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Vinpro chairman receives prestigious Pon van Zyl trophy

The South African Young Wine Show awarded Anton Smuts, chairman of the wine industry body Vinpro, the prestigious Pon van Zyl trophy for his valuable contribution to the Robertson Wine Valley.

Anton received this accolade during the show’s regional awards ceremony at De Wetshof Estate earlier this week. “There are many people who have done a lot for the valley and its producers, but Anton has dedicated his career towards growing the industry,” said Johann de Wet of De Wetshof during the ceremony.

Apart from being a successful farmer in his own right, Anton has been involved in promoting the interests of wine producers and the community at large ever since he was a young man. He was lauded for his great passion for the Robertson region and its people, the fact that he always advocated for better prices at farm gate, his involvement in marketing the region and for setting high standards as an exemplary diplomat.

Anton has been Vinpro’s board member for the Robertson region since 2004, and was elected as chairman in 2016. He is also the chairman of Bonnievale Cellar, serves on the boards of Winetech and BBK and was part of the Robertson Wine Valley management team. He has also been honoured as an outstanding wine grape farmer.

“There are not many leaders in our industry who are held in such high esteem by their peers as Anton,” said Johann. “We thank him and his team at Vinpro for the crucial role they’ve played as industry advocates, in what has been one of the most challenging years in our industry’s history.”

The South African Young Wine Show, dating back to 1833, gives winemakers the opportunity to showcase the best wines of the current vintage. The eight participating wine regions are Robertson, Worcester/Breedekloof, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Oranje-Vaal, Olifants River, Swartland and Little Karoo.

The Robertson region awards the Pon van Zyl trophy to someone who, according to the committee that comprises of all of the previous winners, have made a positive contribution to the Robertson Wine Valley’s wine industry. Pon van Zyl served as Robertson Winery’s first winemaker and took Robertson from its humble beginnings to where it is today. The inaugural Pon van Zyl trophy was handed to Danie de Wet in 1987. Since then numerous esteemed wine industry role players have been awarded this trophy for their outstanding service to the Robertson region.

Africa Travel Week draws focus on the African Diaspora Traveller

  • Africa Travel Week highlights market segment of African Diaspora travellers predicted to be the first to rebound as restrictions ease.
  • To foster industry connection, recovery and inclusivity, EQUAL Africa will run alongside World Travel Market (WTM Africa), from 07-09 April 2021 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Cape Town, 30 September 2020 – “We are all things. We enjoy cultural activities; we are luxury travellers; we are adventure travellers; we have accessibility needs; we are members of the LGBTQ+ community; we are baby boomers; we are millennials; and the list goes on and on.” So says Naledi K. Khabo, CEO of Africa Tourism Association and moderator of Africa Travel Week’s (ATW) recent virtual masterclass entitled The African Diaspora Traveller.

With African Diaspora travellers predicted to be one of the first to rebound as travel restrictions ease, ATW is hard at work creating opportunities for the travel and tourism industry to authentically connect to this diverse, yet often-overlooked, market segment.

“Often singularly focussed on Black travellers within the US market, the African Diaspora encompasses people from all over the world, with diverse backgrounds, and a vast spectrum of preferences and interests,” says Martin Hiller, Content & Creative Director: Travel, Tourism & Creative Industries.

“Using our global network, we secured a panel of five leading experts to discuss practical ways to make African travel experiences more inclusive for the African Diaspora.”

The virtual masterclass discussion highlighted channels through which operators and marketers can connect to the African Diaspora traveller which has largely been captivated by the world of social media.

“From the discussion we learnt that platforms like Instagram, Facebook and even Twitter, are easier to find images and content that reflects what Black travellers want to see, but there is differentiation across these platforms as well. Instagram and its cohort of influencers trend younger, while Facebook and its group magnetism attract an older crowd,” adds Hiller.

On the masterclass panel was Paula Franklin, Co-founder of Franklin Bailey, who explained that travel content should address the fact that not everyone shares the same travel experience.

“Whether they’re male or female, able-bodied or differently-abled, extrovert or introvert, and indeed, Black or any other race – you are going to experience a destination differently,” she explained.

“Throw some colour into your marketing material. Advertise in a few Black-owned media companies. Pay a few Black influencers. It doesn’t actually need to take a lot of effort, just a more considered approach,” she says.

