The 8th annual Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards (MOEA) ceremony, South Africa's foremost Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) awards initiative, was held at Sandton Convention Centre on the 19th of March 2009.
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.
