CSI Sunday Times

CSI 2019
www.businessmediamags.co.za
EDUCATION

TEACHER DEVELOPMENT CRITICAL
TO OUR SUCCESS

Building a
legacy of giving

CELEBRATING THE ORGANISATIONS
WORKING TO CHANGE LIVES

ENTREPRENEURSHIP I UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH I FEEDING A HUNGRY NATION











FROM THE EDITOR

PRIORITISING

social investment

PUBLISHED BY O n the face of it, the nonprofit (NPO) literacy and bursaries, because we all know
and nongovernmental (NGO) the importance of education for growing
Picasso Headline sector appears very congested. If our country. We hope that some of the
13th Floor, 2 Long Street, Cape Town, 8001 you look carefully enough, you information we are sharing will be useful to
Tel: +27 21 469 2400 Fax: +27 86 682 2926 will find an NGO or NPO dealing with just people looking to further their education.
www.businessmediamags.co.za about every issue in our society. Often, these
organisations do the work of government. But education is useless if there are no
EDITORIAL AND DESIGN jobs, so we look at what has been done by
EDITOR Ryland Fisher The important thing is always to see whether government and corporates in the area of
CONTENT MANAGER Raina Julies these organisations can work together or whether job creation.
[email protected] some of these projects are vanity projects, based
CONTRIBUTORS Jermaine Craig, Trevor Crighton, on the personality or profile of its founder(s). In Of course, you cannot talk about CSI
Delia du Toit, Megan Ellis, Lynnette Johns, such a case, co-operation is highly unlikely. without mentioning serious issues such as
Caiphus Kgosana, Kim Maxwell, Puseletso Mompei, agriculture, health, water conservation,
Tiisetso Tlelima In an environment where money is becoming disaster relief and small business development.
COPY EDITOR Brenda Bryden scarcer by the day, many corporates look at their
CONTENT CO-ORDINATOR Lwando Njamela CSI budgets first when they need to cut expenses. Finally, the interest in the Springbok’s
HEAD OF DESIGN STUDIO Jayne Macé-Ferguson This is making it incredibly difficult for NGOs and progress during the Rugby World Cup and their
SENIOR DESIGNER Mfundo Archie Ndzo NPOs to plan properly when they are not assured of ultimate victory in Japan has once again shown
ADVERT DESIGNER Bulelwa Sotashe where their next rand is going to come from. the importance of corporate support for sport.
DIGITAL EDITOR Stacey Visser But we also try to find out what is happening
COVER IMAGE Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, In this issue of CSI, we look at some of the about the support for the performing arts
Adopt-A-School Foundation bigger NGOs and NPOs and ask them about the because a nation also needs to feed its soul, and
lessons they can share with smaller organisations. this is often done through the arts.
SALES Most of it has to do with partnerships and
PROJECT MANAGER Jeanette Nicholson having clear visions. We also have a strong focus Ryland Fisher
[email protected] on education, including maths and science,
Tel: +27 21 469 2566 Editor
SALES Merryl Klein
Contents 44 SPORT
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION EDITOR Shamiela Brenner 8 LEGACY Going beyond just sponsorship
DISTRIBUTION Shumiera Frederics
[email protected] The important role NPOs and NGOs play 48 ENVIRONMENT
+27 21 469 2400
PRINTING Novus Print Gauteng 13 EDUCATION Don’t underestimate the value of water

MANAGEMENT Investing in teacher training programmes 50 COMMUNITY
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT Deidre Musha DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS MANAGER Lodewyk van der Walt 18 LITERACY
GENERAL MANAGER, MAGAZINES Jocelyne Bayer Afrimat lends a helping hand in the
Addressing low literacy levels through investment Northern and Western Cape regions
Copyright: Picasso Headline. No portion of this magazine may be
reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. 20 BURSARIES AND 53 DISASTER RELIEF
The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. CSI is published SCHOLARSHIPS
by Picasso Headline. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Santam helps to build risk-aware resilience
Picasso Headline. All advertisements/advertorials and promotions have Are corporates still funding tertiary education?
been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher. 54 SOCIAL INVESTMENT
24 STEM EDUCATION
Woolworths has adopted a multipronged
The 4IR prompts investment into skills training approach to social responsibility

28 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 57 ARTS & CULTURE

Unlocking youth employment opportunities The show cannot go on without sufficient
corporate support
34 HEALTHCARE
58 COLLABORATION
Public-private partnerships driving primary
healthcare in South Africa Sasol turns its attention towards education
and community upliftment
36 AGRICULTURE
60 FUNDRAISING
Feeding a hungry nation
Casual Day celebrates 25 years of success
42 ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Investing in SMMEs

CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT 5





BUILDING A LEGACY

of giving

Nonprofit organisations and nongovernmental organisations play
an important role in our society, even though their focus, in many

cases, might be different, writes RYLAND FISHER

FROM LEFT: The Mvula Trust’s core focus is on providing
potable water to communities in South Africa; pupils enjoying
a science lesson at a school that is supported by the Cyril
Ramaphosa Foundation’s adopt-a-school programme; the
Community Chest annual Twilight Run in the Cape Town city
centre attracts upwards of 20 000 entries every year.

believes that, while many NGOs have closed shop
because of a lack of donor funding, there is still a need
for NGOs “to deal with the enormous development
needs in our country”.

Many nongovernmental organisations Affairs, the Development Bank of South Africa, the Community building
(NGOs) take up social issues, Industrial Development Trust and the European
sometimes even campaigning, in line Union — to be a grant funder for potable water in NPO Symphonia for South Africa, which operates out
with the nongovernment part of their rural communities. of Bellville in Cape Town, focuses on nation-building,
name, while most nonprofit organisations (NPOs) fostering of active citizenship and the development
work on issues affecting communities, often alongside “We became an implementing agent for the of leadership.
government departments. In most cases, NGOs are Department of Water Affairs from 1997 until
also NPOs driven by a desire to do good and not 2010 to roll out water schemes in rural areas on “Given limited resources and capacity, we had to
make money. behalf of municipalities; now we are a project focus initially on the education sector. Our flagship
management NGO. In the next 12 months, we will programme, Partners for Possibility, brings together
We spoke to five of the biggest, longest-surviving be registering as a private sector consulting and business leaders and school principals to improve
NPOs and NGOs and found that, while they construction company as the doors of operating as an schools and strengthen leadership. We also have
have different focus areas, they have plenty in NGO are closed for us unless we find a benefactor,” capacity-building programmes in community building
common, including the daily grind of survival in an says Silas Mbedzi, CEO of The Mvula Trust. and a school leadership forum,” says Louise van Rhyn,
environment where donor funding and sponsorship is CEO of Symphonia for South Africa.
becoming increasingly difficult to secure. They have all Despite strong government support in the
had to reinvent themselves to stay relevant. beginning, The Mvula Trust now has to generate Its funders are a combination of business and
its income through work it undertakes on behalf of philanthropic foundations. Van Rhyn believes that
Funded potable water national and provincial government. tenacity and commitment to the dream of a South
Africa that works for all has been behind the success
The Mvula Trust, headquartered in Midrand in Mbedzi said that four years after its formation, the and longevity of Symphonia for South Africa.
Gauteng, is an NGO founded in 1993 by several government decided to fund rural water schemes
organisations — including the Department of Water directly. “Our grant funding responsibilities became “We have been lucky, we started ‘ahead of the curve’
irrelevant as there was free money through the generating our income as a social enterprise rather
budgetary process to fund water schemes.” Mbedzi than being grant dependent. It was tough during the
start-up years as we did not fit the traditional ‘mould’

8 CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT

LEGACY ORGANISATIONS

Images: supplied for this kind of work, but our tenacity has paid off Department of Social Development (Western Cape), work with a lot of partners. We leverage the strength
and many people are now recognising the value of a few corporates and philanthropic foundations. of partnerships and collaborations to successfully
our approach.”   Van der Heyde says it is important for NGOs to implement what we are doing”. She believes it is
focus on service delivery. “When the impact of important for NPOs to have proper governance
She said anyone starting in the sector should not your work is visible it makes it easier to sell your structures. “Donors should know that the funding they
just set up an NPO if there was a chance to work programmes. It also contributes to your relevance put into your organisation will go into trusted hands
with someone already active in this field. and long-term sustainability. that will deliver on the programmes as intended.”

“Setting up an NPO is expensive and should not be “Partnerships are critical and sharing of resources, Social investment agency
entered into lightly. We need to work in partnership vision and integrated service offerings will not only
with others. This may mean that you let go of your contribute to successful outcomes, but also towards The Community Chest of the Western Cape was
need for recognition of your unique contribution and lowering your cost base.” started in 1928. It is a social investment agency that
realise that we can achieve so much more when we manages and distributes donor funds in education,
work together.” Power in partnerships health, income generation and community
development. “We attribute our longevity to the trust
Ensuring access to early The Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation (CFR), which and integrity we build with our donor partners about
childhood development operates out of Sandton, Johannesburg, celebrates its the use of their funds and with our partner agencies
15th birthday this year. who do the hard work of building a more just and
The Early Learning Resource Unit (ELRU), which equitable society,” says Lorenzo Davids, CEO of the
operates out of Lansdowne in Cape Town, has its roots The foundation was started by the current president Community Chest.
in 1972 in the Athlone Early Learning Centre (ELC) of South Africa as a CSI and philanthropic initiative
— initially part of the Eoan Group. In 1978, seven staff of the Shanduka Group, which he founded. He still Major funders are government departments, private
members broke away to start ELRU as an NGO and a chairs the foundation, which aims to contribute to charitable foundations and high-net-worth individuals
public benefit organisation. the upliftment of small businesses and to improve the “who share a collective concern about growing their
quality of education. impact on one or more of our focus areas”.
“We have been a pioneer for the rights of children
since 1978 with the goal to ensure that every child Mmabatho Maboya, CEO of the foundation, says: Davids says the most urgent actions for corporate
in poor and marginalised communities has access to “The foundation and its partner entities employ about South Africa are to invest in education, nutritional
quality early childhood development (ECD) services,” 140 people. We have eight incubators that support health and values in education. “We need to ensure
says Tracy van der Heyde, ELRU’s executive director. small businesses and we are working in over 500 that South African youth develop the capacity to get
schools through the Adopt-a-School Foundation into and finish school, have the nutritional health
ELRU initially focused on teacher development and Kagiso Shanduka Trust, and we have about 100 to support their educational journey, and have a
and training, producing numerous resources and students in the bursary programme, called the Cyril set of inbuilt values that allow them to navigate the
books, and later pioneered the first Family and Ramaphosa Education Trust.” complexities of the modern world successfully.
Community Motivator (FCM) Home Visiting
programme for young children — still used The CRF has spent more than R359-million over “If we can get corporate SA to collectively get
throughout South Africa today. the past 15 years and has leveraged more than a billion this right, we will see the greatest turnaround of our
Rand through partnerships. poverty data —and the future of our country —within
Over the years, ELRU has grown exponentially and 10 years.” ■
now boasts 325 fieldworkers, 37 office staff and Maboya believes one of the reasons for the
63 interns. ELRU’s main funders include the foundation’s success is that “we adjust to the times and

CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT 9

VODACOM MAKES A

stand against gender-based violence

Vodacom’s gender-based violence ecosystem is proof that corporates can play a meaningful role in fighting
the scourge, writes Takalani Netshitenzhe, chief officer: Corporate Affairs for Vodacom Group

B efore my career in Vodacom, I It is time for South African children. This issue is a social ill of our
worked in the government’s security corporates such as Vodacom time that has started reversing the strides
services. Our socialisation at the to roll up their sleeves and made in gender equality since the dawning of
dawn of democracy was to work use their core capabilities our democracy 25 years ago. As part of saying
towards the creation of a society that is free from to design and propose enough is enough, recently civil society marched
fear and free from want. I also lived abroad where innovative solutions to help to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange making a
I could take a walk without fear after dark in government and civil society call for big corporate South Africa to be alive to
residential streets to stay fit — I cannot do this in to effectively fight gender- the realities facing women and children in this
my home country! What happened to the dream based violence. country. Two weeks later, I was at the very same
of that free society? institution as part of a panel discussion on Shared
Value, which is the intersection of social and
South Africa has been gripped by a spate economic value to address societal challenges
of senseless violence against women and

10 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

A DV E RT OR I A L

and needs. For me, being part of the panel was walks of life: behind high walls and electric our parent company, to introduce a mobile-
an occasion for introspection on the role that fences, in shacks, in the trains, at work, at based app that will serve as a risk assessment
Vodacom and big business play in addressing school, anywhere. If you are fortunate to not tool for app users to determine if they are in
societal challenges. have experienced it directly, surely you know an abusive relationship. Through this app,
somebody who has experienced it. So we have the user will be able to compile and keep a
A call to work together to work together. journal of abusive incidents that could serve
as evidence during criminal investigation
There is no denying that a lot has been said Gender-based violence in South Africa and prosecution. We plan to launch this app
about these dehumanising acts of violence is unprecedented and experts in this field in 2019.
that terrorise society, robbing women of their describe the senseless killings of women and
dignity and children of their childhood. young girls as a sign of a “morally bankrupt For a response mechanism, in March 2014,
Therefore, the time of issuing strongly-worded society”. In recent weeks, we have been Vodacom and the Department of Social
statements to the media each time a new wave reminded that we are a violent society. The Development Department worked together
of gender-based violence hits our country abuse of women and children is entrenched in to launch the Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
is over. We fully agree that corporates need our patriarchal culture where the boy-child Command Centre. Vodacom contributed
to match their words with bold actions. It is socialised to be aggressive, powerful R4-million to this partnership for the creation
is time for South African corporates such and strong. Young men are socialised to be of a call centre that is managed by trained
as Vodacom to roll up their sleeves and use dominant and highly sexual. This construction government-employed social workers. We
their core capabilities to design and propose of masculinity also frowns against anything knew that the call centre offerings would be
innovative solutions to help government and that does not fit into the stereotype of how a scaled as technology evolves, and in December
civil society to effectively fight gender-based man should behave. The girl-child and young 2016, together with government, we launched
violence. My take on gender-based violence woman, on the other hand, are socialised to a Skype capability at the call centre to provide
is that it knows no race, social class, sex, be subservient, and similarly, society shuns access to victims of gender-based violence
rank or gender. It happens to people from all women who do not fit the stereotype of how a from the deaf community. As this is an
woman should behave. Consequently, this rigid internet-based system, it can also be accessed
construction of gender roles is fertile ground by anybody with access to the internet. The
for gender discrimination and gender-based call centre receives an alarming average of 22
violence. The criminal justice system comes 000 calls monthly, which paints a bleak picture
after the fact. To restore the moral fabric of of a sick society that doesn’t accord women
society anchored around Ubuntu, we need and children respect. These calls result in tele-
a conversation together, with both men and counselling at the centre. Some calls, based on
women, to address the underlying causes of the severity
our violent and discriminatory culture. of the case, are referred to the community-
based social workers and the South African
Prevention, response and Police Service. However, the handover
victim empowerment process needs improvement to see more
successful prosecutions.
At Vodacom, we view violence against women
as a violation of human rights and the greatest Since 2017, Vodacom has hosted a GBV Walk
impediment towards gender equality. As a at its Midrand campus to mark the 16 Days
long-standing partner of government and civil of Activism against gender-based violence.
society organisations that champion the rights The walk involves Vodacom partners and,
of women and children, Vodacom moved to most notably, is supported by survivors and
launch a gender-based violence ecosystem a rehabilitated perpetrators of gender-based
few years ago. Our ecosystem is anchored violence. Join us during the 2019 GBV Walk
on the triple Cs, which is what we are doing — this year’s walk will start on campus and
for our customers, colleagues and proceed to Vodacom Boulevard. Details will be
communities. As our ecosystem matures, made available in due course.
our focus is now on prevention, response and
victim empowerment. In March 2019, in a radical step change,
Vodacom stepped up its efforts to support
That gender-based violence is happening its employees by implementing an HR policy
to toddlers and in primary schools shows specifically for victims of domestic violence and
there’s something gravely wrong in society. abuse. The policy followed a survey conducted
Prevention should, therefore, start with within the Vodafone markets to understand
parents and caregivers removing gender the scale of gender-based violence among
stereotyping from the socialisation of boys and our employees and its impact on workplace
girls. Our view is that gender studies should be performance. This policy complements the
introduced in the early childhood development sexual harassment policy and focuses on
phase, as we are doing with digital literacy, the manifestation of gender-based violence
Vodacom is currently working with Vodafone, in all spheres of our employees’ lives. >

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 11

A DV E RT OR I A L

Our employees are our human capital and, supervisors, colleagues and managers to assist addressing gender-based violence and other
therefore, when they are distressed we colleagues with sensitivity and confidentiality. gender discriminatory practices. ■
have cause to be concerned. The policy is
anchored around the company’s total For victim empowerment, Vodacom has HOW TO CONTACT
wellness programme. partnered with government to provide digital THE GENDER-
literacy to the victims of gender-based violence BASED VIOLENCE
The support provided by this policy includes in the shelters supported by government. Since COMMAND CENTRE
an allocation of 10 days fully-paid leave the inception of the victims’ empowerment
and makes available resources such as free programme in 2017, Vodacom has spent The GBV centre can be reached in
access to the company’s employee assistance R2.5-million to deploy computers with data any of the following ways:
programme, which provides counselling and connectivity and to train more than 1 300 • by dialling 0800 428 428 or via
life management tools, as well as the 24-hour people across the country. The trainers are
victim support and counselling call centre. graduates from the Vodacom ICT Youth USSD on *120*7867# 
Additionally, Vodacom has, in partnership with Academy with MICT-SETA accredited • via Skype line “HelpMeGBV” for
civil society, started providing staff training and Microsoft and Cisco certification.
awareness on domestic violence and abuse and members of the deaf community 
offers new safety measures to victims at work, We are aware that what we are doing is • via an SMS-based line for
including location or schedule transfers and not enough; far more still needs to be done.
a change of work patterns and contact details However, we believe that with stronger people with disabilities — SMS
where required. The training will empower partnerships, dialogue and introspection, these “Help” to 31531
modest contributions could go a long way in

Vodacom is currently working with Vodafone, our parent
company, to introduce a mobile-based app that will serve
as a risk assessment tool for app users to determine if they
are in an abusive relationship.

12 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

EDUCATION

EDUCATION OVERHAUL

Teacher training is one of the most important steps to improving the country’s education system. Some companies
and programmes are doing just that, as DELIA DU TOIT reports

FROM TOP: Vodacom Foundation, in The South African education system is Primary Science Programme
partnership with the Department of Basic in crisis. The statistics are alarming: in
Education, trains teachers in digital literacy; the last Progress in International Reading To help combat these and other grave statistics, the
Literacy Study (PIRLS 2016), 60 per cent Primary Science Programme (PSP) offers teachers
Dr Zorina Dharsey, Primary Science of Grade 4 learners in the public schooling system in-classroom support and mentorship with strategies
Programme director. were not able to read fluently and with understanding, that promote better teaching and learning outcomes in
and the World Economic Forum’s Global Information maths, science, environmental and language studies.
Technology Report 2016 ranked South Africa last in
mathematics and science education quality among Though their work is concentrated in the Western
more than 60 countries. Cape, PSP gives input on teacher development on a
national level. Director of PSP, Dr Zorina Dharsey
More worrying still, is that research by the Southern says: “South Africa has a dire shortage of primary
and Eastern African Consortium for Monitoring school teachers with requisite schooling, training
Educational Quality shows that 79 per cent of Grade and experience to ensure quality teaching in critical
6 or 7 maths teachers are unable to score 60 per cent subjects like maths, science and languages, particularly
or higher on Grade 6 or 7 level questions in a test. in poor and under-resourced schools.
Teacher quality and empowerment are essential to
fixing the country’s education system. The business “This results in the lack of a solid knowledge
world, which certainly stands to gain from better- foundation among children and poor performance
educated job applicants, is well aware of this. Research as they progress through school. The low numbers of
done by Trialogue found that, in 2018, education learners passing matric with results that enable them
was supported by over 90 per cent of companies and to pursue tertiary education then causes a chronic
received nearly half of CSI expenditure (about skills shortage in sectors that are vital for economic
R4.3-billion), 12 per cent of which was invested in and social development.”
teacher development.
The knock-on effect is immense, says Dr Dharsey.
“Educational disadvantage and limited prospects
intensifies youth disenchantment, depression and >