Also on the panel was Mimi Mmabatho Selemela, Curator and Director at MM CONNECT and designer of the Johannesburg Experience for Travel Noire, who affirmed that working with Black-owned businesses throughout the value chain also matters to some clients and being intentional with travel spend can make a big difference in the long run.

While supporting Black-owned businesses is one way that the African Diaspora can travel with intentionality, she affirmed that it really comes down to delivering on that fundamental aspect of travel – connection.

To foster that message and to encourage diversity within the industry, African Travel Week is gearing up with plans for EQUAL Africa set to run alongside sister show, World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa), from 07-09 April 2021 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

“EQUAL Africa 2021 will form an important meeting point for global buyers and African travel product exhibitors,” explains Hiller.

“It’s an opportunity to learn about the multitude of niche market sectors as well as furthering important conversations about inclusive and accessible travel into Africa as our industry recovers,” he concludes.

For more information on EQUAL Africa and Africa Travel Week’s Meetings & Masterclasses visit: https://atwconnect.com/

 

A post Covid-19 world – the implications for management and leadership development (Part 1)

At the end of January 2020, I was on my way to Sweden to speak at a conference. We were aware of the novel Coronavirus outbreak in China, but it seemed contained and far enough away that we didn’t have to be concerned.  On our way over, we spent time in airport lounges, had coffee and croissants for breakfast at Charles de Gaulle and wiled away our time watching people come and go. Very few wore masks. Everything was “normal”.

Two weeks later, on our way back to South Africa, things were different. There were known cases in parts of Europe, we were more aware, but not yet concerned enough to consider wearing masks. We stocked up on extra hand sanitizer and flew back home without much change in behavior. About six weeks later the world was in lockdown.

I think it is safe to say that for most of us this has been a completely novel situation. It is not a so-called Black Swan, Nassim Taleb’s (1) famous metaphor for a low-probability, high-impact event. It was certainly high-impact, but not low-probability. The World Health Organisation (WHO) tracked 1,483 epidemics in 172 countries between 2011-2018 and there has been significant epidemics every two to four years. In September 2019, the WHO put out a press release stating: “World at Risk from Deadly Pandemics” (2). They predicted “an outbreak equivalent to the 1918 influenza pandemic could kill an estimated 50 [million] to 80 million people… wiping out nearly five percent of the global economy.”

In the 2020 World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report (3), infectious diseases were cited as one of the leading risks. Covid-19 was not an unknown unknown, the only thing unknown about this pandemic were its exact timing, shape and impact.

Why then did we find ourselves entirely unprepared?

Since the end of the second world war, the world has experienced a period of unusual stability. Humans have never been comfortable with uncertainty, but previous generations who lived through the two world wars, the 1918 influenza pandemic and the great depression, understood uncertainty and instability as a normal part of life. Most of the people alive today have not had that same experience. As Diego Espinosa says: “We have outsourced our relationship with uncertainty to certainty merchants.”

Over the last few decades, a dominant narrative emerged that equates “normal” to stability, predictability and certainty. We acknowledge instability and uncertainty but see them as temporary states that we must endure until we can return to “normal”. That language permeates our news feeds right now: what is the “new normal”?  what is the “next normal”? The question on everyone’s minds is “when can we go back to some form of normalcy” and what they mean is: When will things settle back into some form of stability, predictability and certainty?

What most of us (and I include myself in this statement) are struggling with, is accepting that the stability of the past few decades was abnormal and that the uncertainty we face right now is normal. This pandemic will not be our last, and the impact of climate change is an even bigger unknown. We need to reacquaint ourselves with uncertainty, and even befriend it.

I have been working in the field of applied complexity for nearly two decades. For most of that time, my message was seen as “interesting”, something to create some disruption and stretch people’s minds at corporate events. Decision-makers realized that the world is complex and sometimes uncertain, but their reality, although fast-paced and disruptive, was still pretty “normal” so they saw uncertainty as something they could choose to engage with, in a world with many certainties. The year 2020 has given us all a masterclass in uncertainty, complexity and non-linearity.

