SA INC
SA INC is about changing conversations – from the dinner table to the shebeen, from dusty street corners to gym cafeterias. It’s about shaking off the doom and gloom of mainstream media and sharing the positive real news that doesn’t reach the headlines. SA INC tells stories about South Africa’s most progressive, innovative and switched-on organisations, that are placing people at the centre of their vision and have committed to the ethos of profit-with-purpose and the pursuit of inclusive, sustainable business growth. Be inspired as we share these stories throughout 2021 and into 2022, celebrating all that is good in South Africa.
Season 2
ABB
The ABB education trust is not only nurturing black, female engineering talent in South Africa but is also guiding this talent into the provision of on-trend solutions globally.
Traditionally, the field of engineering has been very male-dominated and the percentage of female engineers at universities and in the workplace is substantially lower than it should be. To address that and in response to South Africa’s high unemployment rates, ABB has developed an education trust which benefits black, female engineers in South Africa.
ABB is a global, multi-national company and a pioneering leader in the digital space. By harnessing the untapped potential of the youth, they are not only facilitating the provision of on-trend services and solutions globally but are also ensuring that women fill top management positions in their company.
SA INC met Onalethata Kabela, a passionate and dedicated sales specialist in grid automation at ABB, who says that she wasn’t simply identified as a female engineering talent but as an engineering talent in her own right. What’s more, in the 10 years that she’s been at ABB she has seen the number of females in their factory increase sevenfold. Through their education initiatives, ABB is not only empowering the future female leaders of tomorrow but is also reinventing the field of engineering in South Africa.
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Anglo American
Through enterprise and supplier development, along with innovation, Anglo American is reinventing mining and uplifting the communities in which they operate.
Mining giant, Anglo American, is passionate about the communities surrounding their operations and, as a result, is focussing on skills development beyond their industry. The reason for this is that the earth’s resources are limited and when mines move on to other ore sources the communities around the mines are usually left destitute. To that end, the Anglo Zimele Enterprise and Supplier Development programmes are helping mining communities to be independent.
By providing SMMEs with soft loans, training, and mentorship, Anglo Zimele has helped over 2,300 entrepreneurs who, in turn, employ around 50,000 people. In addition, they are not only integrating their suppliers into their value chain but also empowering them to operate beyond the mine.
Another way Anglo American is helping communities is through innovation. SA INC visited the Venetia Diamond Mine where, through an investment of $2 billion, the open pit operation is being moved underground. Through this, the life of the mine is extended by 25 years and continues to provide employment and business opportunities to the community. It is clear that Anglo American believes in South Africa’s future and its potential and, through reimagining mining, they truly are improving people’s lives.
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AVBOB
Community development is the focus of AVBOB’s business and social investment strategies and is demonstrated through its enterprise development, literacy and sanitation projects.
Community development lies at the core of AVBOB’s business and social investment strategies. AVBOB is a mutual insurance society which is owned by its six million-plus policyholders. They are committed to growing their business specifically to give better support to policyholders in rural areas and do so through their innovative enterprise development model. All their branches are independently owned and, through AVBOB’s assistance with infrastructure, they establish successful businesses which, in turn, employ a vast amount of people.
AVBOB’s commitment to community development also extends to the education sector of South Africa. In partnership with the Department of Education, AVBOB is actively combatting literacy issues through their donation of state-of-the-art container libraries to underprivileged schools throughout the country. Furthermore, in a drive to eradicate dangerous pit latrines at schools, AVBOB is contributing to the Department’s Sanitation Appropriate for Education project through the construction of ablution facilities.
Through these sustainable community development projects, AVBOB is truly realising their commitment to responsible corporate citizenship along with fostering a legacy of success for many South Africans.
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Bayport
As a responsible credit provider, Bayport’s financial services not only assist the ‘missing middle’ with finance but are also instrumental in their financial education.
The financial services provided by Bayport, South Africa’s third-largest unsecured lender, are playing a huge role in assisting those South Africans who form part of the missing middle. Due to a lack of security, they are usually refused loans from traditional financial institutions. Bayport steps in by not only enabling them to secure finance but also playing a critical role in their financial education.
SA INC met self-confessed shopaholic, Busisiwe Mthimkhulu, who describes the dire financial situation she found herself in after amassing a lot of debt at various banks and retailers. Bayport consolidated all her loans and she is relieved at being in control of her financial situation once more.