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 13

FROM LEFT: Takalani Netshitenzhe, Vodacom Group’s chief officer of corporate affairs; Bridge
learners at the Vodacom Umbilo Teacher Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.
As a former teacher, Hassiena Marriott is ideally
unemployment, and contributes to increased alcohol the information communications technologies that positioned to fulfil her role of project manager for
and substance abuse and crime. Data from 2011 Vodacom and other companies provide to schools. teacher development at education NPO Bridge. One of
showed the unemployment rate for 25- to 35-year-olds Teachers are an integral part of the learner experience Bridge’s most successful projects, the SA Extraordinary
with less than a matric was 47 per cent, compared to and we believe a digitally confident teacher makes Schools Coalition, connects teachers from 22 schools
33 per cent for those that had a matric, and 20 per cent the learning experience much more exciting,” says in previously disadvantaged areas. “We started with
for those with a diploma or post-school certificate.” Takalani Netshitenzhe, chief officer of corporate affairs just four schools, but word quickly spread and schools
for the Vodacom Group. started contacting us, asking to join. It’s a collaborative
The PSP is on a mission to change this. In 2018, its network where teachers share best practice. They
projects reached 2 140 teachers and 107 976 Its teacher training programmes in maths, science always walk away inspired and ready to implement
learners. Its corporate donors include Abax and ICT are offered at 92 centres nationally and changes in their schools the next day.
Investments, Astron Energy SA, Anglo American around 250 000 teachers have been trained since
Chairman’s Fund, Coronation Fund Managers, 2008. Nine centres also have youth academies where “The difficulty with teaching is that, after your
Swiss Re Africa, Sanlam and the Oppenheimer matriculants can complete ICT training in partnership studies, there’s no expert that tells you what to do,
Memorial Trust. with Microsoft and Cisco, while Google provides so sharing experiences about what works and what
coding and cybersecurity training to centre managers doesn’t is hugely helpful,” says Marriot.
Nomthandazo Muhambazi, a science teacher and youth academy instructors. Centres also have an
at Marconi Beam Primary School in Milnerton, e-library corner and internet cafe that is available for Bridge’s teacher training projects reach around
says PSP’s help has made her classes far more free public use. 50 000 learners. Corporate funders include the Anglo
exciting and engaging for learners, improving their American Chairman’s Fund, the Zenex Foundation,
marks in the process. “My classes are now much The response from attendees, says Netshitenzhe, Deutsche Bank, Barloworld and the Rand Merchant
more practical and the kids love it: their eyes just has been overwhelming. “Communities see it as safe Bank Fund.
light up when they get to put together an electric places where they can access the internet without the
circuit, for example. And because they enjoy it, they fear of being mugged in the streets while searching Marriot also prioritises emotional intelligence
fare better.” for public Wi-Fi hotspots. It is for this reason that we training for teachers. “People always worry about skills
encourage communities to use the centres freely.” and content when it comes to education in SA, but
Vodacom few realise that our teachers are struggling themselves.
Lindiwe Dlamini, a centre manager in KwaZulu- And if they don’t work on themselves, how can they
The Vodacom Foundation, in partnership with the Natal, says: “It’s such a fulfilling job. I get goosebumps help kids? I believe a happy, confident and empowered
Department of Basic Education (DBE), trains teachers every time I see a new trainee’s face light up as they teacher will do amazing work in class.”
in digital literacy skills to complement its mobile grasp a technological concept that had previously
education programme, e-School (previously called confused them. And they love sharing their new skills Noloyiso Lange, an English teacher at Dominican
Digital Classroom), an e-learning platform for learners with others. Convent School in Jeppestown, Johannesburg and a
and teachers. “It was crucial for us to provide digital Bridge member since 2012, says her teaching style
literacy to teachers so that they could confidently use “It’s made a world of difference to many people, has improved tremendously because of Bridge. “The
empowering them and their communities.” coalition provides a platform to engage, learn and
share with each other and it’s helped me find my voice
“The difficulty with teaching is that, after your studies, as a teacher.
there’s no expert that tells you what to do, so sharing
“My classroom has become a learning hub where
experiences about what works and what doesn’t is hugely everyone can contribute — I even learn from the
helpful.” – Hassiena Marriot very learners I’m teaching. I believe teachers should
never stop looking for new ways to teach and engage
students, even in the areas they’re already good at.”

Datatec

Global ICT group Datatec started a foundation in
2000 aimed at boosting South Africa’s mathematics
and science talent. And in the 19 years since, it
has done exactly that. “Seeing young people from
underprivileged communities succeed and uplift
themselves and their families has been the biggest
highlight,” says Wilna de Villiers, marketing and
communications manager.

“We support Kutlwanong’s ProMaths programme
in the Mdantsane township outside East London, for
example, which provides extra tuition in maths and
science to Grade 10 to 12 learners. This past year,
their group of 90 Grade 12 learners achieved a 100
per cent pass rate, with 50 distinctions. Four learners
scored between 90 and 99 per cent in maths and one

14 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

EDUCATION

“The programme prepares
them for the working world
in a way no college degree
can through weekly sessions
with a life coach. “As a result,
we are seeing graduates
who are proactive and self-
confident.” – Brenda Elshove

The results speak for themselves: 93 per cent of

Students in a Kutlwanong’s ProMaths programme sponsored by Datatec. students starting the APT programme will graduate

with a BEd degree from Unisa, and the programme

boasts a 100 per cent graduate employment rate.

learner got 100 per cent in science. Over the years, mathematics or accounting teachers. The scholarship Kayla Voskuil, a Teachers Plus accounting graduate

many of these kids have gone on to study degrees in not only covers all the tuition and related expenses, who teaches at Rustenburg Girls’ High School, says

engineering, actuarial science, medicine, accounting, but also provides specialised academic support and the programme gave her a huge confidence boost. “My

information technology and chemistry.” life coaching. students also benefitted: they have an educator who

The programmes they fund, run by several NGOs, Highly experienced mathematics and accounting has had four years of teaching experience before even

have a far wider reach than these 90 learners, however. specialists ensure that our students properly becoming a qualified teacher. It also gave me a positive

For the financial year ending February 2019, 3 439 understand the content of the curricula they’ll one day attitude, which allows me to encourage and motivate

learners benefitted from school-level intervention teach and extend their knowledge base beyond the learners to follow their dreams.”

programmes in maths and science and 475 teachers national curriculum. Bianca Abrahamse, a Teachers Plus mathematics

received extra training in maths and science. We then partner with high-performing schools graduate that teaches at Wynberg Girls’ Junior School

One of the programmes they support, run by Hilton where students gain practical experience by assisting says she believes teacher training, beyond a basic

College, provides in-service training for teachers from teachers in the classroom.” qualification, is essential. “The APT training equipped

township and rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal. The programme prepares them for the working me with the skills to cater to learners’ different

Since 2014 a total of 160 teachers, who together teach world in a way no college degree can through weekly learning styles and to deliver meaningful lessons.

about 30 000 pupils in the province, have attended sessions with a life coach. “As a result, we are seeing There is so much more to teachers than just teaching.

the academy. graduates who are proactive and self-confident,” As a country, we need to realise that good education is

Bhekani Zulu completed this programme in 2015 says Elshove. a building block for the future.”

while he was a maths teacher at Haythorne Secondary

School in Woodlands, Pietermaritzburg. “The

programme completely opened my world. My new

skills made my classes more engaging and the learners TEACHER TRAINING AT A GLANCE
got interested in the subject, so their grades improved

— even some teachers asked to attend my classes! And Several other teacher training programmes are making a difference across the country.

I’ve since been promoted to a maths subject adviser Delia du Toit lists a few more:

position at the Kwazulu-Natal Department • The Insikazi Maths Proficiency programme, in partnership with Momentum and Uplands College

of Education.” private school, facilitates the professional development of maths teachers in rural Mpumalanga.

• Care for Education, an NPO and partner of the Lego Foundation, provides teacher training in

Polyoak Packaging Gauteng, with satellite projects in the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.

Teachers Plus, an initiative of Polyoak Packaging, runs • The Royal Bafokeng Institute, a company of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, alongside Bafokeng

a five-year teacher training scholarship programme Platinum, provides teacher development programmes in the North West province.

called the Advancing Professional Teaching (APT) • Fundisa for Change is a collaboration between a range of teacher education partners working

scholarship, aimed at filling the need for strong with teachers across South Africa to improve and strengthen environmental learning in schools.

mathematics and accounting teachers in the country. It’s supported by several local and international corporations and institutions.

Brenda Elshove, manager of Teachers Plus, • READ is a country-wide educator development agency in the fields of language, literacy and

Images: supplied explains: “We take young, talented individuals from communication. Its work is supported by hundreds of donors — even tennis legend Roger

high-need communities, register them at UNISA to Federer’s foundation.

study a Bachelor of Education degree and then we

prepare them to become effective and professional

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 15



A DV E RT OR I A L

ABOVE: Sikelelwa Ndiweni, a PhD candidate in the Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (NanoWS) Research Unit under
Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology, works under laminar flow preparing biological isolates for further analysis.

LET US HELP YOU
reach new heights

Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) has the expertise to take you to the top

F or those who see the distance in open with an emphasis on reducing material and energy Africa’s development. The campus’ laboratories
and distance learning, Unisa’s Science consumption as well as carbon dioxide emissions. have literally thousands of items of state-of-the-art
Campus in Florida, Johannesburg may It has successfully completed projects for over 60 equipment, all carefully selected to help science,
come as a surprise. This is a hands-on, local and international companies. engineering and computing students put theory
face-to-face facility where students and researchers into practice and add value to the studies of the
work in purpose-built laboratories equipped with Unisa’s ODeL (open distance e-learning) people who use them.
the finest apparatus and model makes it possible for students to enrol for
equipment available. science-related qualifications wherever they are. Notably, CSET is also making a significant
In the natural sciences, theory and practice go impact on several communities through its
Whatever your stage of education, we have hand in hand, and students are therefore required various community engagement projects. Some of
the expertise to take you to the top. We are well to complete scheduled practical sessions as part these initiatives seek to find solutions to societal
established in the higher education market and have of their studies. Fortunately, Unisa students are problems as demonstrated by the Waste to Energy,
gained a reputation as a leader in computing. The able to do this in the stimulating environment NanoWS4ruMP and Computing for Communities
college has a simple structure, designed to make it of the Science Campus. Working in tandem, the projects. Others provide innovative ways of
easy for students to work with us. It consists of three ODeL model and Unisa’s modern Science Campus educating learners through intriguing robotics
schools — Science, Engineering and Computing — are opening doors for thousands of students who (I-SET) as well as the Learner Research Summit, an
and a Centre for Software Engineering. might not otherwise have had the opportunity event supported by the ScienceEdge and ASTRA
to follow their dream of studying in the sciences. projects. Collaboration between Sasol Foundation
Notably, CSET has strong multidisciplinary Exploring disciplines ranging from astronomy to (through the Mobile Laboratory Unit) and
research teams working in areas related to water engineering, and everything in between, close to I-SET and ScienceEdge has seen hundreds of
and energy. 20 000 Unisa students are currently enrolled for learners having an opportunity of hands-on
science-related qualifications offered in the College practical experience on robotics, chemistry and
Institute for the Development of Energy of Science, Engineering and Technology. physics experiments.

for African Sustainability (IDEAS) and The Science Campus’s modern facilities and FOR MORE INFORMATION
laboratory equipment position Unisa as one of the
Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability most advanced institutions not only in the country [email protected]
(iNanoWS) units enjoy international recognition and the African continent, but also globally. www.unisa.ac.za/cset
for their cutting-edge research. Known as NanoWS, Attracting students and researchers from all over
the unit has invested millions of rands in water the world and having such equipment not only
monitoring and purification technology that is the boosts its research output, but also ensures that
envy of their peers elsewhere. the university takes centre-stage in accelerating

Institute for the Development of Energy for
African Sustainability (IDEAS) unit specialises in
novel techniques for designing chemical processes

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 17

Spelling out the need

for greater investment

Despite massive investment in getting children reading, our youth have shockingly low results of literacy.
PUSELETSO MOMPEI finds out how CSI funds are being spent to improve literacy

