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Siyabonga Sithole | 4 August 2023 Johannesburg - Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has partnered with food delivery service Uber Eats to create 10 000 jobs for South Africans. Lesufi, who has been dishing out jobs through the Nasi iSpani programme for the better part of the year, says he has secured a deal to train and provide food delivery motorbikes to at least 10 000 people. He is expected to announce this programme at an event to be held at Chris Hani Mall in Katlehong on Friday. Last week, Lesufi came under fire from EFF leader Julius Malema, who accused him of using these programmes to hire ANC volunteers and bribing young people with flimsy jobs. This came after Lesufi vowed to recruit unemployed people every month until July 2024 while speaking at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, where thousands of young men and women received employment opportunities. During this event, held just two days before the EFF’s 10-year anniversary at FNB Stadium, Lesufi handed out an additional 6 000 appointment letters to young people to be trained as solar panel technicians. "The Gauteng Department of Economic Development has concluded a groundbreaking strategic partnership with Uber Eats South Africa. The partnership is meant to unlock several opportunities as well as create direct jobs for the youth in the province. Secondly, the partnership will also unlock direct last-mile delivery employment opportunities for fleet managers as well as direct employment for the youth," Lesufi said. It is reported that Uber Eats will invest more than R200 million in this venture along with the provincial Department of Economic Development for the expansion of township e-commerce footprints and access to new opportunities. Last week, Lesufi said he was undeterred by the criticism of this programme, saying the provincial government would not back down from its promises. The Nasi iSpani recruitment programme has employed at least 40 000 people to work as crime prevention wardens, waste management collectors, and now solar panel technicians. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/lesufi-partners-with-uber-eats-for-10-000-jobs-programme-6f42b969-8f40-45de-b0ac-68049508eab2

Tasneem Bulbulia | 3 August 2023 Private sector jobs engine the Youth Employment Service (YES) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have committed to collaborate on a range of initiatives to provide skills, training and entrepreneurship programmes for South Africa’s youth. Through UJ’s Johannesburg Business School Centre for Entrepreneurship and Institute for Intelligent Systems, YES Youth will have access to UJ’s portfolio of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in the fields of entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence. The two entities are also jointly establishing start-up incubation programmes for youth who have successfully completed the YES Siyazakhela Entrepreneurship training programme. Currently, all YES Youth have access to the Siyazakhela-accredited training through the zero-rated YES phone app. Beneficiaries of this partnership will include all active YES Youth, as well as YES alumni who have completed their employment term through YES. YES is a private-sector initiative focused on promoting social mobility. It works with businesses to place or sponsor unemployed youth in 12-month quality work experiences that are fully funded by the private sector, giving them the quality work experiences and skills that they need to secure future employment. These include placements into various high-impact sectors like global business services, creative, drones, tourism, digital and mining. YES has created over 116 000 work experiences in the past four years. In addition to enabling YES Youth to access UJ’s online AI training courses, UJ and YES are jointly creating a broader Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) training programme to ensure that South African youth possess the necessary digital skills and insights they need to thrive in the modern workplace. The programme will include an entrepreneurship stream that supports enterprising YES Youth to leverage AI technologies to build innovative and resilient businesses based on the latest technologies and business models. Speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding, UJ vice-chancellor Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi said the two bodies were already actively exploring ways to collaborate to achieve their respective mandates and objectives. “As a university, we don’t only want to graduate job seekers. We want to graduate job creators. UJ is ranked first in South Africa in terms of our impact and second in Africa’s higher education rankings, so entrepreneurship is extremely important to us. We look forward to working with YES to confront one of the biggest challenges facing our country right now,” said Mpedi. YES CEO Ravi Naidoo said the two parties shared a common purpose of societal impact, and the partnership would provide “significant synergies” in the drive to increase youth employment levels in South Africa. “One of the most important foundations for our country’s future is the youth – and the biggest endowment we can give them is skills, training and experience that are not only already in demand today, but that will also serve them well into the future. “What’s exciting for us is that UJ has a clear vision for preparing its students for the future through its in-depth expertise in areas like AI and technologies that support the 4IR,” Naidoo averred. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/yes-uj-partner-to-tackle-the-countrys-youth-unemployment-crisis-2023-08-03