It has become abundantly clear just how entangled and complex our world is. Viruses (whether biological, digital or idea viruses) spread through our interconnected world at lightning speed. Our extreme focus on efficiency over the last few decades have led to over-optimized systems, whose brittleness was exposed virtually overnight.

For example, whereas in the past most organizations had some redundancy in their supply chains, now many companies found themselves reliant on single suppliers half a world away and suddenly inaccessible. Cities had less than a week’s food supply, pharmaceutical companies couldn’t access key ingredients to manufacture medication. Our striving for ever more profit and ever more efficiency has led to a near total loss of resilience.

Even if we were able to restore the ways and systems of the pre-Covid “normal”, it leaves us in a state of paradox. The very systems we depend on for our survival, the food production systems, economic systems, energy systems and transport systems we are so desperately trying to restore, are the same systems that brought us where we are. They are toxic, leading to the mass destruction of natural habitats that bring us into closer contact with wild animals, leading to greater potential for pandemics; pumping tons of pollution into the atmosphere, acidifying oceans, raising global temperatures. We are in a double bind, we are damned if we save these old systems, and damned if we don’t.

Whereas in the past we dealt with known and even unknown unknowns, we now find ourselves in the space of unknowable unknowns. We can no longer afford to be subject to old narratives and old meanings. We are in completely uncharted territory. In the words of Abraham Lincoln: “we need to think anew and act anew”.

In Part 2, we will explore the implications of this for leaders and decision-makers through the lens of the Cynefin™ sense-making framework.

The UFS Business School recognises the challenges posed to management and leadership by the times we live in. This has led to the design of our Future Fitness approach to management and leadership development.

The Core Idea – Future Fit Management & Leadership

  • Our Value Proposition will enable decision-makers and leaders to become complexity- and future-fit.
  • Focusing on meta-skills that will ensure adaptive capacity, and the ability to respond to increasing turbulence.
  • With exponential change, technical skills and best practices have short-lived and limited value. Our programmes will aim to fundamentally shift how participants see and make sense of their contexts and equip them with meta-skills such as curiosity, learning agility, sense-making and adaptive intelligence.

Our view on Future Fit Management & Leadership

Being a Future Fit Manager or Leader will require the development of the following fitness areas:

Digital Fitness – For managers and leaders, the key to digital readiness lies in creating awareness and stimulating interest in and preference for the digital way.

People Fitness – Self-development and appreciation lies at the heart of appreciating the value and potential that lies in diversity.

Customer Fitness – Mindsets for growth and agility is required to keep the customer at the centre of all innovation and design processes as we adapt to an ever-changing environment.

Strategic Fitness – Doing the right things and doing them right.

Functional Fitness – Developing the required technical, managerial skills.

Complexity Fitness – The ability to take on a Complexity view on all the Fitness Areas discussed above. Complexity and sense-making as “new language”, enables decision-makers and senior leaders to ensure adaptive capacity, and the ability to respond to increasing turbulence.

Please visit the UFS Business School website for online programmes available, or contact Ansie Barnard: Barnardam@ufs.ac.za

Strategic Partnering

As one of South Africa’s thought leaders in the applied complexity, Sonja Blignaut has teamed up with the UFS Business School for purposes of developing a range of short learning programmes in applied complexity and to facilitate the development of a Complexity View on a Future Fit Management and Leadership Development value proposition.

Sonja is a thinking partner for leaders, change-makers (individuals and teams) who need to lead in uncertainty; enable strategic agility and create future-fit organisations. She co-creates and delivers fit-for-context interventions to enable responsive and adaptive organisations.

Sonja also looks after the global Cognitive Edge network and is the South African partner for Prof Dave Snowden’s company Cognitive Edge for over a decade (Wales, USA, Singapore, UK, Netherlands, Brazil). She teaches locally and internationally on Complexity, Cynefin™ and enabling adaptive organisations. Sonja is certified in various individual and systemic coaching methods and a sought-after speaker, with experience at various conferences locally and internationally, including TEDx.

Sources:

1. Black Swan. Taleb, N. 2007
2. GPMB Press Realease 18 September 2019
3. WEF – The Global Risks Report 2020
4. A leader’s framework for decision making. Snowden & Boone, 2007, Harvard Business Review
5. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organisation and the World. Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M., 2009.

The attraction of Guernsey for private wealth

Lighthouse in St. Peter Port Harbour, Guernsey.

