the logical outcome of policy choices and their implementation. Perhaps the only magic being cast around this issue is the dogged faith that BEE is sacrosanct and cannot be abandoned or even substantively reformed. *Terence Corrigan is the Project Manager at the Institute, where he specialises in work on property rights, as well as land and mining policy. A native of KwaZulu-Natal, he is a graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg). He has held various positions at the IRR, South African Institute of International Affairs, SBP (formerly the Small Business Project) and the Gauteng Legislature – as well as having taught English in Taiwan. He is a regular commentator in the South African media and his interests include African governance, land and agrarian issues, political culture and political thought, corporate governance, enterprise and business policy. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.biznews.com/thought-leaders/2023/03/06/south-african-economic-growth-feat-magic