SA Gov | 3 August 2023 Auditor General grants NYDA 2022/2023 clean audit outcome. The NYDA is pleased to announce a ninth consecutive clean audit report from the Auditor General of South Africa for the 2022 / 2023 financial year. Upon the appointment of the first ever in history, female-led NYDA Board in December 2021, the NYDA has continued to meet its planned targets. Understanding the importance of good governance, the Board has committed to ensuring that the agency continues to perform and yields its mandated and desired outcomes. Irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure The NYDA has also achieved zero irregular expenditure in the 2022 / 2023 financial year. Achievement of Key Performance Indicators The Agency proudly achieved all 29 out of the 29 planned targets for the financial year which were set by its Executive Authority and approved by the Parliament of South Africa. Such performance therefore translates to a 100% performance achievement. Key highlights of the agency’s performance achievements include R219 million in additional donor funding raised from various stakeholders in the public and private sector. Other highlights are as follows: Youth entrepreneurship Over 34 000 young people have been supported through non-financial business development interventions. Over 2 300 youth-owned enterprises in the township and rural economy provided with grant funding to start up their businesses through the NYDA Grant Program. Over 6500 jobs have been collectively created and sustained by our funded youth-owned enterprises. Revitalised National Youth Service One of the core deliverables of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention which is a signature program of the sixth administration was the revitalisation of the National Youth Service program implemented as a collaboration of the Presidency, NYDA and the Jobs Fund. During the 2022 Youth Day Commemorations President Ramaphosa announced the launch of the revitalised National Youth Service in the country. To date, we are proud to announce that close to 48 000 young people have participated in the revitalised NYS with over 10 000 having already transitioned into longer term more sustainable employment and enterprise activities. Young people are engaged in community service activities in sectors such as Surveys and Digital Mapping, Sports and Recreation, Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Food Security, Child Nutrition, Learner Support Programmes, Social Support Services, Solidarity and Care, Community Works, Revitalization, Early childhood development/ Early Learning, etc. The young people recruited through the program will have an opportunity to serve their communities for 16 hours per week, earning at the National Minimum Wage for them to pursue other prospects post the program while learning new skills. Through the National Youth Service (NYS) programme, young people will be engaged in Community Service activities The primary aim of the NYS programme is to mobilise young people to become active citizens of the country’s democracy, while earning an income and increasing their employability. The purpose of the Community Service activities as envisaged for the NYS programme is also to enhance service delivery efforts and improve the lives of marginalized communities. The NYDA has since published the call for proposals for the second round of the National Youth Service program and would like to encourage civil society to apply for participation in the program. Integrated Youth Development Strategy The NYDA is also pleased to report that after a thorough consultation process comprising of young people, business, government, Parliament, civil society and organised labour, the first Integrated Youth Development Strategy was approved by Cabinet on the 15th of June 2022. The Integrated Youth Development Strategy (IYDS) is aligned to the National Development Plan and the National Youth Policy 2030. The NYDA has published in the financial year 2022 / 2023 both the second progress report on the IYDS as well as the Status of the Youth Report. The Integrated Youth Development Strategy (IYDS) seeks put young people at the heart of the country’s development agenda. The strategy creates a framework where all youth related work in South Africa can be coordinated and linked, to build relationships, foster information-sharing, avoid duplication and ultimately maximize impact. The strategy has five key pillars which include economic transformation, education and skills development, health, social cohesion, and an effective youth development machinery. In the main the IYDS will aim to drive accountability in the system through ensuring that government meets its commitments to young people. Closure of the NYDA’s loan book Given that the NYDA was no longer providing new loans and had moved to a grant-based model since 2014, the fourth Board of Directors of the agency, building on the work of previous Boards aimed to bring to a conclusion the loan book of the NYDA. Therefore, the Board guided by processes in the Public Finance Management Act, which has been tested through a rigorous audit procedure can confirm the following about the R384.2 million loan financing: R230.6 million (60%) was collected. R153.6 million (40%) has been converted to grant finance. The collected amount is in line with best practices for development finance institutions. This is a significant decision which aims to