Guernsey may be a small jurisdiction – 25 square miles in size, 63 000 people living in the island – but it is one which is perfectly formed for private wealth.

Guernsey operates under a constitutional arrangement with our near neighbours the UK. It dates back some 800 years in history to the reign of King John and the Magna Carta, which gives us the authority and autonomy to create and enforce our own laws. So we can innovate, and do so quickly.

This means that the island’s government, called the States of Guernsey, and industry, can work together to introduce appropriate laws which can ensure that we keep our excellent reputation, and develop a platform for our wealth management industry to best meet the needs of a sophisticated and discerning client base.

We have been an international finance centre now since the 1960s, founded on private wealth, initially with offshore banking, moving to more bespoke structuring.

Guernsey is home to a mature banking sector with substantial presence, comprised of international private and retail banks.

One of the initial drivers was tax. Guernsey offers a tax neutral regime, with a zero rate of tax for corporate entities, and no Capital Gains Tax or Inheritance Tax.

But private wealth structures in the island today are about much more than tax, and have become increasingly sophisticated to meet the demands of today’s high net worth individuals.

Trusts have been established in Guernsey for more than 150 years. The trust is, in origin, an English law concept, so that is quite unusual when you consider that much of Guernsey customary law is derived from French Norman Law.

Much more recently we introduced the Guernsey Foundation, another tool for high net worth individuals to use, either alongside or instead of trusts. This move was made particularly for those jurisdictions with a civil law background, such as the Middle East. Many Guernsey foundations are used for philanthropy.

Who uses Guernsey private wealth structures? It is almost easier to list who does not. In the Middle East Guernsey trusts and foundations enable foreign settlors to pass assets down the generations without having to contend with forced-heirship regimes.

The South African market typically chooses Guernsey to protect assets from uncertainty and volatility at home. But now South African family structures and succession planning needs have evolved, families today are more globally mobile, and asset protection is not necessarily the only driver.

We have a number of traditional markets, such as the UK and many countries in Western Europe. With economic stability an increasing concern for policymakers, who have placed many of our competitors on blacklists, Europeans are particularly drawn to our whitelisted status for economic substance.

Increased complexity, costs and regulatory demands mean clients are looking for a holistic solution for managing the financial and other affairs of wealthy families across a range of services and multiple jurisdictions. This, coupled with the generational shift taking place with the transfer of wealth to the next generation, means that attitudes, expectations and preferences are changing.

The substance and reputation of the jurisdiction in which their private wealth is being managed is increasingly of concern, particularly in light of potential data breaches and reputational damage to high profile individuals or families.

Guernsey has become a centre of excellence for family offices. Local providers have seen clients streamlining and consolidating their structures into a single jurisdiction to simplify the complex, and choosing Guernsey.

Guernsey has for several years had a very strong relationship with South Africa. Many South Africans live and work on the island and there are several well-respected South African firms that have established themselves in Guernsey. In recent years those relationships have strengthened across all sectors of financial services.

We are innovative, forward-thinking, and most definitely not resting on our laurels as we seek to meet the ever-changing needs of high and ultra-high net worth clients and their families.

Musina Makhado SEZ (MMSEZ) SOC launches a new corporate identity

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) SOC unveiled its new corporate identity at a function on the 17th September 2020. The launch of the new corporate identity takes place at a critical point in the history of the country, where business and government are searching for sustainable economic recovery initiatives from the aftermath of the debilitating Covid-19 lockdown.

Special Economic Zones (SEZ) have in the recent past emerged as strategic platform to spur industrialisation, job creation, technology transfer and economic growth in various countries across the globe.

“The MMSEZ has positioned itself as a platform to revitalise the Limpopo economy through industrialisation. Our focus is to generate the much-needed base-load electricity, establish a metallurgical complex, develop a manufacturing hub, enhance agro-processing and to develop a regional logistics centre. The close proximity of the Beit Bridge border post and abundance of mineral and agricultural resources gives the MMSEZ a competitive advantage”, said Lehlogonolo Masoga, MMSEZ Chief Executive Officer.

The occasion was also attended by the MEC of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism Thabo Mokone and the VhaVenda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana.