FROM TOP: Vernon Naidoo, I n 2018 the government’s spend on education “Since 95 per cent of learners of schoolgoing age
Volkswagen Community Trust; was R351-billion, and the sector was in South Africa are in public schools, the bulk of our
Godwin Khosa, CEO, National supported by 92 per cent of companies, investment should go there.”
Education Collaboration Trust. receiving 44 per cent of CSI expenditure.
Yet the Progress in International Reading Literacy Khosa adds that additional focus should be on
Study found that 78 per cent of Grade 4 learners in improving the ability of the 433 000 teachers to teach
South Africa could not read for meaning. reading for meaning. “ is amounts to supporting
the core human infrastructure of the Department
The South African Early Childhood Review of Basic Education to better deliver on its mandate.
released by Ilifa Labantwana, found that nearly Finally, emphasis should be on programmes that
1.1 million children from age three to five do directly increase the proportion of learners that can
not have access to any form of early learning read for meaning and foster a reading culture.”
programme. Clearly, there is a need for more
resources and support from the private sector. Matjila says Liberty’s major contribution is
towards supporting maths, science, English and
One of the corporates investing in the eld is financial literacy education. “We have realised
Liberty and Nomaxabiso Matjila, lead specialist for that investing in the critical learnings of the ‘most
Group CSI at Liberty, says: “Reading is the foundation feared’ or ‘deemed difficult’ subjects has really
of all learning. As a result, reading for meaning is the made a difference in learners who would ordinarily
starting point in a virtuous cycle of understanding not have access to additional support and being
learning, critical thinking and innovation.” able to meet the requirements of entry to tertiary
institutions.” This is of significance because the
Vernon Naidoo from Volkswagen Community Trust Department of Education reported that in 2018
(VWCT) echoes this: “We believe that the rst 1 000 fewer learners were taking and passing matric
days of any child is important. All children should be maths in 2018 compared to previous years.
able to read accurately, at a steady pace, with meaning,
and with enjoyment by the end of Grade 3. e reality “Maths and science education helps manage the
is that if a child does not reach the milestone to read upside risk for meaningful employment, enabling
and write, they are set back for life.”
nancial freedom for more young South Africans,
Milking the investment and nancial literacy helps to enable nancial
freedom for the ‘underserved’ in South Africa for
rowing money at the problem is only part of inclusion in the formal nancial services sector,”
the solution. Godwin Khosa, CEO of the National Matjila explains.
Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), which
mobilises the untapped capacity outside of Vernon Naidoo, manager of VW Community
government to ensure the equitable delivery of quality Trust, shares that Volkswagen has been in Uitenhage,
education to all children in South Africa, says that Nelson Mandela Bay, for 70 years. e company
investment in education to improve literacy must go has focused on youth development, education and
into high-impact nodes. community health and wellbeing, with the CSI
contribution towards education sitting at 70 per
“Maths and science education helps manage the upside risk for cent. VW’s goal is to ensure that every child in
meaningful employment, enabling financial freedom for more Uitenhage is functionally literate (can read, write and
comprehend) by the end of their Grade 3 year.
young South Africans, and financial literacy helps to enable
financial freedom for the ‘underserved’ in South Africa for “We also built an Early Childhood Development
inclusion in the formal financial services sector.” – Nomaxabiso Matjila Centre (ECD) for about R7-million. It is a
Montessori ECD and is a training centre for people
wanting to qualify as Montessori teachers. Nine
teachers have completed their course — some have

18 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

LITER ACY

FROM LEFT: Young readers enjoying a literacy activity
supported by the Volkswagen Community Trust Literacy
programme; learners at the Ikhwezi Lomso ECD school.

already graduated while the rest will graduate in “The reality is that young people are unemployed. In the
December 2019,” explains Naidoo. various studies that VW has commissioned, it was found that
young people face many challenges, including illiteracy, school
Volkswagen also opened five literacy centres and dropouts, lack of activities for young people, and lack of funding
works in conjunction with Shine Literacy. The aim for bursaries to further their studies.” – Vernon Naidoo
is to assist the Grade 2 learners to be able to meet the
prescribed milestones before they enter Grade 3.

Images: supplied Co-ordinated partnerships to the VW Community Trustees meeting for scrutiny Matjila says this space and the challenges it
and approach,” says Naidoo. presents are continuously evolving. “The belief is that
The problem is too vast to be tackled individually, and we still need to make an impact in areas that would
partnerships have proven to be central to addressing the Within the industry, the NECT serves primarily not ordinarily be included in the formal economy.
issue of literacy. Matjila says: “Liberty strives to make as a catalyst for collaboration of key stakeholders to As the population keeps on growing and elements of
sure there is an alignment to our strategic focus and improve the quality of education in South African the contribution to GDP keep evolving, the plan is to
there is a visible measurable impact; we then make sure schools, its stakeholders range from the Department of still serve the underserved and make sure the impact
we follow through with site visits and monitor and track Basic Education, teachers, parents, school communities, is clear and real to enable inclusion in the economy.
the desired outcomes of that specific programme. It’s unions, NGOs and private sector companies interested The key is not to duplicate efforts; some areas are not
important to also get a third party to do monitoring and in supporting the attainment of the national education being included and we need to tap into those areas,
evaluation to measure the impact over time.” objectives. “We lobby stakeholders who share our ensuring that we upskill with the necessary future
norms, expectations and goals for effective learning skills so learners are not found redundant. As Nelson
VW has Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in and teaching to help the country to derive better value Mandela indicated ‘education is the most powerful
place with its partners. “Once a quarter, we spend a day from the capital already invested, that is, books, schools, weapon we can use to change the world’, hence our
where all partners provide an update on their projects. equipment, infrastructure and human capital, to deliver continuation with education,” concludes Matjila.
The VWCT team regularly visits the centres and the quality education — a key priority and driver of the
projects. VW has an allocations committee that will NDP objectives,” says Khosa. Khosa says they are pouring efforts into fostering
make recommendations, thereafter the proposal will go a reading culture across South Africa. “This signifies
Looking to brighten the future a country in which parents read to, or with, their
Nomaxabiso Matjila, CSI specialist, Liberty. children; where people read at home, in taxis, buses,
Education and youth development will remain trains and churches because they appreciate the causal
a focal point for VW and Liberty. “The reality is link between reading and cognitive development,
that young people are unemployed. In the various upward social mobility and a better life.” ■
studies that VW has commissioned, it was found
that young people face many challenges, including FAST FACT
illiteracy, school dropouts, lack of activities for
young people, and lack of funding for bursaries to Language and literacy received only 10 per cent of education
further their studies,” says Naidoo who explains that spend, despite the recent findings that 8 out of 10 children in
they are currently working with Rhodes University, Grade 4 could not read for meaning.
Shine Literacy, Masikhulisane, Funda Wande and
Nal’ibali to formulate a comprehensive solution for Source, Trialogue, Business in Society Handbook 2018
VW to achieve its goal of ensuring that every child is
functionally literate by the end of Grade 3.

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 19

BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

After #FeesMustFall

ARE CORPORATES STILL INVESTING?

PUSELETSO MOMPEI finds out how the no-fee tertiary education exemption for certain students has
impacted on corporates sponsoring bursaries and scholarships

A er a massive ground swelling of protests, Corporates have even gone further and some who FROM LEFT: Reana Rossouw, Next
the #FeesMustFall movement prompted never provided bursaries and scholarships before are Generation founder; Leana de Beer,
government to announce, in 2017, that starting to nd innovative ways of making a di erence. Feenix COO.
it would provide fee-free university and Standard Bank has created a crowdfunding platform,
public college education for undergraduate students Feenix. e platform’s chief operations o cer, Leana de GOVERNMENTS 2019
coming from poor and working-class households. Beer, says that the crowdfunding platform seeks to create MEDIUM-TERM SPEND
debt-free education and currently has 117 corporate ON EDUCATION
e no-fees exemption applies to students enrolled at donors and 1 139 individual donors.
universities and at technical vocational education and Government spending on higher education
training colleges, who come from households earning an Feenix’s funding vehicle also provides funders with and training bursaries will grow at just
annual income of less than R350 000. several tax incentives, such as a Section 18A certi cate to under 14 percent on average over the next
all businesses and individuals who donate to the platform. three years. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni
Reana Rossouw, founder of Next Generation and Businesses can also improve their B-bBEE score as Feenix shared during his medium-term budget
creator of Investment Impact Index™, which has been quali es for B-bBEE points in the skills development and speech that fully subsidised education
monitoring the trends in corporate spending, says that socioeconomic development categories,” says De Beer. and training for the poor is government’s
research has indicated that there has been no impact on flagship higher education intervention. Over
corporates sponsoring bursaries and scholarships. “With Rossouw says even if the “principle” of no-fees the medium-term, government will spend
scholarships, corporates focus on speci c geographic applies, there is no evidence that companies have R111.2-billion to ensure that 2.8 million
locations, where their operations are,” says Rossouw. “So, reduced their scholarships and bursaries. “What we deserving students from poor and working
in this regard bursaries are part of their commitments to have found is that this aspect of their CSI budget is class families obtain their qualifications at
the local communities where they operate, and in many increasing and broadening. e portfolio has grown, universities and TVET colleges.
cases, these are in rural areas.” and now includes di erent focus areas that consider, for
instance, apprenticeships and learnerships, an extension South African universities will receive
Rossouw explains that the bursaries on o er are of bursaries and scholarships.” subsidies ranging from R647 000 per
particularly aimed at assisting promising students and student to R21 000 per student from the
these students don’t just need tuition fees, but also other Another interesting nding is that some companies national purse this year.
support. “ e bursaries include things such as computers, have now included career guidance as part of their
additional classes with tutors, additional study material, portfolio. e Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2018 That huge range includes start-up and
stationery and uniforms, among others. In addition, the points to corporates such as Investec and Rand Water specialist institutions, which receive much
bursaries are also aimed at sending some scholars to Foundation as some of the companies who have done this. higher per-head funding, at the top end, and
di erent schools in di erent geographic locations.” the gigantic distance-learning University of
Rossouw says this is an important learning and insight; South Africa (Unisa) at the bottom end.
In some instances, the bursaries are also aimed at it means that education portfolios have also changed
supporting the families of employees, and, in this regard, to include career guidance and, by implication, study Source: treasury.gov.za
companies have stuck to their commitment to support
the children of their employees even if it is a non-fee- support to add another dimension to making education
paying school. more accessible to more people. “ is portfolio of
bursaries and scholarships now almost provides a career
“Considering that bursaries and scholarships are path for learners and students to focus on speci c
part of companies’ recruitment drives, they still identify subjects in speci c geographical locations to receive
promising students in speci c study areas. For example, integrated support throughout their studies and will,
a company that knows it will require a certain amount ultimately, broaden the base of quali ed, skilled and well-
of engineers in the future will identify students from an prepared youth for future careers.” ■
early age, who show aptitude and interest, and then guide
them through their studies with a view to permanent
employment and careers in engineering,” Rossouw says.