lessen the burden on youth who already face a myriad of challenges and closing the historical loan book of the Agency. It responds to the need to have more young, African entrepreneurs who can start and scale enterprises to address the high levels of unemployment without the burden of debt. Provincial commitments towards youth The Agency commends the Gauteng Provincial Government for the progressive and intensive campaign on employment of youth and calls on other Provinces to follow suit in the prioritisation of youth employment. Future of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) The PYEI is South Africa’s most comprehensive e­ffort to address youth unemployment to date. Its goal is to enable more young people to move from learning to earning. It seeks to coordinate, accelerate, and enhance existing programmes as well as unblock pathways to employment, training, and youth enterprising. The NYDA is currently making requests to National Treasury to prioritise the extension of the PYEI over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. This statement comes against the backdrop of the serious economic and social challenges faced by the country and fiercely compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and increasing cost of living crises. Young people excessively bear the discomfort of these economic and social challenges. Youth unemployment remains one of the foremost challenges that a democratic South Africa faces. We must therefore rally behind the economic recovery plan announced by government and ensure that young people are placed front and centre of the plan. Equally, it is our duty to address the systematic and structural challenges that have created South Africa’s unemployment challenge which continues to perpetuate poverty and inequality. The Board of the NYDA expresses its appreciation to the Executive Authority, Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, Persons with Disabilities, Management and all NYDA employees for their efforts, oversight, and support in achieving another clean audit outcome. Media enquiries: Ms Bongekile Skosana E-mail: Bongekile.Skosana@nyda.gov.za(link sends e-mail) Cell: 082 269 9246 ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.gov.za/speeches/auditor-general-grants-nyda-20222023-clean-audit-outcome-3-aug-2023-0000

Londiwe Dlomo | 3 August 2023 ‘The role of the black woman is at the forefront of the economy’. As we enter Women’s Month, there will be many talks and thought-pieces on women in this country, especially entrepreneurs. Sadly, women entrepreneurs globally still do not receive funding at the same rate as their male counterparts. In spite of this, they are making headway, especially in traditionally male-dominated fields such as construction and mining. In these and other industries, women are leading transformation and spearheading the shift towards gender equality and empowerment, as well as helping to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces. Support for women-owned businesses is important and holding the state to its promise to further and support those behind them is required. This Women’s Month, put your money where your mouth is, government. South African women have huge entrepreneurial spirit, from those who sell vegetables on the streets to women in corner offices who’ve started or are running companies. There are many success stories, and if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, here are four women who could ignite your entrepreneurial flame. Praisy Dlamini, GM and winemaker of HER Wines, says she saw a gap in the market for an all-female, all-black business that could combine women's skill sets to offer a unique proposition, a wine brand women could be proud of. The business, HER Wine, is named for all the women — sisters, mothers, daughters and grandmothers — who go out into the world to make their mark. “We are a group of trailblazers, growing a business in uncharted territory. We’re passionate about investing in more young women who will be pioneers in their fields while they inspire others to reach higher and wider,” says Dlamini. The team strongly believes in giving back, with the company pledging to contribute 2% of its profits to a scholarship fund that enables young, talented and driven individuals to achieve their dreams through the HER Wine Collection Bursary. The first two scholars to receive funding have started their journey and will be mentored by the HER Wine team. They will learn critical skills about starting a business and overcoming the challenges associated with entrepreneurship. GET YOUR BEAUTY FIX After the success of her online beauty story, Beauty on TApp, Mathebe Molise launched her first store in April. The company, founded in 2015, is a deliberately curated one-stop shop for in-demand, affordable beauty products, providing customers with a range of skincare, haircare and makeup offerings. The store, in Midrand's Mall of Africa, is testament to how a loyal customer base can do wonders for a business. TAKE ON THE BOYS Tebogo Mosito, founder and CEO of Ditsogo Group, and Andiswa Xozwa, founder and CEO of Okuhle Project Management, were both finalists in the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award 2023. Mosito grew up in a rural village in Rustenburg, North West, near the platinum mines, and her interest in the mining industry started at a young age. Entering an almost exclusively male-dominated sector did not deter Mosito; rather, it ignited a tenacity to create viable and safe opportunities for women to add value to the industry. “As a woman you