In his address to the gathering, Mokone said: “We are pleased that finally the province has established a capable and agile entity seized with a mandate to implement the MMSEZ. Our ambition is not just to build an industrial park but rather to use the SEZ as a catalyst to unlock a plethora of other economic opportunities, including the potential of realising a new Smart City in our province.”

The MEC further indicated that the SEZ will prioritise entrepreneurial and SMMEs development and empowerment. During their respective addresses at the launch, both Sello Mahlo of the Limpopo United Business Forum and Albert Jeleni of the Vhembe Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed their appreciation for the commitment displayed by the Limpopo Government and said they were eager for project to reach the implementation milestone. For Mahlo, the project also spells the real prospect of creating black industrialists.

As the MMSEZ development is expected to accelerate industrial diversification of the province and the Vhembe district, Ramabulana has committed to working closely with the government to ensure that the development of the SEZ is a success.

The Council for Geoscience launches the Karoo Deep Drilling research project

From left to right: the KDD project leader Mr Ngqondi Nxokwana, CGS Executive Manager: Corporate Services Dr Jonty Tshipa, CGS CEO Mr Mosa Mabuza, CGS Chairman: Dr Humphrey Mathe, PASA CEO: Dr Phindile Masangane, VP PetroSA: Mr Bongani Sayidini,

The Council for Geoscience (CGS) is proud to officially launch phase two of the Karoo Deep Drilling and Geo-environmental Baseline Project (KDD) in Beaufort West, Western Cape. The KDD is a geoscientific research project in the Karoo Basin by the CGS to conduct investigations aimed at developing a geo-environmental baseline model.

The research’s special focus is aimed at assessing the potential environmental impacts that could be brought about by shale gas development in the Karoo.

This launch comes at the back of very successful consultations with the communities in Beaufort West and extensive research conducted by the CGS during phase one. Speaking at the launch, CEO of CGS Mr Mosa Mabuza noted with gratitude the progress and consensus reached through these consultations, “I am proud to announce that today, the government through the CGS and the Karoo Deep Drilling Project enjoy generous support and cooperation from the leadership of the Central Karoo District and the Beaufort West Local municipalities, the local political leadership and the community at large. That is what makes this momentous launch something that we all can be proud of and look forward to it yielding the positive and beneficial outcomes for all.”

The KDD – announced in 2016 and mandated by the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy (DMRE) with the aim to provide scientific evidence to inform policy development and regulatory framework on shale gas exploration and extraction – is seen as a possible game changer for the Karoo region and the South African economy.

This outlook is based on the projected potential to explore and extract shale gas, and also provide an opportunity for the country to begin exploring the production of its own fuel. The United States Energy Information Administration estimates that South Africa has the eighth-largest shale gas reserves in the world at 485-trillion cubic feet.

Akin to the Chinese proverb, ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children,’ – the CGS recognises shale gas as a possible game changer for the Karoo region, in particular to benefit the residents of Beaufort West and the South African economy. In this regard, the CGS with the support of all stakeholders is proceeding with phase two.

Preparing the drill rig for launch. The drill rig, operated by Major Drilling, that will be used for the drilling of ultra-deep (3,5 km) borehole.

Through this research project, the CGS will establish a geo-environmental baseline, put in place environmental monitoring mechanisms and support the state with the formulation and implementation of evidence based regulatory framework for shale gas development in South Africa. The activities in phase two are expected to last for the next 10-12 months, including the drilling of an ultra-deep borehole down to 3 500 m.

Although the announcement was met with some resistance from a number of communities and non-governmental organisations in the Karoo, significant research and extensive consultations with these community representatives have led to the progress of this project which has already proven beneficial in the early stages. The drilling of the deep borehole commences today and the Beaufort West Local Municipality, on behalf of its community has given the project a thumbs up.

The Beaufort West Local Municipality Mayor, Councillor Noël Constable said, “We have taken the time and effort to engage with all affected sectors of our community, and we are comfortable in the assurances by the CGS that this project provides promise and potential for shale gas development in the Karoo region. The most important factor for us is the safety and preservation of land as well as the upliftment of our communities in Beaufort West.”

