Supplement
Awards to showcase KZN's top businesses
August 27, 2008 Edition 1
Network Reporter
KWAZULU-NATAL
has broadly been considered a breeding ground for numerous small and
medium businesses that have gone on to become national corporations.
This year, industrial businesses as diverse as Tongaat-Hulett
and Elma Engineering, Alltube, Ilembe Technologies and Jonsson Group
are competing in the annual FNB KZN Top Business Portfolio Awards.
The awards are a platform to honour great performance, both in
the private-sector workplace and in government organisations, which
contributes to the socio-economic growth of KwaZulu-Natal.
According to FNB KZN provincial executive David Montsho: "As
KZN is one of the bank's top-performing provinces in terms of sales,
service, audit, innovations, people and profitability, it is only
fitting that we should be integrally linked to these awards."
He said it was essential to showcase the positive contributions
made by industrial players in the KZN economy, to build local and
global investor confidence in the province, given the currently
volatile international markets.
"It is in line with the present trend of promoting sustainable growth in South Africa," said Montsho.
"The top accolades of the evening will be awarded to a
public-private partnership that is now active in development projects
in KwaZulu-Natal. Together, organisations can achieve what a single
entity does not have the capacity, skills or resources to implement."
Grant Adlam, CEO of the KwaZulu-Natal Top Business Portfolio
Awards, said that by communicating the achievements of successful
companies in KwaZulu-Natal, they might serve as an inspiration to
others to do business in the province.
"This year, a record 150 nominations were submitted for
consideration - a sign of the vibrant business environment in KZN and
acceptance of the awards as the indicator of business success in the
province," he said.
Achievements in each of the major sectors as specified by the
South African Standard Classification of all Economic Activities (SIC)
will be awarded.
Municipal awards for investment promotion, and for the most
pro-active government department promoting socio-economic growth, are
also set to be handed out at the event.
Nominations across the sectors in 2008 include:
Agriculture: Tongaat-Hulett Ltd, Illovo Sugar Ltd, and NCT Forestry Co-Operative;
Mining: Richards Bay Minerals, Corobrik, and NPC-Cimpor;
Manufacturing: aQuellé, Buckman Laboratories, Alltube, SA Shipyards, Elma Engineering Works, and Foskor Richards Bay;
Construction: Group 5 KZN, J T Ross, Liviero;
Trade: Mr Price, Spar Group KZN, iTalk Cellular, Afgri Producer Services;
Transport: Grindrod Limited, Richards Bay Coal Terminal, Safmarine;
Utilities: Umgeni Water, Mhlathuze Water;
Business and Financial Services: DRG Siyaya, Shepstone & Wylie, Ilembe;
Technologies: The Development House, and Woodhead, Bigby & Irving;
Community and Social Services: KZNonSource, Mancosa and The UKZN Graduate School of Business; and
Tourism: Gooderson Leisure, The Stables Wine Estate, Durban Tourism.
Finalists were selected by business professionals during more than five weeks of judging.
The results were audited by Roshan Morar & Associates, an
independent management and professional services firm based in
Pietermaritzburg. Winners will be announced during a gala event at
Durban's International Convention Centre tomorrow night. A complete
list of nominees can be viewed at www.topbusiness.co.za.
The gala coincides with the launch of the KwaZulu-Natal Top
Business Portfolio, which is produced as a printed document on CD-Rom,
and with e-zine formats available on the website
www.kzntopbusiness.co.za.