need to prove yourself twice to show you are capable,” says Mosito. For more than a decade, Mosito has managed a steel engineering and mining services company, steering it to success. She takes great pride in the business, which boasts a 100%-black, female-led foundation. Fostering a network of women, united in support and mentorship, Ditsogo enables collective growth and empowerment. Xozwa’s team at Okuhle Project Management is 70% black women. The business delivers infrastructure services to marginalised communities and fosters a holistic cycle of upliftment by actively engaging black, women-owned subcontractors and suppliers. “My goal is to show young women that even when coming from the dusty streets of Daveyton on the East Rand, it can be done. The role of the black woman is at the forefront of the economy and we must be brave in assuming these positions,” says Xozwa. Operating within infrastructure development in the construction industry, her most significant accomplishment is in her role as a catalyst for transformative change. Her commitment to skills transfer within communities has become the cornerstone of her company. By prioritising increased participation and the empowerment of women and youth, she has flipped the traditional narrative, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future in the industry. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2023-08-03-four-entrepreneurial-trailblazers-women-can-emulate/

Philippa Larkin | 3 August 2023 Minister for Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams yesterday paid tribute to Pheliswa Mthethwa for a sterling tenure as the CEO of the National Empowerment Fund (NEF). This as Mthethwa will be vacating the helm of the development financier when her contract ends in December 2023 after having driven the growth and institutional maturity of the entity whose legislated mandate is to grow black economic participation across South Africa. Mthethwa takes the final bow from the development financing stage, leaving behind a healthy organisation, which has approved more than R13.75 billion in investments for black entrepreneurs and R12.6bn in company investment to support emerging black industrialists, created over 124 276 jobs and put together 8679 public engagements on how to save and invest mainly in poor black townships, rural areas and even in cities. Mthethwa said, “As I serve out the final phase of my stewardship as CEO of the NEF, we look back with a degree of contentment over the many milestones we have spearheaded across different sectors of the economy, and with great hope for the period ahead. “I am humbled to be handing over an organisation that has secured clean external audit opinions for 20 consecutive years, attesting to the NEF’s integrity and commitment to good governance. It has been a privilege to play a part in providing investor education, business planning support, entrepreneurial training, incubation support, mentorship and funding to black youth, women, SMEs and black industrialists in villages, townships and peri-urban localities.” Mthethwa has not revealed her future plans, preferring to “dedicate my last remaining months to help the organisation find a leader of the future so that the NEF may continue to light the path in the quest for inclusive growth and economic justice”. Mthethwa has collected a long list of accolades, chief amongst them being named 2019 CEO of the Decade by Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP), 2017 Woman of the Year, also by ABSIP, and 2011 Corporate Businesswoman of the Year (Africa Investor). Ndidi Mpye, the NEF trustee and chairperson of the Board Audit Committee, said, “Mthethwa has been instrumental in driving the institutional maturity of the NEF. It is her diverse knowledge of banking, capital markets and international investment that helped grow the NEF into a high-performing organisation, one whose integrity is exemplified by 20 years of uninterrupted clean external audits. Today the NEF is an authority on the development of black industrialists, rural and township development, women empowerment, enterprise and supplier development, among others, which are some of the areas that the CEO has been passionate about.” Lucretia Khumalo, the divisional executive for Client Support and Growth at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), NEF trustee and chairperson of the Board Risk and Portfolio Management Committee, said: “Part of Mthethwa’s legacy is her commitment towards the advancement of black women professionals and entrepreneurs, whether in her role as a non-executive director at the IDC, or at the NEF. Her own accomplishments have served as an example and as an inspiration in our country’s quest for redress and growth with women at the forefront.” Buhle Hanise, the president of the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) said: “For many years the NEF has been a close partner of AWCA, actively supporting our skills development programme towards the education and training of African women CAs, especially from rural areas. “Mthethwa’s leadership, personal involvement and commitment to this strategic objective has been phenomenal. This is one of the many reasons why AWCA has awarded and recognised Ms Mthethwa as a Woman of Substance and as luminary in advancing entrepreneurship, transformation, skills development and the economic empowerment of black women,” Hanise said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/nefs-ceo-mthethwa-bows-out-at-end-of-year-after-sterling-tenure-5d2156c5-5b83-4162-a490-c57851ae9c8b