“With scholarships, corporates focus on specific geographic Images: supplied
locations, where their operations are. So, in this regard
bursaries are part of their commitments to the local
communities where they operate, and in many cases, these
are in rural areas.” – Reana Rossouw

20 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

A DV E RT OR I A L

PROMOTING
EQUALITY THROUGH

early education

Since the establishment of its legacy literacy programmes in 2015, the Volkswagen Community
Trust has focused on a clear and ambitious goal: to ensure all learners are functionally literate

by the age of 10. If this can be achieved, socioeconomic equality could be well within reach

The Volkswagen Community economies and countries —than any other local community a safe place to go after school
Trust was established in 1989 by interventions later on in life.” and on weekends, where a spectrum of their
Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) needs are attended to.”
as an answer to the needs of the The Volkswagen Community Trust runs
communities in and around Uitenhage, a range of projects that benefit and support Employee involvement in CSI
where the company’s plant is based. “We the youth across different age groups: from
saw the need to invest in communities as its five literacy centres, established at schools VWSA employees are actively involved in
early as 70 years ago,” explains Nonkqubela in Uitenhage and manned by volunteers the company’s various CSI projects, giving of
Maliza, VWSA’s Director of Corporate and to the Ikhwezi Lomso Montessori Early their time and talent through the Show of
Government Affairs. “The circumstances were Childhood Development Centre, a school Hands Programme.
very different then. The political situation has started by VWSA in 2011 in the impoverished
changed over the years, but the socioeconomic community of KwaLanga. “We’re also very “The most recent Show of Hands events in July
issues are still there and, therefore, we proud of our loveLife Youth Centre, which I 2019 saw the Uitenhage employees renovating
continue to invest deeply in the communities believe is one of the very best,” says Maliza. “It the Dr Ambrose Cato George Skills Development
— although our focus areas have changed in is a multifaceted youth centre in Kwanobuhle Centre in Port Elizabeth and packing 20
keeping with the changing times.” in Uitenhage, with a fully staffed clinic, a 000 meals for local charity organisations.
computer centre, sports facilities, a radio Meanwhile, Gauteng-based employees partnered
Education and station, an arts and culture centre, and much with Rise Against Hunger and packed 40
youth development more. It’s about giving young people from the 000 meals, which were donated to 153 early
childhood development centres through the
The Volkswagen Community Trust’s main Ntataise organisation,” says Maliza.
investment focus areas are education and
youth development. “We believe these are “Aside from offering their time to benefit
the key drivers for solving the problem of their communities, many VWSA employees
inequality in South Africa. Through education also opt to contribute financially through the
and youth development, people have access to One Hour for the Future programme, which is a
opportunities that can drive up income levels global Volkswagen programme through which
and contribute towards reducing inequality. employees can choose to contribute
the equivalent of one hour’s salary to a
“Within the education space in particular, CSI programme.”
we have shifted our focus to the first 10 years of
life. Our legacy initiatives are about making sure Going forward, the VW Community
learners are functionally literate by the time they Trust aims to continue and expand its efforts
are 10 years old. We believe this is a gateway to all in ensuring the every child in Uitenhage is
education and learning. Investment in the early functionally literate by the end of Grade 3. “We
years of education yields better outcomes — not want to see our programmes around literacy
only for individuals, but also for societies, expand. You cannot have an equal society when the
bulk of your young people cannot read or write,”
concludes Maliza.

“Through education and youth development, people have FOR MORE INFORMATION
access to opportunities that can drive up income levels and
contribute towards reducing inequality” – Nonkqubela Maliza 041 994 4399
www.vwcommunitytrust.co.za

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 21





THE FUTURE IS ROOTED

in technology and science

The fourth industrial revolution is changing the world of business to one that is driven by technology and where
specific skills, especially in technology, are much-needed, writes MEGAN ELLIS

“We have initiatives where schoolchildren are
brought into our organisation and exposed to the world
of work, and they are also taken to construction sites
for exposure to the different types of engineering,” says
Balan Govender, managing director of Bosch Ulwazi.

“We also host interns, graduates, and placement
students and expose them to the relevant initiatives to
progress in their studies,” he adds.

These initiatives aim to help learners and students
make informed choices about their future careers. After
all, the world of engineering, and the STEM sector in
general, is ripe with opportunities across a variety of
career paths.

Meanwhile, graduate development programmes
help recent graduates improve their marketability —
increasing access to other career opportunities.

“This prepares students for the world at work. They
can immediately contribute to the ‘bottom line’ when
employed,” Govender notes.

Niral Patel, MD, S kills in the STEM sectors are a globally Partnering to support maths
Oracle South Africa. sought-after commodity and South Africa’s and science
move into the fourth industrial revolution
“Investing in the critical has made this scarce skills area more relevant Financial services group Liberty Holdings partners
learning of the ‘most feared’ than ever. Stretched resources across South Africa’s with other organisations to help bring science and
or ‘deemed difficult’ subjects education sector means that companies are a welcome mathematics education to learners.
has really made a difference source of investment and sponsorship in promoting
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics These initiatives reach learners through a variety of
in learners who would (STEM) education.  channels. For example, its sponsorship of the South
ordinarily not have access African Maths Olympiad in partnership with the South
to additional support.” – Here are some of the ways that local companies are African Maths Foundation rewards and recognises the
promoting and increasing access to STEM training most avid maths learners around the country.
Nomaxabiso Matjila and skills for South Africa’s school learners and
university students.  “This year six learners were selected to represent South
Africa in the International Maths Olympiad (IMO),” says
Opening up the engineering industry Nomaxabiso Matjila, lead specialist for Group CSI at
Liberty. “South Africa won four bronze medals at the
There are many ways companies can get involved 60th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) and is
in promoting STEM education for schoolchildren. ranked 46th out of 112 countries,” she adds.
However, one challenge is raising awareness among
learners about potential careers within the sector.  The company also promotes access to maths
and science education for learners at previously
Bosch Ulwazi focuses on introducing learners to the disadvantaged schools. Through a partnership with
world of engineering.  the Kutlwanong Centre for Maths and Science, Liberty
helps fund tutorials for 1 000 learners in KwaZulu-Natal
and Gauteng.

In the Eastern Cape, its partnership with the St
Andrews College Foundation is helping children from
under-resourced schools access tutorial programmes.

24 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

STEM EDUCATION

Meanwhile, its partnership with Mindset Education Mich Atagana, Google’s head of communications and “Upskilling Generation X
helps learners across the country access maths and public affairs: South Africa.  to become digitally enabled
science tutorials through DSTV channels and the citizens while empowering
TenFold app.  The company also helps run the Oracle Graduate them to be safe online
Leadership Programme to help previously explorers of the internet is
Finally, Liberty has also invested in the upskilling disadvantaged students who have fully or partially the goal.” – Mich Atagana
and training of teachers to better help learners on their completed a university degree. The programme helps
journey through STEM education. “Investing in the graduates get the skills and training they need to enter since its inception. This has resulted in numerous
critical learning of the ‘most feared’ or ‘deemed difficult’ the job market. success stories for people who were able to learn digital
subjects has really made a difference in learners who skills thanks to the programme. “One person who went
would ordinarily not have access to additional support,” Using digital channels to through this training is Thamendrie, a single mum from
says Matjila.  support STEM KwaZulu-Natal who runs a guest house. She signed
up for the training to learn how to get her guest house
“Supporting teachers through teacher development Google in South Africa uses the internet and e-learning noticed online. Now her turnover is up 40 per cent,”
to upskill themselves in the ever-changing world has to help people across the continent learn digital skills.  Atagana explains. 
been an added advantage,” she adds.
“Digital Skills for Africa is a free programme that Google is also expanding its initiatives to incorporate
Matjila notes that investing in the STEM education gives users tools and skills for using the internet to more youth through programmes and initiatives such as
of schoolchildren helps add rare skills to the economy, advance in their careers and their businesses,” says Mich CS First and Web Rangers. These projects help children
while also preparing the youth for the jobs of the future.  Atagana, Google’s head of communications and public learn coding skills and raise their awareness about online
affairs: South Africa.  safety.  “Upskilling Generation X to become digitally
Taking a direct role in enabled citizens while empowering them to be safe
STEM education According to Atagana, four million Africans have online explorers of the internet is the goal,” says Atagana.
taken part in the skills programme in the three years
Oracle SA’s education initiatives have a global impact Meanwhile, Google is also working to support the
with initiatives across different continents and developer community in Africa through training and
hemispheres. And South Africa has not been left out in scholarships. The company has pledged to train 100 000
the cold when it comes to STEM initiatives.  African developers by 2022. So far, 15 000 developers
have been trained and are now job-ready.
“In South Africa, we have several STEM associated
programmes that we support,” says Niral Patel, “Google is always inspired to see what people
managing director of Oracle South Africa. can do when they have access to technology,”
Atagana says. “Our programmes facilitate the drive
“These types of programmes will help the country’s South Africans have not only for getting access to
youth to develop the specialised IT skills that are technology, but also how to use technology from a
required for them — and South Africa — to succeed in young age,” she concludes. ■
the fourth industrial revolution,” he notes. 

Oracle SA’s main STEM education initiative is
the Oracle Ponelopele Secondary School, which
was founded in 2006 in partnership with Gauteng’s
education department. 

The no-fees school has seen thousands of learners
matriculate. Meanwhile, 38 bursaries were awarded to
matriculants between 2018 and 2019. 

Images: supplied STEM EDUCATION:  A KEY THAT OPENS MANY DOORS

According to Mich Atagana, Google’s head of communications and public affairs South Africa,
STEM education opens a world of opportunities to learners and students, both directly
and indirectly. 

Mathematics and science are prerequisite subjects that matriculants need to pass to pursue
tertiary education in a variety of STEM fields. Maths alone opens up options to study business
science, commerce, accounting, information systems, and more.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as individual industries also include
countless job opportunities within each sector. A single field such as engineering has many
paths, from mechanical, chemical, and civil engineers to agricultural, industrial, and dozens of
other types of engineers.

And even if a child doesn’t directly pursue a career in one of these fields, STEM education still
helps them learn other skills. “STEM helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving
skills, which have been identified as the top skills essential in the fourth industrial revolution. We
are preparing young people for jobs of the future,” says Atagana.