The initial drilling stages of the project have already proven beneficial to the community. During the KDD Project’s first stage of the drilling phase – five 169 m deep shallow observation wells – in November 2017, two of them have the capacity to yield significant amounts of good groundwater of up to 33 million litres a month. This discovery coincided with the unprecedented drought conditions in the Western Cape area, particularly Beaufort West, which led to a decision to donate the two boreholes to the municipality to alleviate this humanitarian crisis. The official hand-over of the boreholes took place on 13 February 2018, and to date the municipality has pumped and distributed 397 million litres to the people of Beaufort West. The municipality continues to pump sustainably from the two boreholes.

“This initiative will continue throughout the project lifecycle so that the people of Beaufort West feel part of the project. As such, feedback sessions will be conducted on a regular basis to keep the stakeholders abreast of all developments,” concluded Mr Mabuza.

Find more information about the project:
https://www.geoscience.org.za/index.php/projects-footer/754-the-karoo-deep-drilling-project

Office and industrial space available in central South African province

Industrial space is available in Special Economic Zones and Industrial Parks in the Free State.

Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park

Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park is strategically located in the Eastern Free State and 40 km away from the N5 and N3 highways. The park is on the border between the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

The Park is situated within the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality. It is owned and managed by the Free State Development Corporation (FDC), which is the official agency responsible for driving economic development in the Free State Province.

The Park is divided into industrial estates, i.e. factory units, which are further divided into small and large units. Small units range from 50 m² to 499 m² while the large units are 500 m² and above in size. These factories are mainly rented for manufacturing and service industries and to a lesser extent retail (wholesaling) and warehousing (storage). There are a total of 296 factories in the Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park.

The Industrial Park occupies a total of 257 360 m² gross land area, with approximately 62% occupancy rate and 185 companies. It has one of the biggest local employers in the CMT sector, employing 1 200 local people, of which more than 90% are women. It is a major economic hub of the district, with varied businesses located in the park.

The municipality provides services such as water and electricity, and the infrastructure is owned by the municipality. There is more than 120 000 m² of vacant land and 112 vacant factories (large and small).

Sectors include textiles, plastic products, manufacturing, construction, food and snacks.

Botshabelo Industrial Park

The Botshabelo Industrial Park is situated approximately 60 km from the economic hub on the eastern side of the Mangaung Metro. The industrial area was developed in 1985 with the assistance of DBSA.

The Botshabelo Industrial Park boasts manufacturing and service companies in the textiles, electrical, plastic production, poultry, food and snack sectors. Currently it provides employment to an estimated 7 519 people, of which the majority are women. Mangaung and Maluti-A-Phofung form part of the distressed regions and were declared as one of the Presidential nodal areas that require development.

Botshabelo Industrial Park was the first to receive phase 1 and phase 2 of the revitalisation programme. The initiation of the revitalisation programme has had some impact and has seen an increase in investment within the park. The Park has 144 operating factories. The total capital investment has been around R755-million.

Factory sizes range from 500 m² to 2 500 m². The Park also has an incubator centre known as the Small Business Park.

Office and industrial space available

Free State Development Corporation (FDC) offers a wide range of spacious and affordable rental space for SMMEs.

There are opportunities to rent factory space at Free State Development Corporation properties in Botshabelo, Phuthaditjhaba and Industriqwa.

The FDC offers affordable rental space, ranging from massive stand-alone industrial buildings, office blocks and shopping centres, to loose single-tenant commercial buildings situated in rural areas to suit different needs.

Industrial portfolio

  • Industrial building: Mainly stand-alone industrial-type buildings designed for manufacturing and/or warehouse purposes.
  • Large factories (>500 m²): Consists of mainly standard and custom-built factories used for manufacturing, service industries and warehousing.
  • Small industrial units (<300 m²): Standard units in small industrial parks and incubators designed for incubation of start-up manufacturing and/or service-industry activities.
  • Warehouses: Buildings occupied by businesses servicing the broader economic base that is utilised for storage and distribution.
  • Factory shops: Manufacturing entities utilising industrial space to sell own products to the general public.
  • Wholesalers/retailers: Community projects in the manufacturing and service sectors, serving the broader economic base, targeting ownership in historically disadvantaged communities. Ownership and control must be widely based in such communities rather than by an individual member of such communities.
  • Vacant land: Serviced or unserviced land zoned for commercial and industrial use.