Schalk Burger | 1 August 2023 Financial services firm Nedbank has encouraged the 2 782 young people who will participate in a year-long internship programme to make use of the opportunity to learn new skills and develop themselves for their professional careers. Nedbank and its partners have provided these workplace learning opportunities as part of the private sector-led youth employment programme Youth Employment Service (YES). "Each of you have shown determination, resilience and unwavering spirit to be here, which are important attributes for continuing success. Each of you has been selected from more than 70 000 applications for these year-long internship positions," Nedbank Group human resources executive Deborah Fuller said this week. The YES initiative helps to improve the lives of youth in South Africa. Nedbank's role is to use its expertise as a financial services firm to improve the lives of individuals, stakeholders and society at large. "You are beginning your journey with Nedbank and partners that will help you to gain critical work experience on the road to a successful career in years to come. Nedbank emphasises the growth of employees and development of their careers as part of our employee value proposition. "Therefore, I urge you to take initiative, demonstrate proactivity and seek out additional tasks on projects. Seek guidance, ask questions and learn from the expertise of others to improve your skills and how you complete tasks," Fuller said to the new cohort on July 31. She urged the youth to take advantage of the learning opportunities and the professional development opportunities made available to them through the initiative, which would stand them in good stead in their careers beyond this coming year's learnership. Meanwhile, YES CEO Ravi Naidoo gave the young interns advice on leveraging the YES initiative's 35 mobile app learning modules – a new artificial intelligence (AI) training module will also be added within the next month – to develop their skills. Each module that an intern completes is automatically reflected on his or her reference letter at the end of the internship period, he highlighted. "We are looking to ramp up this part, and the more that you do, the more is reflected on the reference letter," he encouraged the youth. The YES initiative has put 32 500 young people through its programmes during the 2022 to 2023 period and has put 117 000 youth through private sector workplace experience and learning programmes since its establishment in 2019. "There are 1 517 companies, including Nedbank, that are part of the YES initiative, making it the largest social impact programme for jobs led by the private sector," Naidoo noted. The overarching aim of the initiative is not only to support the sustainable growth of companies and their talent pipelines, but also for youth to use the skills they develop to help their communities and play a key role in developing the country, he emphasised. "You are the game-changers that we need to help the country. This is why the private sector is willing to fund such programmes and support more people being placed into jobs in the private sector." While about 40% to 50% of youth who complete YES programmes find jobs within a year or two, 10% to 20% set up their own businesses after the programmes, further positively impacting the country. "It is important for each of you to demonstrate that you are willing and able to learn. It is also important to find a passion for the work, and even jobs that may not seem to be the most exciting still make an impact and difference on people's lives, and it is important to identify the aspects that you enjoy or motivate you and to learn more about them," he said. Naidoo further encouraged the youth to engage with their mentors, managers and team leaders about what they aim to gain from the year-long internship, as the young interns can use learning resources from other partners in the YES programme, such as software multinational Microsoft's courses. "Everyone in the YES programme, for example, can access Microsoft's coding, basics of AI programmes and coding certification, which we offer for free to youth in the programme. "Use the [internship] opportunity to learn about and identify what you want to gain from the programme. Communicate your aims to colleagues, mentors and managers who, if they cannot support you, can often refer you to someone who does have the expertise or experience to help," Naidoo encouraged the youth. "Intentionality is important and you must think about what you want to achieve in this programme and work to achieve it. Being known as someone who is proactive, who can get the job done and who is useful is an asset, not only in your work but throughout your career," he said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/nedbank-encourages-yes-interns-to-seize-development-opportunities-2023-08-01