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 25

PASFSUIOLNFILFYOORUSRCIENCE

STUDY IN APPLIED SCIENCES AT DUT

EDUCATE

The Faculty of Applied Sciences offers a range of undergraduate
qualifications in several programmes, including:

SACASPITTPEUDNLDUICEYTEDS  BIOTECHNOLOGY DEGREE

 FOOD SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY DEGREE

 ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY DIPLOMA

 CLOTHING MANAGEMENT DIPLOMA

 TEXTILE SCIENCE DEGREE

 FOOD AND NUTRITION:

CONSUMER SCIENCES DIPLOMA

 SUSTAINABLE HORTICULTURE

AND LANDSCAPING DIPLOMA

 SHIPPING AND LOGISTICS DIPLOMA

 NAUTICAL STUDIES DIPLOMA

 SPORT SCIENCE AND

MANAGEMENT DEGREE

@DurbanUniversityofTechnology

@DUT_Tweets

AIM HIGH IN APPLIED SCIENCES

INNOVATE

ENGAGE The Faculty of Applied Sciences
has a proud tradition of research
The Faculty of Applied and innovation with several grants
Sciences has strong links from the Technology Innovation
with industry and leading Agency (TIA), the National Research
institutions around the Foundation (NRF), the Ethekwini
world, as well as with the Municipality, and the Agricultural
local community. This has Research Council (ARC). The Faculty
allowed for great mobility of also boasts numerous NRF-rated
scientists and the application researchers as well as external
of knowledge. Our focus on partnerships, allowing students
combining theoretical and to participate in the creation of
industry-based education globally-relevant research.
– unique to universities of
technology – ensures that our Masters and Doctoral degrees
graduates are well-equipped and PDFs are offered in:
to open new horizons,
both for themselves and  BIOTECHNOLOGY
their communities.
 FOOD SCIENCE
FULL
SCHOLARSHIPS  CHEMISTRY

AVAILABLE  FOOD AND NUTRITION

 DOCTOR OF APPLIED

SCIENCES

LEARN.THINK.DO

DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
Email: [email protected] Tel: 031 373 2506

www.dut.ac.za

FROM LEFT: Harambe youth employment seekers;
Sipho Pityana, BUSA president.

UNLOCKING the hiring risk for employers by sourcing
OPPORTUNITIES high-potential young people from a labour pool
untapped by most employer networks. Potential
for youth employees are matched according to their skills and
employment competencies and placed in jobs where they are
most likely to succeed.

Harambee also works to fine-tune young job
seekers’ interview skills to better identify a young
person’s capability and potential to do the job
properly, instead of focusing largely on previous
work experience.

South Africa continues to register record high unemployment rates. Bold action and innovative
With 56.4 per cent of South Africa’s youth aged 15–24 unemployed as at solutions needed

the second quarter of 2019, alarm bells are clanging loudly, Also speaking at the Youth Employment conference,
reports JERMAINE CRAIG Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas
Nxesi, said government was implementing a
Desperate solutions regarding 6th Solutions Exchange for Youth Employment comprehensive plan that sought to address five
unemployment, particularly youth conference in Johannesburg. key challenges over the next five years to unlock
unemployment are needed from the energy and potential of young people. He said
government and business. Nobody Based in Johannesburg and with offices in Cape these included abolishing work experience as a
can afford to be bystanders, everyone needs to Town, Durban, Pretoria, Nelson Mandela Bay, East requirement for entry-level posts in the public
contribute solutions. London and Kigali, Harambee is a nonprofit social service and an expanded National Youth Service.
enterprise that has extensive experience in South
A large chunk of the Social Development Africa and Rwanda building solutions geared at “The scale of youth unemployment requires bold
department’s R1.840-billion budget for the solving the global youth unemployment challenge. and urgent action. It requires innovative solutions,
2019/2020 financial year will go to social grant Harambee partners with business, government, extraordinary effort, deep collaboration between the
beneficiaries, but for the department’s minister, young people and many others committed to results public and private sectors, and decisive measures,”
Lindiwe Zulu, supporting young entrepreneurs is that can work at scale, using data, innovation, Nxesi said.
also extremely important. partnerships and on-the-ground experience to build
practical solutions to the jobs crisis. SA SME Fund
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) has called
on the government to develop specific, targeted Harambee has connected over 100 000 One of the country’s major public-private jobs
interventions to enable greater job creation. unemployed youth with job opportunities at partnerships is the SA SME Fund, an initiative
companies such as Barloworld, McDonald’s, borne out of the “CEO Initiative”, a partnership
“We had very tough exchanges and we’ve been Nandos, Standard Bank, Deloitte, Woolworths, between the South African government, labour and
very frank that we don’t want to place issues on Zara, Imperial, Microsoft, Hollard and Google. business to stimulate the economy and create jobs.
the table and then nothing happens,” BUSA Set up in 2016, the shareholders of the fund are 50
president, Sipho Pityana, said recently at the It uses rigorous scientific matching tools of South Africa’s largest corporates and the Public
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator’s and behavioural readiness programmes to reduce Investment Corporation.

The fund has R1.2-billion of investable capital,
which it invests via partnerships with fund

28 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

managers, with over R725-million already “funding windows”: enterprise development; 2018, the company distributed over 700 000 packets
committed to existing projects. infrastructure investment; support for work seekers; of sanitary towels and recorded an annual turnover
and institutional capacity building. Through of around R2-million. It has seven distributors
A recent development was the SA SME Fund the implementation of various projects, the Jobs throughout the country, which in turn employ
and government’s Technology Innovation Fund has learnt that the more closely enterprise 72 agents to sell Mia Sanitary Towels’ products.
Agency (TIA) announcement of a public-private development support is customised and tailored to Machimane’s expansion plan includes establishing
partnership to co-invest R350-million across the needs of the business’ target market, the more franchises across the country to increase her
three tech-focused venture capital funds: Savant successful it is likely to be. penetration into larger retail markets.
Venture Fund, a hardware technology incubator
and fund manager (in which two deals have already In 2013, the Jobs Fund granted Black Umbrella’s Creating jobs
been pre-funded by TIA’s Seed Fund); the newly- Pretoria incubator R13.5-million to help develop
established University Technology Fund (UTF); and 100 per cent black-owned businesses by facilitating Through all the nation’s struggles, football is one
OneBioSeed Investment Fund, a biotechnology- access to markets, finance and business networks. salvation, and what better way to create jobs than
dedicated fund. Among the beneficiaries is Promise Machimane, the through the beautiful game, which is exactly what
founder of Mia Sanitary Towels. the fast-growing Fives Futbol business is achieving.
Savant is a commercially-focused hardware Originally operating from a single Cape Town
technology incubator and fund that provides Incubator programmes site, Fives has now grown to 18 football centres
bespoke business development support to countrywide. “We employ over 50 full-time and
start-ups with a focus on inventions rooted in Machimane founded the company in 2012 with the 100 part-time staff. That we are creating jobs
innovative science and engineering technologies. vision of assisting women and girls from previously through a sport people love, is something we’re
OneBio’s vision is to stimulate biotech innovation disadvantaged rural communities to access low- very proud of. Another facet is the creation of
and economic growth in Africa and the cost, high-quality sanitary pads. microentrepreneurs through subleases for cafes,
University Technology Fund aims to support junior coaching programmes, physios and even a
the commercialisation of intellectual property In February 2017, she joined the BU incubator retail outlet,” says Fives CEO, Adam Fine.
developed at local tertiary institutions. and was paired with a mentor who gave her
practical advice on how to implement new strategies Fives currently operates across five provinces
These fund managers will invest in a portfolio and procedures to improve and ultimately grow and aims to be present in seven provinces and to
of early-stage businesses and provide capital as her business. Machimane has since made several open 25 sites by 2020. “We still need to do more,
well as other support to entrepreneurs to help changes to her business, including installing an create more employment opportunities, better
them commercialise technologies and grow their accounting system, improving human resource access for more aspiring footballers and to act more
businesses. The SA SME Fund’s mandate to the management by putting together job descriptions frequently as a platform for more NGOs doing
three fund managers includes a requirement that for all her employees, and drawing up a business fantastic work,” Fine adds.
they invest at least 50 per cent of the fund into plan that she being rolled out.
businesses owned by black entrepreneurs. The odds seem insurmountable, as jobs continue
Before she joined the BU incubator, her to be scarce and the economy remains stagnant,
“We are excited and energised by this partnership company operated out of a house with 17 but there can be no letting up while so much more
to support and invest in innovation, especially in employees. By the end of 2018, Mia Sanitary Towels needs to be done. ■
black-owned start-ups and scale-ups in this space. had grown to 24 employees with larger premises. In
This forms part of our commitment to stimulate
and intensify technological innovation to improve
economic growth, create jobs and impact on the
quality of life of all South Africans,” said the CEO
of the SA SME Fund, Ketso Gordhan, when the
initiative was first announced.

At the launch of the SA SME Fund earlier
this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “This
initiative is beginning to pay off and is operating at
a level that matters most. SMEs create the jobs we
need the most. Mixing funding with mentoring and
incubation is the right approach to growing black-
owned businesses.”

Images: supplied The Jobs Fund New Fives Futbol pitches in Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province. Fives Futbol currently operates across five
provinces and aims to be present in seven provinces and to open 25 sites by 2020.
Another government-led initiative, the Jobs
Fund, was set up as a presidential project in
2011 to co-finance projects by public, private
and non-governmental organisations that will
significantly contribute to job creation. This
involves the use of public money to stimulate
innovation and investment on behalf of a range
of economic stakeholders in South Africa. It is
designed to provide public funding through four

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 29





Breakthroughs

that change

PATIENTS’
LIVES

Pfizer is committed to making a difference in the communities
surrounding its operational areas as well as investing in partnerships
that will help to strengthen local healthcare systems and delivery and
build capacity to ensure a healthier, safer, better future for all

A t Pfizer, we apply science and and support the most vulnerable members of
our global resources to bring communities, including children, women and
therapies to people that extend the elderly.
and significantly improve their
lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, Pfizer contributes to local The Unjani Clinics are based in the communities, ensuring
safety and value in the discovery, development charitable programmes that the services are delivered at the point of need.
and manufacture of healthcare products, that provide healthcare
including innovative medicines and vaccines. in poor urban and rural Investing in South
Every day, Pfizer’s colleagues work across areas and supports the most Africa’s future
developed and emerging markets to advance vulnerable members within
wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that the communities, including We believe that working with partners with a
challenge the most feared diseases of our time. children, women and shared vision for health and innovation contributes
Consistent with our responsibility as one of the the elderly. to improved overall outcomes for patients,
world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical healthcare providers and healthcare systems.
companies, we collaborate with healthcare To this end, Pfizer’s corporate public health Therefore, we foster collaboration to develop
providers, governments and local communities to programmes have had a positive impact on solutions for preventing disease, restoring health
support and expand access to reliable, affordable healthcare and community wellbeing in South and keeping people well during all the stages of
healthcare around the world. For more than Africa. For example, in 2000, Pfizer partnered their life. This includes discovering and developing
150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference with the South African Department of Health high-value therapies and working together to
for all who rely on us. by donating treatments for two opportunistic increase access to important medicines and
fungal infections associated with HIV/AIDS vaccines for greater numbers of people.
Committed to our communities (cryptococcal meningitis and oesophagal
candidiasis). The programme expanded globally Pfizer is proud to support South Africa’s vision
Pfizer in South Africa has been in existence for and we donated more than $1.5-billion in of vaccine manufacturing through its technology
over 60 years. Throughout our history, we have medicine, helping people in 63 countries hardest hit transfer partnership with the Biovac Institute,
focused on investing in the communities in which by HIV/AIDS. Eighteen years into the programme, which will enable the manufacturing of a 13-valent
we live and work, committing a range of resources South Africa has 1 264 sites, accounting for almost pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at its facility in
— people, expertise and funding — through 50 per cent of all the sites globally; with 1.3 million Cape Town. The technology transfer process has
partnerships to broaden access to medicines and units donated in South Africa. enabled significant knowledge transfer, job creation
strengthen healthcare delivery for underserved
people in the country.

