Entry deadline for the Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards

Specific awards in the public sector include Top Transforming Government Department, Top Empowered Transforming Municipality or Province and Top Transforming Government Agency or Parastatal. Individuals can compete for the Top Black Entrepreneur of the Year, Top Young Black Entrepreneur of the Year, Top Black Businessman of the Year and Top Black Businesswoman of the Year. New this year are categories for emerging companies (R10 - R50 million turnover), important contributors to the growth of empowerment.

At last year's Oliver Awards retail banking giant Standard Bank took top honours while other accomplished winners included Trans Hex Group (primary sector), Bidvest Group Limited (secondary sector) and the South African Post Office (public sector), recognised as the top performing public entity. Jimmy Manyi, Chairperson of the Commission for Empowerment Equity who took home the award for ‘Empowerment Personality of the Year'. By entering, your company will be considered for a position among these empowerment elite. A Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Award shows government and industry your dedication to sound, progressive business practices and excellence.

The Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards ceremony will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 19 March 2009. This event is hosted in association with Topco Media and Impumelelo - South Africa's leading empowerment publication. Individual award sponsors include AL Indigo, Bank Seta, BMC Software, DBSA (Development Bank of Southern Africa), FNB (First National Bank) and the Telkom Foundation.

To enter the Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards, log on to www.topco.co.za/events or mail Melody Strick at . Entries close 20 February 2009.