Commercial portfolio

This portfolio is divided into urban and rural areas and typically consists of the following: shopping centres, office blocks, market stalls, kiosks and containers.

Industrial incentives
  • Rental holiday of up to six months.
Black Economic Empowerment

The following concessions may be granted to businesses with more than 50% black ownership:

  • Discount of 10% on normal rental rates.
  • An additional 2% for women-owned businesses, where women have more than 50% shareholding.
  • Additional 2% for businesses qualifying as youth-owned entities with more than 50% shareholding belonging to individuals below the age of 35 years.
  • An additional 2% for businesses with more than 25% shareholding belonging to disabled individuals.
  • The concessions may be granted to any business entity and community-based projects will qualify for small industries with a 50% rental holiday for the first year.
  • Rental holidays.

It is our duty to facilitate commercial and industrial activity, assist new investors looking for spacious and affordable premises, and facilitate SMME development, particularly in rural areas.

Look no further than FDC for spacious and affordable, subsidized rental facilities.

Contact the FDC for more information about available space:

[contact-form-7 id=”641″ title=”Free State Development Corporation (FDC)”]

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa announces agenda for joint ‘Digital Energy Festival’

Private sector participation in the energy sector, small-scale hydro and mini grid opportunities, desalination as an option to secure water security and helping SSMEs with a toolkit are just some of the highlights of the Digital African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa agenda in November.

The programme forms part of the upcoming ‘Digital Energy Festival for Africa’ which unites African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Africa Energy Forum and the Oil & Gas Council’s Africa Assembly under one banner, offering an unprecedented five-week tour de force of quality content and engagement on the continent’s largest, all-encompassing digital energy platform.

The ‘Digital Energy Festival’ takes place from 20 October to 26 November 2020.

The digital platform will allow attendees to access content and networking offerings across all three market-leading events with one point of entry, making it the largest ever energy event for the African continent marketed to a combined energy database of over 200,000.

Post-pandemic impact on energy sector

Amidst the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector in Africa, the organisers of the ‘Digital Energy Festival’ seek to address critical issues such as pivoting to digital, new financial models and innovative power generation sources to allow attendees to make decisions and formulate recovery plans.

“It is inspiring to be part of such a unique joint venture with two other leading players in the energy events sector,” says Chanelle Hingston, Power & Energy Group Director at Clarion Events Africa, the organisers of the award-winning African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa conference and exhibition for the last 20 years.

“Each one of us as event organisers has a strong team with a different and distinctive focus on the many-faceted energy sector. For example, we are well known for always gathering world-class experts for our water-focused discussions as part of our event.”

She adds: “Since the start of the pandemic we have had to postpone our live event twice but, along with our partners and customers, we have fully embraced the digital tools available to us to keep the conversation going. As we proclaimed recently: “The show will go on,” and being part of the ‘Digital Energy Festival’ is a continuation of celebrating and supporting our continent’s power and energy professionals, projects and pioneers. We look forward to engaging with our long-standing partners online again and also welcoming new faces to our platform.”

Topic and speaker highlights of Digital African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa programme include:
Tuesday, 24 November, 2020:
  • Opening Keynote Address: Private sector participation in the African power sector
  • Host ministerial address: Fireside discussion with Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa*
  • Host utility address: Fireside discussion with André de Ruyter, Group Chief Executive, Eskom, South Africa*
  • Small scale hydro opportunities in East Africa
Wednesday, 25 November, 2020:
  • Building resilient incomes to ensure sustainable business models
  • Decentralised desalination versus a centralised water system
Thursday, 26 November, 2020:
  • Utility guide for pivoting to digital
  • How do you start a career or decide areas to upskill during this period of flux?
The programme is available on the event website: https://www.african-utility-week.com/digital/virtual-programme

The full programme for the ‘Digital Energy Festival for Africa’ will be available on 24 September.

Joburg Indaba 2020: Agenda Release

The 2020 Joburg Indaba is taking place in just 5 weeks’ time on 7th & 8th October as an online discussion. Chaired by Bernard Swanepoel, it will bring together influential CEOs, investors, government, industry experts and thought leaders who will participate in frank, open conversations about all matters relating to the mining industry.