Throughout the world, Pfizer contributes
to local charitable programmes that provide
healthcare in poor urban and rural areas

32 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

A DV E RT OR I A L

and direct investment, strengthening South Africa’s an academy for leadership and management The Biovac Institute’s manufacturing facility in
standing as a research and development hub in in healthcare; and support for the training of Cape Town
Africa. It will also contribute to continued security Masters and PhD students for combatting and
of supply of the pneumococcal vaccine, thereby developing new interventions in HIV, AIDS, and on strengthening local healthcare systems and
continuing to make a significant impact in the TB. To date, the following students completed building capacity, including through primary
reduction of childhood pneumonia in South Africa. their qualification: 60 medical graduates; 20 PhD healthcare delivery. For example, Pfizer remains
graduates; and 7 MSc graduates. a key investor of the Unjani Clinics network, an
Pfizer is a contributor to the Public Health enterprise development initiative that empowers
Enhancement Fund (PHEF), to support the At Pfizer, we build partnerships with social black female professional nurses to own and
implementation of priority healthcare programmes entrepreneurs and organisations in communities operate their own primary healthcare clinics in
such as the expansion of healthcare professionals; throughout the world, with a strong focus underserved communities, creating permanent
jobs and building sustainable businesses. While
Pfizer remains a key investor of the Unjani Clinics private and public hospitals and clinics exist, there
network, an enterprise development initiative that are too few to deal with the increasing healthcare
empowers black female professional nurses to own burden and private healthcare is too expensive
and operate their own primary healthcare clinics in for the majority of the population. The clinics’
underserved communities, creating permanent jobs and focus is on the employed uninsured population
building sustainable businesses. of South Africa. This portion of the population
is able to afford to pay something towards their
healthcare needs, but cannot afford private medical
aid or private GP/healthcare practitioner rates.
By drawing these patients away from government
facilities, it frees up capacity for government to deal
with the unemployed and destitute portion of our
population. To date, Pfizer has funded three clinics
with a fourth clinic underway and also donated over
57 sonar machines (basic Mindray DP10 Ultrasonic
Diagnostic Imaging Systems) to the clinic network;
and provided further funding for certified training
for the clinics in the network. In addition to helping
detect different potential health related concerns,
the ultrasound assists nurse, whose patients
also include pregnant women, check the baby’s
development and help to discover any abnormalities.

At Pfizer, we are committed to collaborating
with stakeholders who share the same ideals to
support and expand access to reliable, affordable
healthcare to those most in need.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

0860 Pfizer (734937)

www.pfizer.co.za

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 33

Stats SA’s 2017 General Household Survey
found that more than 71 per cent of
households in South Africa used public
health facilities as their rst point of access
when household members needed healthcare services
for an illness or injury.

e task of delivering healthcare services to a
population largely dependent on state facilities is
immense, and would most likely not be possible
without the establishment of several public-private
partnerships dedicated to addressing speci c needs
and serving the country’s vast rural areas.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE Mobile clinics
PARTNERSHIPS
Mondi Group, in association with regional partners
driving primary such as the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health
healthcare and the ol’ulwazi ol’impilo organisation in
Mpumalanga and Dube, helps operate nine mobile
Several corporates have introduced initiatives that assist the clinics in these areas. e clinics provide primary
government in providing healthcare services to those who cannot afford healthcare services to employees and communities
within the Mondi footprint and to hard-to-reach rural
private care, reports TREVOR CRIGHTON areas in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

e mobile clinics are fully electri ed with
rechargeable batteries and equipped with a remote-
controlled outside folding canopy; examination beds;
examination lamps; oxygen cylinders; ECG machines;
water inlets; air conditioner; microwave; and portable
toilets. In 2018, they recorded 81 000 visits.

As part of the project, ol’ulwazi ol’impilo
and Mondi have partnered with Cotlands to provide
toy libraries aimed at early childhood development
centres in the Mkhondo district. A toy library trailer
is towed by the mobile clinic on its visits to 35 villages
a month.

At each stop, a facilitator engages children under
the age of ve, who are waiting with their parents and
guardians, in play-based learning sessions. ere are
various areas where the children can play and learn
with a focus on activities that aim to develop their
motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination.

Wide-ranging initiatives

Johnson & Johnson fund and facilitate several
primary healthcare initiatives across the country, in
partnership with the National Department of Health
and other stakeholders.

Over 850 million learners, predominantly in
disadvantaged, underserviced and densely-populated
areas worldwide, are infected with parasitic worms.
Johnson & Johnson has been supporting the
deworming of children in endemic countries since
2006 and has donated 200 million doses a year since
2012 through the World Health Organisation. is
donation supports a national school deworming

FROM TOP: Cotlands/Mondi toy
library; the Mercedes Benz mobile
wellness clinic.

34 C O R P O R AT E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

HEALTH

programme in South Africa, reaching an average of INVESTING IN PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
five million learners each year since 2016. The three-
phase programme targets learners from Grade R to Many public health facilities in the county are in a dire state: in need of maintenance,
Grade 7 at quintile 1-3 schools (no-fee schools) across refurbishment and, in some cases, replacement. The Department of Health’s 10-year
the country. infrastructure plan has identified certain geographic areas where new facilities are
needed. Accordingly, the department plans to invest R23.5-billion over the MTEF
The company also supports the Unjani Clinics period in health infrastructure through its two infrastructure conditional grants in the
network, a sustainable initiative that aims to Health Facilities Infrastructure Management subprogramme in the Hospital Systems
strengthen health systems in vulnerable areas by programme.
investing in vital training and resources for nurses
and improving the access to and quality of affordable The health facility revitalisation grant, which is transferred to provincial departments
primary healthcare for low-income communities of health, is allocated R19.2-billion over the MTEF period to fund an estimated 1500
throughout South Africa. infrastructure projects, including new facilities, upgrades, refurbishments and
maintenance. This will be supplemented by the health facility revitalisation component
The innovative service delivery model empowers of the national health insurance indirect grant, which is managed by the department on
nurses and clinic owners to become community behalf of provinces and has an allocation of R4.3-billion over the same period.
health entrepreneurs, providing them with training
and a local “container health centre”, relevant medical Cabinet has approved additional allocations to fund the planning and construction
equipment and supplies, and ongoing medical, of the Limpopo academic hospital in Polokwane. This is intended to strengthen tertiary
financial management and patient service training. health care services in the province and train new health professionals.
The initiative aims to grow its network of clinics and
as many as 400 000 patients by the end of 2019. The Over the MTEF period, R1.4-billion (R247-million in 2019/20, R653-million in 2020/21
project has trained and empowered 55 new healthcare and R498-million in 2021/22) is allocated to the health facility revitalisation component
entrepreneurs, establishing the same number of new of the national health insurance indirect grant for this project, although a portion of this
clinics in local communities. More than 773 000 will be used to improve the nearby Pietersburg and Mankweng hospitals.
patients have been engaged since the inception of the
project, and over 230 permanent healthcare jobs will As a result of these initiatives, overall spending in the Health Facilities Infrastructure
have been created by the end of 2019. Management subprogramme is set to increase at an average annual rate of 6.9 per cent,
from R6.9-billion in 2018/19 to R8.5-billion in 2021/22.
The Johnson & Johnson Burn Treatment
Centre at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Source: treasury.gov.za
Hospital was established in 1991 and has become
Images: supplied the continent’s premier burn treatment centre at Through a partnership with Biovac, Pfizer is healthcare delivery to key populations (including
the world’s largest hospital. The dedicated space helping in the fight against pneumonia in South truck drivers, commercial sex workers and
for treating and managing serious burn cases has Africa. This public-private partnership aims to re- communities at large). The programme is facilitated
also offered the opportunity to maximise the use of establish domestic manufacturing of human vaccines by a network of mobile and fixed roadside wellness
plastic surgery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy in order for southern Africa to be able to respond to centres on all major trucking routes and across South
and microbiology, and has facilitated research into its own vaccine-preventable diseases. Biovac currently Africa’s borders.
infection control. supplies over 25 million doses of vaccines annually
throughout southern Africa and Pfizer will transfer The programme includes a wide range of accessible,
Live-streaming of surgical procedures and talks formulation and filling manufacturing technology to free primary healthcare services including condom
on burn management by award-winning burn Biovac that will enable production of the company’s use education and distribution; screening, diagnosis,
management specialists helps promote the transfer of Prevnar 13 anti-pneumonia vaccine at Biovac’s new treatment and education on STI, HIV and AIDS, TB
skills to academic and medical facilities throughout manufacturing facility in Cape Town, from 2021. and malaria; screening tests for blood pressure, blood
Africa and facilitates the training of an average of 25 sugar, blood cholesterol and body mass index; and
junior doctors annually. The partnership will deliver benefits in terms the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of primary
of technology and skills transfer; local investment health concerns.
More than 600 children and over 250 adults are and increased economic activity; a reduction in
treated in the respective sections at the facility each the pneumococcal burden of disease, and quality Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has
year. It has seen over 18 000 admissions throughout its and safety benefits in the areas of manufacture, been involved in the Trucking Wellness Programme
existence, and more than 14 500 surgical procedures distribution and supply. since 2009 and has helped facilitate a Fleet Owner
have been performed. Wellness Programme as an element
Keeping the economy moving of the project since 2013. This has been implemented
Fighting the vaccination battle across a select group of MBSA’s
The Trucking Wellness Programme, launched in 1999 fleet customers. The programme assists fleet owners
As an Unjani Clinics partner, Pfizer is currently in the as an initiative of the National Bargaining Council for to better understand, identify, prevent and manage
process of sponsoring its fourth clinic, and, through the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI), the risks associated with ill health and disease in the
the Pfizer Foundation, has donated over 57 sonar is a primary healthcare delivery system dedicated to workplace. It aims to improve healthy lifestyle choices
machines over the past three years, and provided serving the health and wellness needs of employees in to manage and reduce the business risks associated
funding for the procurement of printers, trolleys and the road freight and logistics industry. with ill health and diseases in the workplace.
certified training for 28 clinics in the network.
Over the course of 20 years, the programme To date, it has reached over 6 000 employees in
The sonar machines have played a major role in has evolved into a sustainable model of primary the sector. ■
assisting in the reduction of infant mortality rates and
early detection of pregnancy abnormalities.