Being a responsible credit provider, Bayport is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives. Not only do they help consumers manage their debt but they also provide them with financial advice, financial education and product education. Through their trusted financial services, Bayport believes that they are contributing to the well-being of their clients and helping them to build a bright future.
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Citadel
Through its philanthropy programmes, Citadel is not only helping its clients reach their dreams but is also facilitating sustainable upliftment and development projects.
The wealth management company, Citadel, is making a sustainable difference in the lives of many through their philanthropy programmes. They do this through the Citadel Philanthropy Foundation (CPF) and the Citadel Talmar Impact Foundation. The CPF is a donor-advised fund which matches donors with sustainable projects that have a huge impact.
One such project is The Principal’s Academy which personally and professionally develops principals from underprivileged schools. This leads to not only empowering their staff members but also the learners. The CPF has also, in partnership with the Ronan Keating Foundation, upgraded the Oncology Unit at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. In Alexandra township, through the Afrika Tikkun Early Childhood Development Centre, the CPF is facilitating the holistic development of pre-schoolers.
SA INC visited the small community of Onseepkans in the Northern Cape where the Citadel Talmar Foundation has enabled the community to grow high-value export raisins. This year, the produce they exported was worth close to R5 million giving the community a renewed sense of hope. Through these programmes, Citadel is not only helping its clients to reach their dreams but is also creating a lasting legacy for many South Africans.
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DBSA
High-quality infrastructure development projects implemented by the DBSA at poor and rural schools not only benefit the learners but also uplifts the entire community.
Historically, schools in the rural and poorer areas of South Africa have had huge challenges in terms of quality infrastructure. Overcrowded classrooms with no desks or cupboards, leaking roofs and compromised structural integrity severely affected the learners’ ability to focus on their studies.
In answer to this, the DBSA, a governmental implementing agent, has been instrumental in improving the facilities at these schools. With funding provided by the Department of Education, the DBSA ensures that professional teams are brought in to renovate, refurbish and build high-quality structures.
SA INC visited the Phalalong Primary School in Limpopo where the old, community-built school has been entirely reconstructed. As a solution to the lack of water at the site, the DBSA facilitated the construction of Enviroloo toilets, thereby eradicating the need for dangerous pit toilets. In addition, members of the community are frequently upskilled and employed on the construction projects, thereby benefitting the economical development of the areas too.
By implementing excellent infrastructure, the DBSA not only provides learners with the opportunity to excel at their studies but also benefits the community as a whole.
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Fedgroup
Fedgroup Impact Farming disrupts investment models by providing a platform through which investors can purchase assets that have a sustainable social and environmental impact.
Impact farming is a global trend that is revolutionising investment profiles. Investors want to ensure that their funds are not merely generating a profit but that they also have a sustainable environmental and social impact. Emulating this movement, Fedgroup, South Africa’s leading independent financial services provider, is disrupting traditional investment models through its Impact Farming app.
Adopting a simplistic iPad approach, the app offers three investment assets – solar panels, blueberry bushes and beehives – which are farmed on the investor’s behalf by skilled farmers. Along with the positive impact it has on the environment, the low barriers to entry make it accessible to anyone from millennials to pensioners.
Furthermore, the effect that impact farming has had on job creation and enterprise development is significant. Small-scale farmers now have the opportunity to scale their operations without having to invest their capital. SA INC met up with beekeeper, Zongezile Jack, whose life has improved considerably since the launch of the app. In the words of Fedgroup CEO, Grant Field, Impact Farming is transparent, it’s simple, and it makes a difference in people’s lives.
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GIDZ
The GIDZ industrial hub facilitates economic development and sustainable employment opportunities through a world-class facility geared for export.
The industrial hub constructed by the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone (GIDZ) at O.R. Tambo International Airport has resulted in a world-class facility with a logistics capacity of close to 40 000 tonnes of airfreight per annum. It focuses not only on the production of export products but also on the creation of sustainable employment opportunities.
The northern precinct of the industrial hub is home to a state-of-the-art agro-processing facility boasting the largest refrigeration system in the southern hemisphere. The strategic partnership between the government and multi-national company, In2Food, has resulted in the establishment of not only 600 jobs but also an additional 5 000 jobs along the value chain.
At the southern precinct of the industrial hub, SA INC visited Design@50, a flagship jewellery manufacturing facility, where young designers are upskilled through high-end technology and 3D printing which is revolutionising the jewellery industry.
Fueled by her optimism for, and belief in, South Africa’s potential, GIDZ CEO, Seipati Mangadi, is, through this industrial hub, enabling sustainable economic development, touching the lives of many South Africans and placing the country firmly on the world stage.