Secure your place by registering here.
This year we are delighted to announce the participation of:
  • The Honourable Minister Gwede Mantashe who will be giving an address on the morning of 8th October.
  • André de Ruyter, CEO of Eskom, will be speaking at the Joburg Indaba for the very first time, engaging with the industry on the way forward to ensure security of energy supply.
We are honoured to welcome a truly international line-up of some of the most senior and influential figures in the mining industry, including:
  • Mark Cutifani, who will be giving the Opening Keynote Address on the morning of 7th October
  • Mark Bristow, who will give us a global perspective on Gold in 2020 and beyond
  • And South African Resources Legend, Sir Mick Davis, who will share his experiences and journey in the industry over many years.
From the investment world, our international investor panel will include:

Charl P. de M. Malan of Van Eck, New York; Evy Hambro of BlackRock, London and Douglas Upton of Capital Global, London who will share their perspectives on mining investment in the current economy.

Olivia Markham, Managing Director, Natural Resources, BlackRock, London will chair a highly anticipated conversation on capital allocation, which will include Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan (Venkat) and Mike Fraser.

Heavyweight mining CEOs and industry leaders who are taking part include Mxolisi Mgojo, Neal Froneman, Mike Teke, Themba Mkhwanazi, Natascha Viljoen, Nico Muller, Christine Ramon, Lucky Kgatle, July Ndlovu, Dr Nombasa Tsengwa, Peter Steenkamp, Nolitha Fakude, Deshnee Naidoo, André Joubert, Mpumi Zikalala, Adv. Thandi Orleyn, Roger Baxter, Dr Martyn Davies, Sandile Zungu and many more.

The full speaker list is available here.

Crucial topics that will be discussed this year include:
  • The world’s economy post Covid-19: Where are we now?
  • What has been the impact of the pandemic on mining companies and the way forward?
  • The Northern Cape: is this the new frontier in mining?
  • How will PGMs benefit from a green economy in a post Covid-19 world?
  • How are companies responding to an increased focus on ESG and Corporate Governance?
  • The Mining Industry and the Environment: what needs to change now?
  • What is the outlook for the coal mining industry and the ‘just transition’ towards cleaner energy sources?
  • Digital transformation, innovation and 4IR. How do we move into the 21st Century?

And much more….

If you haven’t yet reserved your place, click here.

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank our many sponsoring companies, whose support continues to ensure that the Joburg Indaba remains a leading and valuable forum for relevant mining industry discussions. These include:

  • Lead Sponsor – PwC
  • Corporate Partner Sponsor – Accenture
  • Premium Sponsors – African Sun Mining, DRA Global, Fraser Alexander, IsoMetrix, OIM Consulting
  • Mining Industry Partners – African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American, Exxaro Resources, Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited, Implats, Menar, Sasol Mining, Seriti Coal, Sibanye-Stillwater, Vedanta Zinc International
For the full list of sponsors click here.
We look forward to seeing you online in October!

 

Trade & Investment goes virtual with international investment attraction

Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal is taking its trade, investment, and business development initiatives into the virtual realm through a series on Virtual Trade Missions.

Working with UK partners such as the UK Department of International Trade, the Northeast Powerhouse, Business Durham, the Midlands Engine, Wales International Trade as well as KZN Chambers of Business, the initiative will provide a platform for KZN and UK Companies to present their products, services and other opportunities to companies in the respective markets.

The next set of engagements will see Inbound and Outbound Virtual Missions between Northeast England and KZN in September and October.
See details here: Trading Showcase: North East England, Tuesday 8 September 2020

Future events will engage the other regions in the UK such as the Midlands and Wales. Online investor roundtables will also be hosted in Brazil, India, China and Turkey where verified investors who are considering investment in Southern Africa will be presented with the KwaZulu-Natal value proposition.

These online seminars follow on the success of TIKZN’s first Online Investment Conference on 06 July 2020 hosted in partnership with the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce, the South African Consulate in Shanghai and the Fujian Foreign Affairs Office.

To help companies capture market opportunities and explore new business opportunities in KZN, six (6) high-impact investment-ready projects were presented to Chinese investors exploring opportunities in South Africa.

This conference attracted altogether 2 750 viewers from primarily China and other countries, demonstrating the strong interest in doing business amid this difficult time of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and severe restraints on travel.

For further information, contact: claude@tikzn.co.za

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