2011 Empowerment finalists! Judges' decision final!

Zelphinia Mvula

Dionne Kerr

The 'Olivers', increasingly sought-after awards, celebrate and recognize inspiring Black South Africans. The Top Empowered Company, Top Black Male and Top Black Female Entrepreneurs of the Year as well as the Top Black Public Sector Executive and Top Black Businessman will be announced at this glittering ceremony. Celebrating a decade of empowerment progress, the 'Olivers' will be held on the 24th of March at Sandton Convention Centre.

Leading figures from government, business and the media will congregate to celebrate the category and individual winners who are not only driving economic empowerment in the country but are examples of superior entrepreneurial, corporate and public sector performance.

Nonkululeko Ntshona of Nonku Ntshona & Associates Quantity Surveyors, winner of last year's Top Young Black Entrepreneur, applauded the award scheme's decade-long contribution to transformation. She pointed out: "By setting standards of excellence and creating role models, the 'Olivers' have ensured that empowerment has taken centre stage as the guiding principle of progressive business. Their influence has been huge."

This must-attend event on South Africa's corporate calendar is again hosted by leading Topco title, Impumelelo, an annual publication dedicated to the encouragement of black entrepreneurship and business success.

Richard Fletcher commented: "The 10th anniversary bestows even greater cachet on an awards programme that has become the benchmark of BEE success.

The partnership between Topco Media and Metropolitan has significantly raised the standards of these Awards. Metropolitans influence is always reminding us of the passion that transformation initiatives need to realize their success.

"Outstanding progress has been made over the decade and Topco is proud to have contributed to it. BEE may have begun as a compliance issue for some. Today it is the core contributor to corporate success across the entire commercial landscape."

Judges for Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards

The quality of entries was so high but the supporting documentation together with their personal motivation letters made the process of selecting the winners easier, said Zelphinia Mvula, BEE Manager at headline sponsor, Metropolitan.

"Competition is incredibly intense this year," she noted. "Every category is closely contested. I am always amazed by entrants to the small business category. Many of them have made huge sacrifices. They start with so little yet achieve so much. Their stories are truly inspirational."

Entrepreneurship Bank, FNB Commercial, sponsors the SME Award and the Top Black Male Entrepreneur category as a means of promoting black entrepreneurship as a critical driver of economic development.

"The Oliver BEE awards aligns with FNB Commercial Premium Business Banking BEE Solutions strategic intent of enabling, accelerating and growing Black Entrepreneurship in South Africa", said FNB Enterprise Development Manager Ishaq Lakhi, "in our objective to position FNB Commercial as the Premier Bank for Entrepreneurs, as part of the Group's vision of building a great business and helping to contribute to a better world."

Finalists are:

Top Empowered Company Awards:

Resources - Sponsored by Siyanda Resources
KZN Oils (Pty) Ltd
WOA Fuels & Oils
Total South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Basis & General Industries

Gibb (Pty) Ltd
Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Mercedes-Benz South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Mott MacDonald South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Steinmuller Africa (Pty) Ltd
Dormac (Pty) Ltd
Eqstra Holdings Ltd

Food & Beverage

Tsebo Outsourcing Group (Pty) Ltd
Oceana Group Ltd
RoyalServe Catering (Pty) Ltd
Tongaat Hulett Ltd

Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

Bonitas Medical Fund
Netcare Limited
Pinnacle Health Solutions (Pty) Ltd

Retail - Sponsored by Edcon

Voltex (Pty) Ltd
Woolworths Holdings Ltd
Spar Group Limited
Cashbuild Limited

Travel, Leisure & Entertainment

City Lodge Hotels Ltd
Club Travel SA (Pty) Ltd
Coastlands Durban (Pty) Ltd
Southern Sun Hotels (Pty) Ltd
Travel with Flair (Pty) Ltd
Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group (Pty) Ltd
Tempest Car Hire (Pty) Ltd

Media

VWV Group (Pty) Ltd
DraftFCB South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Grid Worldwide Branding & Design (Pty) Ltd
Support Services
Adams & Adams
ECI Africa Consulting
Kelly Group Ltd
KPMG
Maponya Inc

Transport

Daimler Fleet Management South Africa (Pty) Ltd t/a Debis Fleet Management
Fleet Africa (Pty) Ltd
Siyaduma Auto Ferriers (Pty) Ltd
Super Group Ltd

Financial Services - Sponsored by Business Report

21st Century Pay Solutions Group (Pty) Ltd
ABSA Group Ltd
Sekunjalo Investments Ltd

ICT

Accenture South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Bytes Technology Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Dimension Data (Pty) Ltd
EOH (Pty) Ltd
Westcon SA (Pty) Ltd
CHM Vuwani Computer Solutions (Pty) Ltd

Education

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Knowledge Quest
Altimax Training Academy
University of Pretoria

Top Empowered SMME - Sponsored by FNB

Transglobal Cargo (Pty) Ltd
Web Stationers
KPG Media Technologies cc
Ocular Technologies (Pty) Ltd
Ithuba Industries
Zanusi Brand Solutions
My Personal Trainer (Pty) Ltd
Plus 94 Research (Pty) Ltd

Top Empowered Government Awards:

Top Empowered Government Agency
Centre for Public Service Innovation
Media Development and Diversity Agency
South African National Roads Agency Limited
Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority

Top Empowered Government Parastatal

Medical Research Council
South African Post Office
Denel (Pty) Ltd
South African Weather Service
Foskor

Top Empowered Individual Awards:

Top Black Male Entrepreneur - Sponsored by Metropolitan
Nathan Reddy - Grid Worldwide Branding & Design (Pty) Ltd
Rajen Reddy - KZN Oils (Pty) Ltd
Pommie Lutchman - Ocular Technologies (Pty) Ltd
Saantha Naidu - Saantha Naidu Group
Ronald Abvajee - My Personal Trainer (Pty) Ltd
Olu Soluade - AOS Consulting Engineers cc

Top Black Female Entrepreneur

Nokuthula Luthuli - Bloom Marketing
Zolelwa Molapisi - By Design Marketing Group
Dumisa Melane - eNetworks
Pria Hassan - WOA Fuels & Oils
Johanna Mukoki - Travel with Flair

Top Black Public Sector Executive

Dr. Linda Makuleni - South African Weather Service
James Ndluvo - Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority
Mike Kgobe - Denel Aviation

Top Black Businessman - Sponsored by FNB

William Mzimba - Accenture
Kamogelo Mmutlana - Fleet Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tseliso Pitikoe - RoyalServe Cleaning

Top Black Businesswoman - Sponsored by Metropolitan

Baitseng Rangata - Maponya Inc
Ashantha Armogam- Grid Worldwide Branding & Desing (Pty) Ltd
Daphne Motsepe - ABSA Group Ltd