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Hisense
By opening their factory in Atlantis, Hisense has not only created a successful business model but has also instilled the community with a renewed sense of hope.
The Hisense factory in Atlantis, Cape Town, has had a huge impact on the local community. Plagued by gang violence and high unemployment figures, made worse by many factories leaving the area, the community of Atlantis had dire prospects. However, when technology giant, Hisense, opened its manufacturing plant in the area, life in Atlantis improved vastly.
SA INC met Marlon Jacobs, a team leader in the refrigeration department, who says Hisense is one of the biggest companies in Atlantis and employs over 700 people from the area. By transferring skills from specialists in China to the local talent, employees have now been trained to become experts in their fields. Furthermore, by working together as partners and continually learning from each other, they are successfully bridging the cultural divide as well as taking a teamwork approach to problem-solving.
The manufacturing plant is so successful that it has the highest efficiency of all the Hisense plants outside of China. By opening its factory in Atlantis, Hisense has not only created a successful business model but has also instilled in the community of Atlantis a renewed sense of hope.
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Mondelēz
International snack company, Mondeléz, combats malnutrition and obesity and promotes healthy living through their educational and community upliftment projects.
Mondeléz, one of the world’s largest snack companies and home of popular brands such as Cadbury, Stimorol and Chappies, have placed the promotion of healthy living high on its agenda. As an emerging country, South Africa is battling the paradox between malnutrition and obesity and a recent study has shown that it is, actually, the unhealthiest country in the world.
As a responsible snack company, Mondeléz is taking this very seriously and is actively working towards combating these statistics. In partnership with INMED Partnerships for Children, they are investing in educational programmes that teach children about nutrition, healthy lifestyles and responsible snacking.
SA INC met Unathi Sihlala, Programme Director of INMED, who says that, to date, their programmes have reached more than 140,00 children and about 2,000 educators. They have also seen an astonishing forty per cent decrease in obesity in learners. In addition to educational programmes, the partnership has also resulted in aquaculture and hydroponics projects which supply communities with healthy, organic food. True to their mantra of Snacking Made Right, Mondeléz is proud of being afforded the platform to make an impact on healthy living in South Africa.
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Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Learning Academy facilitates economic stability through skills development and job creation whilst elevating innovation and stringent production standards.
The Mercedes-Benz Learning Academy in East London is adding significant value to the region in terms of skills development, job creation and economic stability. Mercedes-Benz is renowned for quality and innovation and requires a highly-skilled workforce to maintain its stringent production standards. With unemployment rates in East London between 30% and 40%, the Learning Academy not only produces the calibre of artisan Mercedes-Benz requires but is also flooding the job market with exceedingly employable graduates.
The Learning Academy offers a shop floor skills programme for unemployed school leavers, five different apprenticeship programmes and incredibly advanced training technology. The plant itself employs about 3,000 people. It’s an award-winning facility which produces approximately 100,000 vehicles per annum, both for the local and export markets.
Furthermore, with most of Mercedes-Benz’s suppliers operating from the East London Industrial Development Zone, the Learning Academy is now adding unbelievable value in terms of what the region can offer to manufacturers. Through the learning academy, they are painting a global picture of excellence, not just for Mercedes-Benz but also for South Africa as a whole.
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Motus
Road safety, community upliftment and skills development programmes enable Motus Corporation to positively impact the lives of millions of South Africans.
Road safety sits high on the agenda for Motus Corporation Limited, South Africa’s leading automotive group. Motivated by the country’s shocking road fatality statistics, Motus is actively working towards implementing sustainable programmes to invert the rising death toll. Through their entertaining school Road Safety Awareness Campaign, they are empowering children who, in turn, educate their parents and they have, to date, touched the lives of a staggering 1.4 million children.
Continuing the theme of community upliftment, Motus is also investing in a comprehensive literacy programme through the 35 library resource centres they have constructed, mostly in poverty-stricken areas. In addition to children learning to read, teachers can access electronic CAPS-related content to augment their lesson plans.
For Motus, skills development is not just undertaken at a school level. SA INC visited the Motus Training Academy where youngsters from disadvantaged communities, like Bronwyn Michaels from Blikkiesdorp in Delft, receive artisan training along with the skills to successfully enter the job market. Through road safety, community and skills development programmes, Motus is facilitating a legacy of success for millions of South Africans.
