RECIPIENTS
OF SA’S TOP BUSINESS AWARDS ANNOUNCED
By BRIAN
KAJENGO
The
recipients of the 2nd Annual SA Premier Business Awards – the country’s top
business awards – announced in Sandton,
Gauteng, on Wednesday, 19 March
2013.
Hosted by
the Department of Trade and Industry, Proudly South African and Brand SA, the
Awards recognize business excellence and honour enterprises which promote the
spirit of success and innovation – as well as job creation, good business
ethics and quality.
President
Jacob Zuma gave the keynote address at the Awards.
“The
success of the recipients of these awards this evening demonstrates that our
country promotes innovation and success, and that opportunities are being
utilised to grow businesses and prosper,"
"More
work must be done to improve investment prospects and to encourage youth
employment in particular, while not neglecting older workers. More work must
also still be done to increase the number of small and medium
enterprises," said President Zuma.
The top
Award for the evening, a “Lifetime Achievement Award”, presented to respected
South African business and community leader and icon, Dr. Sam Motsuenyane.
President Zuma handed over the Award.
South
Africans know Dr Motsuenyane for his lifetime of service – in business,
politics and socio-economic development. Although he is an elder citizen, he
continues to work tirelessly for the benefit of others.
He is one
of the pioneers of black economic empowerment and spearheaded the formation of
the African Bank. He served in the first post-apartheid parliament and was South Africa’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
His latest work has been largely unseen to date. Yet he has established roots
that are deep and strong in three agricultural projects spanning Gauteng, North West and Mpumalanga Provinces. The fruits of his endeavours be
seen and are benefiting rural communities where they are located.
In
receiving the Award, he said: "I have worked with many people, most of
them who are no more - I salute black business pioneers who are still alive and
those who have departed."
Referring
to the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and poverty, he added:
"We need to create a society of black entrepreneurs to participate in
nation building..."
Meanwhile,
the recipients of the SA Premier Business Awards, per category, announced as
follows, Manufacturer Award, Pentafloor CC
Rural
Development Award: Clover Mama Afrika Trust
Exporter
Award: SAAB Grintek Defence (Pty) Ltd
Media
Award: Carte Blanche (Liz Fish for “City Farms”)
Most
Empowered Enterprise
Award: Coega Development Corporation
SMME
Award: Bhafoni Ba Ntiro (trading as MAID4U)
Technology
Award: Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd
Quality
Award: Innovative Mining Products (trading as New Concept Mining)
Young
Entrepreneur Award: Botlhokwa Events & Project
Women
Owned Enterprise
Award: Hands On Treatment (Pty) Ltd
Investor
Award: Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd
Proudly
South African Enterprise
Award: Ekurhuleni Artisans & Skills Training Centre
Green
Award: MechCal
Play Your
Part Award: Botlholwa Events & Projects
The
Department of Trade and Industry, Proudly South African and Brand South Africa – who hosted the Awards – have congratulated the
recipients and lauded them for promoting the spirit of success, innovation, job
creation, good business ethics and quality.
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