The winners of the 8th annual Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards are...

Minister Jeff Radebe, Head of Policy for the ANC and keynote speaker for the ceremony.

It is hosted every year by Topco Media's annual empowerment publication, Impumelelo, which documents BEE success stories. The MOEA are aimed at acknowledging, congratulating and celebrating the efforts made by local companies towards the development of BEE and employment equity.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Jeff Rabebe, Head of Policy for the ANC. Minister Radebe was proud to attend the event and said, “It is important to acknowledge the good things and positive changes commonly associated with BEE policies and programmes. In addition, with such policies and programmes, the country is able to safeguard itself against political and economic instability. It must be understood that BEE is not a panacea to all the social ills confronting our society. Rather, BEE is one of many policy instruments designed to restore, through its multi-faceted approach to empowerment, the economic heritage of Black people.”

The following companies and individuals were chosen as winners in the categories that they were nominated in:

Top Empowered Company in ICT - Sponsored by African Legend Indigo and BMC Software

iBurst

Top Empowered Company in Health, Safety & Security - Sponsored by Metropolitan Health Group

Bonitas Medical Fund

Top Empowered Company In Retail & Property - Sponsored by Metropolitan Property Services PTY Ltd

Woolworths

Top Empowered Company in Financial Services

First Rand Limited

Top Empowered Company in Business Support Services

The Kelly Group

Top Empowered Company in CSI

Telkom Foundation

Top Empowered Company in Sustainability & Beyond - Sponsored by Business Report

First National Bank

Top Empowered Company in Logistics

Super Group Limited

Top SMME Empowered Company (turnover below 50m) - Sponsored by FNB Commercial Banking

Maserumule Incorporated Attorneys

Top New & Innovative Company

African Access Holdings

Most improved year-on-year BEE score card

iBurst (Proprietary) Ltd

Top Empowered National or Regional Transforming Government Department

Department of Defence

Top Empowered Transforming Municipality or Province - Sponsored by Development Bank of Southern Africa

Johannesburg Water (Pty) Ltd

Top Transforming Government Agency or Parastatal

National Empowerment Fund

Top Black Entrepreneur of the Year

African Access Holdings (Pty) Ltd - Shaun Battlemann

Top Young Black Entrepreneur of the Year (under 35) - Sponsored by BANKSETA

Mpilende Foods (Pty) Ltd - Mfundo Wiseman Thango

Top Black Businessman of the Year

Torque Technical Computer Training (Pty) Ltd - Mthunzi Mdwaba

Top Black Businesswoman Of the Year - Sponsored by Kaya FM

Geeta Singh - Voltsing Electrical

Top Black Business Of the Year - Sponsored by Metropolitan Holdings Limited

African Access Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Nkosinathi Chonco, the Group Executive of Metropolitan said, “We are proud to have partnered with Topco Media in hosting the Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners and thank them for their commitment to the philosophies of empowerment in business in South Africa today.”

The MOEA not only recognised the achievements by top performing companies, but also recognised the needs of others who have talent to make them future winners of these awards. Four bursaries from the University of Johannesburg were awarded on the night to promising young students. “What we are building through these awards is for them - may they prosper in a society that allows them to live their greatest dreams,” concluded Richard Fletcher, the chairman of Topco Media.

For further information about the winners and the event, please visit www.topco.co.za.