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Oceana
Through its community empowerment and training initiatives, Oceana is not only expanding its growth in the global fishing arena but also playing a significant role in society.
Oceana, the home of Lucky Star, is the largest fishing company in Africa and distributes its products to over 46 countries globally. Its philosophy is to not only add value to its investors but also to make a positive impact in the communities in which it operates, which they do in several ways.
Firstly, by investing in a desalination plant at their factory in St Helena Bay and ensuring that their internationally caught fish stock gets processed at the factory, they have secured jobs and increased the output of the factory.
Secondly, they are benefitting communities through the Oceana Empowerment Trust which represents about 2,500 black beneficiaries. #SAINC met Buzelwa Mqeni who says with the early payout she received she was able to purchase a house and move out of the shack she shared with her husband and two children.
Lastly, through its South Africanisation programme, Oceana focuses on transferring skills to unemployed youth by training them on the Desert Diamond, the country’s biggest fishing vessel. Through all these initiatives, Oceana is not only expanding its growth in the global fishing arena but is also playing a significant role in South African society.
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Plascon
Plascon is serious about transformation and believes that through sustainable education initiatives, businesses can not only transform themselves but also South Africa as a whole.
Education lies at the core of Plascon’s development initiatives. As the leading paint company in South Africa, they aim to inspire people into reaching their full potential. One way they accomplish this is with their internal bursary scheme. Through this scheme, bursaries are offered to deserving employees which allows them to study further and advance their careers.
#SAINC met Boitumelo Moatshe, a single mom of two whose bursary is allowing her to study credit management. Her hard work and dedication are, in turn, inspiring her daughter to work hard at her studies too. Boitumelo’s daughter is herself benefitting from one of Plascon’s education initiatives. The company offers funding to employees which assists with school fees, books and uniforms and sets the stage for the bright futures of these children.
A third way Plascon is boosting education is through their CSI initiatives. By donating paint to the Aitsa! Aftercare Centre and the Pebbles Hemel-en-Aarde Project, Plascon facilitates the creation of safe and colourful spaces in which children can thrive. Plascon is serious about transformation and believes that by doing the right thing, the business can not only transform companies but also South Africa as a whole.
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SAB Foundation
Through the promotion of entrepreneurship, the SAB Foundation not only expands the South African economy but is also instrumental in the creation of thousands of jobs.
The promotion of entrepreneurship in South Africa has a very positive effect not only on the economy but also on job creation. However, many of the entrepreneurs in South Africa come from backgrounds where they have no access to capital. In answer to this, the SAB Foundation was set up with the very specific mandate of benefitting entrepreneurs in South Africa, specifically those who provide solutions to social problems.
#SAINC met two passionate young entrepreneurs who are enthusiastic about creating a social impact. Nthato Moagi of CRSP DSGN teaches robotics and coding to children from low-income schools to prepare them for the fourth industrial revolution. Bathabile Mpofu of Nkazimulo Applied Sciences provides portable science kits to schools where there are no science labs thereby enabling kids to do experiments.
The Foundation supports entrepreneurs not just through the provision of funding but also by providing business support and mentorship. From supporting rural bakers and food gardens to a recruitment agency for deaf people, the Foundation was also instrumental in the creation of over 3,300 jobs. They see the support of entrepreneurship as not only having significant potential for scale and replication but also as an incredible opportunity to make a long-term difference.
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Shell
Through Shell’s transformation programmes, it is empowering people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and is actively contributing to the economy through nation-building.
Transformation lies at the core of what petroleum giant, Shell, believes will enable progress in South Africa. By developing entrepreneurs, Shell not only uplifts these individuals but also the communities from which they come. They achieve this through programmes which train and empower previously disadvantaged people within their business and which provide them with the skills and resources to empower other people themselves.
#SAINC met Andrew Molefe who is a great example of empowerment in action. Andrew started working at Shell as a petrol attendant 34 years ago. He worked himself up through the ranks and today runs his own service station. Shell assisted him with setting up his business and creating awareness around it in the community. Because of this, Andrew is a wonderful role model and inspiration to his employees.
Shell believes that, in the South African context, businesses can’t just focus on profit. It believes that businesses have to create jobs and contribute to the economy. Through their empowering transformation programmes, Shell is not only uplifting entrepreneurs and their communities but is also actively moving South Africa to a better place.
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The Foschini Group
Through the control of their self-owned supply chain and manufacturing, TFG targets unemployment rates by providing retail-related education and employment opportunities on a large scale.
