Business awards: top honour for small-scale cane growers' project
20 Jul 2011

A VARIETY of organisations that have contributed toward the growth of the KwaZulu-Natal economy were honoured at the fifth annual presentation of the First National Bank KwaZulu-Natal Top Business Portfolio Awards.

The event, held at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, was attended by business leaders and senior officials in government departments and municipalities.

The 13th edition of the KZN Top Business Portfolio was launched during the event. Said publisher Lalita Dhasiar-Ventura, "The portfolio raises awareness of KwaZulu-Natal as a first-rate business destination, which has much investment and growth potential, for the local and international markets."

An award is given in each economic sector to businesses or organisations that are making a contribution to the sustained economic growth of KZN.

The winning project for the Partnership award -- Operation Vuselela -- reflects the importance of effective inter-agency collaboration and partnerships. The operation is aimed at reviving sugar cane farming among poor communities as part of an official strategy to stimulate economic activities in remote and isolated parts of the province.

The KZN Top Brand Award was won by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Graduate School of Business. This is a new honour for which the leading brands in the province were voted for in an online poll over two rounds. Over 360 brands contested the top 10 positions.

Publisher Grant Adlam said, "The response to the online poll exceeded our expectations. It is really rewarding to see the people of KwaZulu-Natal ... supporting the many top performing brands in our province."

Said Pearl Bengu, regional director of FNB public sector banking, "We believe that through this form of recognition to businesses that are setting the standard we can motivate other business owners to strive for excellence in the future."-- Witness Reporter.