Antony Sguazzin and Monique Vanek | 2 August 2023 Unemployment in SA is already among the highest of more than 80 nations. South African business leaders told President Cyril Ramaphosa that the jobless rate could rise to 38.1% by 2030 without urgent action to solve the country’s energy, logistics and crime crises. The forecast, which compares with a current unemployment rate of 32.9%, was included in a presentation made by business groups in a meeting with Ramaphosa on Tuesday. It was based on an average economic growth rate of 0.75% if no progress is made on those three impediments. Unemployment in South Africa is already among the highest of more than 80 nations tracked by Bloomberg. South African business groups are working with the government to try and arrest the slump in energy provision and the deteriorating rail and port services. Those issues, coupled with rampant crime and corruption, are crimping growth in the continent’s most industrialized economy. If the constraints were successfully addressed the business groups, collectively known as B4SA, forecast economic expansion would average 5% and unemployment would decline to 28% by 2030. In a 23-slide presentation sent to Bloomberg, more than 115 businesses operating in South Africa listed a host of measures Ramaphosa will need to address to kick-start the stagnating economy. The presidency, together with B4SA and Business Unity South Africa, in a joint statement Tuesday announced progress made in introducing some of the initiatives to revive the floundering economy and restore investor confidence. The measures include: Technical support from business on optimizing the diesel supply chain at the Ankerlig power station Supporting the return of additional units at the Kusile power plant and four key stations and helping their managers with turnaround plans at those facilities Business technical teams working through the National Energy Crisis Committee to assist in planning for efficient grid access and expansion. All these interventions aim to recover about 5.4 gigawatts over the next year Setting up four so-called corridor recovery teams to focus on constraints in commodity-export supply chains in coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome and magnetite Creating a joint initiative against crime and corruption, with senior representatives from law-enforcement agencies and business Setting up a special purpose vehicle for establishing digital and data forensic capabilities for the nation’s prosecuting authority on an arm’s length basis Initiatives to support the police to aid crime detection and response ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/sa-jobless-rate-could-hit-38-1-businesses-tell-ramaphosa/

SA Government | 1 August 2023 Consider employing people with disabilities –CEE Chairperson. The Chairperson of the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), Tabea Kabinde told the gathering that transformation in the workplace has been very slow for the designated groups, and even more so for the Persons With Disabilities (PWD), where change has hardly taken place. Kabinde was addressing the Employment Equity roadshow held at Diep in die Berg Conference centre in the east of Pretoria today. “Out of 27 532 reports received, covering a total of 7 215 960 employees, only 1,2% are persons with disabilities. We are now stretching it to only 2 percent as a proposed target. Please do not overlook persons with disabilities,” Kabinde said. The chairperson told the gathering that whilst there are employers who are transforming their workplaces in terms of hiring PWD, very few go beyond the 1.2 percent. She said there must be a demonstrable commitment to employ those with disabilities. Kabinde told the roadshow that any person can earn the status of disability due to an accident or illness and ‘this does not mean the end’. On the issue of sector targets, the CEE Chairperson told the meeting that a lot of noise in the media is created by misunderstandings. “When we start fighting, we forget that we are talking about the Economically Active Population (EAP). The EAP focuses only on people who are working, looking for work and are employable”, she said. She told the workshop that it cannot be that a group with a small EAP continues to occupy top management level posts whereas, the racial groups with a higher percentage of the EAP occupies a small fraction of those top management posts. She said this is not possible, “unless we argue that Africans are stupid to occupy top management positions”. “What we are saying is simple, please employ suitably qualified people to those positions.” Conducted under the theme: “Real transformation makes business sense”, the Employment Equity Roadshows by the Department of Employment and Labour in collaboration with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) are working to create awareness on the recently promulgated EE amendments, sector targets and regulations. The workshops further aim to deal with the impact of employment equity in the labour market; by sharing the results of the 23rd CEE Annual Report. Part of the session is also spent on a demonstration of the online EE system with the incorporated amendments to reporting on the system and how certificates of compliance will be generated. There is also a presentation of the CCMA’s case law related to EE, professionally done by a Commissioner from the CCMA. The national series workshops/roadshows started on 18 July and will conclude on 29 August 2023. The remaining August workshops are as follows: Gauteng Johannesburg (02 August 2023) Mpumalanga Witbank (Emalahleni) - (15 August 2023) Nelspruit (Mbombela) – (16 August 2023) Western Cape George (15 August 2023) Cape Town (16 August 2023) Eastern Cape Gqeberha (22 August 2023) East London (23 August 2023) Mthatha (24 August 2023) Free State Welkom (22 August 2023) Bloemfontein (23 August 2023) KwaZulu-Natal Durban (29 August 2023) The EE workshops are targeted at Employers or Heads of organisations, Academics, Assigned Senior Managers, Consultative forum members, Human Resource Practitioners, Trade Unions, employees and other interested stakeholders. The national workshops are from 10:00am to 14:00pm covering all provinces and members of the media are invited. Enquiries: Teboho Thejane Cell: 082 697 0694 E-mail: Teboho.Thejane@labour.gov.za(link sends e-mail) ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.gov.za/speeches/consider-employing-people-disabilities-%E2%80%93cee-chairperson-1-aug-2023-0000