A big part of The Foschini Group’s success lies in the fact that they control their supply chain and manufacture through the factories that they own. Because of this, they can compete with the best clothing manufacturers in the world. TFG is a speciality retailer that trades through various brands, and they stay ahead by continually investing in all areas of their business.
Specifically, they invest in their people from a training and employment point of view. They have done so by spending almost R600 million on education-related activities over the past five years, training about 220 000 people per year. As a result, they also employ thousands of people every year, not only in their head office but also in their stores, thereby actively targeting South Africa’s high youth unemployment rates.
#SAINC visited Mhinga Village in rural Limpopo where impoverished youth have successfully completed a training programme, and are now employed in TFG stores. This has helped the whole community because in one household there are about six people who are dependent on this income. Through the management of their self-owned supply chain, TFG is changing lives, and growing South Africa in the process.
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Tiger Brands
The Tiger Brands Agriculture Aggregator model is enabling small-scale farmers to form part of its supply chain, thereby transforming the local agricultural sector.
As one of Africa’s biggest food manufacturers, Tiger Brands is extremely reliant on agricultural produce for its inputs. However, their high tonnage delivery requirements have, in the past, made it very difficult for small-scale farmers to form part of their supply chain. Yet, through the Tiger Brands Agriculture Aggregator model, the company is enabling farmers to supply them with produce.
By aggregating small-scale farmers into collectives, they are now able to meet the capacity and quality requirements of Tiger Brands. Furthermore, the company provides them with input finance, grain, technical and business development support, thereby ensuring their commercial success. In the Western Cape, the For Farmers project combines the first ten black wheat and oat farmers to ever be part of Tiger Brands’ supply chain. #SAINC met farmer Thomas Skietekat who says that, without Tiger Brands’ assistance, they would not have been able to plant their crops this year.
In Taung, North West, the Baphuduhucwana Production Incubator has grown its farmland from eight hectares to over 700 hectares. The provision of the right cultivars, interest-free loans, as well as market access, has resulted in these farmers making a profit from the start. Through their aggregator model, Tiger Brands is not only ensuring economical development but is also transforming the agriculture sector in South Africa.
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Total
Longstanding relationships form the cornerstone of Total’s corporate social investment strategy and have resulted in huge successes within SANParks and arts and culture initiatives.
The cornerstone of Total’s corporate social investment strategy is to ensure that they nurture longstanding relationships which result in lasting growth and sustainability. A leading oil and gas company, Total have been involved with SANParks for over 60 years and with the Sibikwa Arts Centre for over 20 years.
Due to the considerable escalation in poaching, especially rhino poaching, 85% of the SANParks Air-wing’s aerial support missions are in support of anti-poaching initiatives. However, one of the biggest challenges of such an operation is the high costs, of which fuel costs form a third. In answer to this, Total is sponsoring Air-wing with fuel, jet fuel, and avgas to the value of R4.5 million. #SAINC met Chief Pilot, Jaco Mol, who says that Total’s backing has ensured a huge boost in the efficiency of their operation.
Another project which has benefitted from an investment by Total is the Saturday Arts Academy at the Sibikwa Art Centre. Sibikwa provides young people from impoverished backgrounds the platform to study arts, culture and music. The success of these young people is seen by Total as a tremendous return on their investment. Through their corporate social investment, Total is not only uplifting communities but is also continuing its legacy of lasting impact.
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Volvo
The Volvo Iron Women heavy-duty truck driving school is providing education and employment opportunities which are uplifting women and their communities.
South Africa has about 14,000 road deaths per year. Volvo’s heavy-duty truck driving school, Iron Women, is actively working towards changing these figures. The Iron Women programme is aimed at training women to become heavy-duty truck drivers. This is because, statistically, women are more responsible drivers. They are involved in fewer traffic accidents, use less fuel and brakes and, therefore, reduce maintenance costs. For this reason, women heavy-duty truck drivers not only improve business for Volvo’s customers but also save lives on the road.
#SAINC met Rirhandzu Baloyi, a new qualified heavy-duty truck driver. She, and many of her classmates from the Commercial Transport Academy, were unemployed before Volvo stepped in. By providing training and employment opportunities, Volvo empowers these women and also uplifts their families and communities.
The values of the Volvo Group are around gender diversity, transformation and acceptance of all. Hence, it also offers an apprentice programme where previously disadvantaged youth are trained as technicians and then employed in its business. As a result, Volvo’s Iron Women truck driving school and apprentice programmes are leaving this world in better shape for the next generation.
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