Nathaniel Lee | 2 August 2023 Government advised to take education, skills training seriously to correct wrongs of the past. On Wednesday, the DA led a march through Cape Town to protest against the signing into law of the Employment Equity Amendment Bill, which contains measures that purport to promote diversity and equality in the workplace. The bill was assented to President Cyril Ramaphosa in April and inter alia seeks to pave the way for the minister of employment and labour to identify and set employment equity numerical targets for each economic sector. According to the bill, employers with more than 50 employees must consult trade unions on the said employment targets. It also requires that all salaries and wages be bench-marked according to job descriptions. The DA has referred to it as “race quotas” legislation and has argued it will worsen racial tensions in the country. DA leader John Steenhuisen asserted: “You are going to see companies that would ordinarily look at expanding, narrowing and keeping their workforce down.” He added that the bill would cause incredible harm to the economy. The ANC and Good Party have accused the DA of not having regard for past injustices, playing divide and rule and also seeking to drum up support ahead of the 2024 general elections. The new bill seeks to amend the Employment Equity Act of 1998 which sought to advance the transformation of the South African workforce by setting equity targets, which it is hoped will ensure equitable representation of suitably qualified people from historically disadvantaged groups, based on race, gender and disability, at all levels of the workforce. The added requirement of the bill is that companies seeking to do business with the state will be required to submit a certificate from the department of labour to confirm compliance with the act and its objectives. This means labour inspectors would carry out inspections at workplaces and issue compliance orders in an effort to enforce compliance. Twenty-five years after the passing of the initial legislation, it is pertinent to assess the efficacy of the act. What becomes evident is there has been negligible progress towards addressing systemic inequalities. It is therefore doubtful whether the firming up of the regulatory landscape through the amended bill would bring the desired results through social engineering. The pitfalls of race-based policies of the apartheid era cannot be fixed by the introduction of more race-based policies, which would arguably amount to reversing discrimination. According to labour law expert Michael Bagraim, the government must look at other ways of correcting the wrongs of the past. His advice is for it to take education and skills training seriously if it wants to address the country’s skewed labour market. “The only way you can do it is to improve education, in particular education of people who were previously disadvantaged. “Now the education is completely broken, and it has led to a situation where you have got more white managers than black managers, has led to a situation where you have got more men than women. But you cannot fix something by using something that is social engineering.” The DA Western Cape leader Tertius Simmers weighed in on the debate by stating that the bill would do the opposite of what the government claims it will, warning that 600,000 people would lose jobs through this amendment. According to official figures, the unemployment rate only affects 9.5% of the white population while almost one in two black South Africans were unemployed in the first quarter of this year. In his book, Architects of Poverty, Moeletsi Mbeki argues that the high standards of living of the majority of whites in SA was achieved by the creation of an artificial scarcity of skilled manual labour and professionals, which is what gave rise to job reservation. He then suggests that the country do the opposite if it is to develop – which is to create an overabundance of artisans, technicians, professionals and managers. This can only be achieved in the long term by a massive educational drive that actually produces qualified people, especially scientists and engineers. Independent political and economic analyst and advisor Frans Cronje also notes that employers in SA are nervous of hiring workers because of the destructive behaviour of many trade unions and because of the risk and administrative burden associated with South African labour laws. It is clear that knee-jerk tampering with labour legislation can only lead to pauperisation of the black population which legislation such as the Employment Equity Amendment Bill purports to redress. The improvement of the quality of education in SA is imperative towards the reduction of the workplace inequality gaps, the removal of racial tensions and resentments, and the normalisation of South African politics. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2023-08-02-nathaniel-lee--will-employment-equity-amendment-bill-reverse-workplace-discrimination/

Q | Is the Workplace Skills Plan or Annual Training Report mandatory at a B-BBEE verification for QSEs? A | It is mandatory for B-BBEE purposes when a QSE reports in line with the Skills Development Act or Skills Development Levies Act. Skills Development Services are available to assist members with assembling a Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report.

Core to the Net Value calculation is the Graduation Factor formula that awards 8 points on the Ownership scorecard. The time-based graduation factor reduces, over time, the level of debt attributable to the economic interest held by ‘Black’ Participants. Q | To earn the points available, when is the first-year repayment of the 10% target to claim Ownership by using the Graduation Factor formula payable? A | A `year’ is not defined in Schedule 1; therefore, it takes on the ordinary meaning of 12 months commencing on the first day of the first month and ending on the last day of the 12th month. As such, the 10% target for the first year commences on the first day that all rights and obligations in Ownership become enforceable. The intent is to ensure that there is always value in the hands of ‘Black’ Participants, from day one, before awarding Net Value points. It is for this reason that entities offer ‘Black’ shareholding at a discount. Ownership Services are available to assist with an analysis of Ownership transactions.

Bizcommunity | 1 August 2023 South Africa has a youth unemployment problem. The current rate is at an all-time high of 32.9% with no turning point in sight. This trend is driving many young South Africans to consider self-employment and starting their own business as a possible option. Starting your own business isn't easy. It requires careful planning, determination, and a clear vision. Currently, small businesses employ between 50-60% of South Africa’s workforce and contribute approximately 34% to GDP. A study by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows total early-stage entrepreneurship activity among 18-24 years old has increased from 3.4% (2002) to 19.3% (2021) and for the age 25-34, from 5.3% (2001) to 19% (2021). Is there a secret sauce? Adam Young, owner and director of Cape Town-based Rowdy Bags is one young entrepreneur who quickly identified a niche in the market. A small business created on the steps of UCT in 2012 that would become an award-winning, internationally acclaimed leather goods brand. “We are a young business made up of young people that are passionate about the slow fashion movement. Simple, beautiful designs that speak to a more sustainable future in fashion have been the vision that has taken us from one person with a dream to about 20 employees currently,” explains Young. “A huge turning point in our business was the pandemic, at the time about 95% of our business was direct to customers and when sales halted during lockdown; we made the decision to pivot our business to manufacturing cotton face masks.” Throughout this period, the founders of Rowdy Bags had always set their sights on taking the business internationally. Some of the relationships that they had been developing came into fruition in 2020 and that foresight enabled them to recover sales lost during the pandemic in new wholesale business abroad. With a decade of experience in the bag together with surviving a global pandemic, Rowdy has refined its products, while also empowering and honing the skills of the artisans who hand-make each piece. Strength is in your network Colin Timmis, country manager of Xero South Africa, a global small business platform, believes that a strong network and a well-crafted business plan, coupled with a positive attitude towards digital adoption and core business skills such as financial literacy, are significant factors in the success of young small business owners. “Young entrepreneurs and small business owners are often already digital natives and are leading the way when it comes to embedding technology at an early stage and innovating to do things differently,” he says. “It’s great to see so many businesses setting an example for those thinking of starting a business. Understanding the importance of digital tools and embedding them from the start will put young entrepreneurs in a strong position to create efficiencies and boost profitability.” Access to funding and support can also be a huge hurdle for young entrepreneurs. The good news is that financial advisors and accountants can help guide you so that you can benefit from the different funding opportunities available and the compliance that comes with applying for it. In fact, according to Xero’s 2023 State of Small Business Report, the two most significant factors that helped small businesses survive and grow in the past year were technology (41%) and their accountant (28%). The value of professional advice “Professional advice can unlock resources to access funding, mentorship, and training programmes aimed at the youth that can propel businesses forward. Our research found that 60% of small businesses believe accountants are key to economic growth. Almost half (49%) go to their accountants for business advice and guidance,” adds Timmis. “We know that small business owners and entrepreneurs have so many great ideas to grow and innovate, but funding to do this is often the hurdle. That’s why we’ve launched a Beautiful Business Fund to help support small businesses in key areas like tech innovation, sustainability, skills, and supporting their communities.” For many years, small businesses have served as the backbone of the South African economy, creating jobs that help families and communities put food on the table – and stimulating broader socioeconomic growth. They remain the most likely vehicle to tackle the country’s rising levels of youth unemployment, poverty, and inequality. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/837/240626.html