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 35

AGRICULTURE

Feeding
a hungry

nation

Just over a third of corporates are
adding food security to their CSI
allocations, and they are carving out
bigger nutrition budgets as the stark
reality of hunger shows its face,

writes LYNNETTE JOHNS

S upport for food relief and feeding schemes have to produce 50 per cent more food by 2050 to able to maintain productive gardens. Almost a quarter
increased from 31 per cent of corporate social feed an estimated population of 73 million people. of food consumed came via self-produced means such
investment (CSI) spend in 2017 to 44 per According to the report, smallholder farmers do not as vegetable gardening. Before receiving assistance,
cent in 2018, according to research conducted have support, and the bigger players are squeezing the only 33 per cent of the food needs of the beneficiaries
by CSI consultancy Trialogue. Food security and smaller ones out of the market. The report also states were always met by the community food gardens.
agriculture was supported by 34 per cent of companies that the cost of healthy food is too high. After receiving assistance, this increased to 80 per cent
and received nine per cent of CSI expenditure in 2018. of food needs always being met. For households, this
Food garden measure increased from 37 per cent before assistance
The Towards measuring the extent of food security was received, and 76 per cent after.
While assisting in building food gardens may seem
in South Africa: An examination of hunger and food passé, an evaluation by the Western Cape Department Investing in training
inadequacy report, published by Stats SA, says that of Agriculture showed that, if provided with support
6.8 million people went hungry in 2017, and 10 million and assistance, food gardens thrived and the crops Reducing hunger is one of the goals of agricultural
did not have enough food. Most of the hungry live in could easily account for a quarter of food needed. services company Afgri Group Holdings (AGH).
rural and semi-rural areas and townships. Head of impact at Afgri, Marion Shikwinya, says: “We
In the department’s 2017 suitcase programme, consider CSI an integral part of our business. Our core
According to the report, families who turned to 71 community food security projects, 16 school food focus areas are food security, water security, poverty
subsistence farming to supplement their income gardens and 1 059 households were given a suitcase alleviation and education. Our vision is to drive food
were far less likely to go hungry: “The involvement of containing seeds, garden tools, irrigation aids and security across Africa.”
households in agricultural activities for subsistence fertilisers — everything needed to establish a food
farming can play an important role in reducing the garden. An impact evaluation found that 78 per cent Over the past four years, the company spent
vulnerability to hunger of rural and urban food- of supported community food gardens, 93 per cent of R30-million on its CSI projects. In that time there has
insecure households.” schools and 65 per cent of households supported, were been an incredible jump in support for food security,

Enough food is produced in South Africa, and
enough is imported, however, not everyone can buy
food, because it is not affordable, and there is a 29 per
cent unemployment rate. A basket of food, tracked
monthly by the National Agricultural Marketing
Council shows the cost of basics, such as maize, sugar,
polony, baked beans, milk, cheese and brown bread has
increased steadily this year.

Compounding the crisis is a stark warning by the
World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature that South
Africa’s food crisis is going to get worse if agricultural
practices are not corrected. WWF’s Agri-Food Systems:
Facts and Futures report states that South Africa will

36 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

AGRICULTURE

the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
and the Department of Rural Development and Land
Reform. In terms of this agreement, Afgri pledged
R90-million, spending R60-million on emerging
farmer development and R30-million on community
support over four years.

Today, the R90-million investment in farmer training
and development and related CSI initiatives has
resulted in a meaningful contribution to the economy.
In the past four financial years alone, AGH focused on
food security, water security, poverty alleviation and
education through 112 CSI initiatives.

from assisting less than 1 379 learners in 2014/2015 to opportunity to feed themselves, their families and to sell Female farmers
reaching a staggering 26 034 learners this past year. their produce.
As with Afgri, Total SA looks at CSI as an opportunity
In 2018, it provided capital, equipment, training and The company has set itself a task to work on food for people to grow and to encourage them to become
thousands upon thousands of spinach, tomato, security beyond its CSI budget. In 2012, Afgri set self-sufficient. They also place huge emphasis on food
and onion seedlings, and heads of cabbage and kale to up Harvest Time Investments (HTI), a training and security and climate change.
37 schools. Produce was harvested and cooked for the development programme focused on unlocking
school nutrition programme. The company trained the potential of emerging black farmers through For the past 20 years, the oil and gas company and
37 teachers, 185 learners and 37 community members training, development and mentorship. Two the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
with accredited subsistence garden training. Afgri also years later, Afgri further committed to assisting has been co-sponsoring the Female Entrepreneur
drilled boreholes in six schools. The project has been the development of emerging farmers, as well as Award (formerly the Female Farmer of the year
so successful that schools have harvested bumper crops assisting other projects targeted at community and award). This year, Mmathoko Jarita Mabula won the
and been able to sell excess veggies. rural developments, through an agreement with the overall award.
public sector, including the Department of Economic
In addition to school food gardens, 134 people were Development, the Department of Trade and Industry, Mabula runs the Mahlohonolo Investments’s egg-
trained to become subsistence farmers, giving them the laying project in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. The project was
started in 2014 with four production houses. It soon
“We consider CSI an integral part of our business. Our expanded with a further four houses. Mahlohonolo
core focus areas are food security, water security, poverty Investments has 2 000 beneficiaries and employs 17
alleviation and education. Our vision is to drive food security permanent and 10 casual workers. Its 15 000 layers
across Africa.” – Marion Shikwinya produce 100 000 eggs a day.

Mabula won R930 000 that will be reinvested
back into the business. She won in the category of
the provincial leg of the competition and was overall
provincial winner in Limpopo. She went on to win the
same category nationally.

Total SA’s CSI manager, Nyameka Makonya, says
there are many reasons why Total is passionate about
supporting female farmers. Only about a third of the
agricultural industry’s workforce is made up of women.
The effects of improving women’s participation rates in
commercial farming are far-reaching. Studies have shown
that women’s incomes have a big impact on food security,
and it follows then, that increasing the number of women
drawing salaries and wages from the industry could, in
turn, also help tackle the challenge of food insecurity.

Historically, the farming sector has been in the control
of white males, and the programme was to encourage
more women to venture into farming. “Women have a
good understanding of food insecurity,” says Makonya.

“Historically, when men went away to the mines and
the cities to work, women took responsibility to care for
the family and to ensure there was food. Many lessons
around food, finding and providing food were learnt.
Female farmers are far more likely to share their produce
with others and to support the less fortunate.

“Total has seen 400 female farmers, including
co-ops who were given state land to farm, go >

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 37

AGRICULTURE

“Our development, sponsorship and social investment business and career opportunities in the agricultural
initiatives are primarily focused on rural communities, sector,” Soundy says.
townships, informal settlements and mining areas. It has
programmes to upskill smallholder farmers in sustainable “ ese programmes are important to the Land
agricultural practices and employment opportunities; and Bank as they complement our business activities
sector growth and transformation to build the agricultural and our mandate in support of improvement of the
sector skills focusing on greater youth and women sector towards inclusive growth, transformation,
participation.” – Sydney Soundy employment and food security,” he concludes. ■

through the programme. Many have gone on to sponsorship and social investment initiatives are FROM TOP: Marion
employ workers. Some of the farmers have become primarily focused on rural communities, townships, Shikwinya, head of impact,
wealthy. We have now partnered with Old Mutual informal settlements and mining areas. It has Afgri Group Holdings; Sydney
to offer financial literacy workshops. programmes to upskill smallholder farmers in Soundy, executive manager for
sustainable agricultural practices and employment strategy and communications,
“This programme surpassed our expectations, it opportunities; and sector growth and transformation Land Bank; Nyameka Makonya,
has not only changed individual lives, but also the to build the agricultural sector skills focusing on
lives of people around them. More people are able greater youth and women participation.” CSI manager, Total SA.
to put food on their tables because of these female
farmers,” Makonya says. The Buhle Farmers Academy, in partnership Images: supplied
with the Industrial Development Corporation,
In addition to the female farmer programme, is the Land Bank’s flagship project. Previously
Total has ploughed money into school gardens. the programmes provided basic skills and needs,
Makonya says the gardens are becoming increasingly such as upskilling subsistence farmers. Now
important as more people become unemployed and they are working with farmers, who successfully
as food becomes increasingly expensive. implemented the initial training, and who showed
the potential to upscale to sustainable enterprises.
“The vegetables are used to cook a meal for the
children — for many, it is the only meal of the “ e project has been providing skills training
day. Children go to school hungry, how are they and mentoring to aspiring, previously disadvantaged
meant to learn and excel if they do not have food? farmers since 2017 and has worked with 272
Because of the high cost of food and the high rate bene ciaries. e project is being assessed and
of unemployment, there is less money for food. At developed in the areas of farm pro tability, nancial
least here they get one meal a day.” support and skills development. e focus of the
project is to help subsistence farmers become small-
Makonya says unemployed parents are working in scale commercial farmers; it aims to develop 10 to 15
the food gardens and can take some of the produce farmers to be investment-ready, providing them with a
home with them. solid business foundation,” explains Soundy.

The importance of food security has even “ e Land Bank has also supported the expansion
changed the way Arbor Day is viewed. Makonya of school food gardens from providing the skills
says their community initiatives around planting and tools, such as seedlings for schools to be self-
trees have morphed into food gardens. “All of this sustainable to helping to expand the gardens. Now
shows the importance we place on food security.” there is surplus produce for the school to sell.”

Food security ere is also a massive Land Bank project in the
Eastern Cape, where 1 500 emerging farmers are
Long-term food security should also rest on producing vegetables for market. In partnership with
ownership and the Land Bank has been working the Gauteng Provincial Department of Economic
steadily to ensure farmers are given the correct skills Development, Agriculture and the Environment, it
to ensure prosperity. runs a food garden programme: some of the gardens
are in communal areas while others are at schools.
e state-owned bank has a mandate to work Surplus vegetables are sold to bring in revenue.
toward food security. It is training up farmers as part
of a long-term strategy. However, because it cannot e Land Bank’s multipronged approach to dealing
o er loans or assistance to subsistence farmers, it has with food security ensures initiatives designed to
made nutrition part of its CSI programme. spark interest in agriculture. “It creates interest and
appetite for involvement in agriculture by youth from
Land Bank’s executive manager for strategy and the disadvantaged communities. Our project activities
communication, Sydney Soundy, says they have provide a platform that exposes young people to both
a R5-million CSI budget to upskill and provide
resources to households to improve food security and
reduce vulnerability to hunger. “Our development,

38 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T



BUILDING EMPOWERED
Communities

Tiger Brands has made a bold
commitment to move away from
pure philanthropy and rather
to support the building of food-
secure, resilient and economically-
active communities through
investing in its nongovernmental
organisation (NGO) partners. By
NOZICELO NGCOBO, Director:
Group External Relations,
Tiger Brands

A t Tiger Brands, we take our One of our food gardens at University of Johannesburg (we have food gardens at 4 universities in SA)
responsibility to contribute
to uplifting the people and more than just transactional activities, but also to in communities. Yes, we encourage our social
communities around our 47 sites be the conduit for real socioeconomic impact and partners to connect with as many other corporates
across South Africa extremely seriously. We sustainable change. and organisations as they deem fit. It is through
remain encouraged and positively overwhelmed partnerships and working together for social good
by our social partners who share the same passion. Capacity building of our social partners that we will be able to shift the dial and accelerate
Without these social partners, none of our work will be achieved through our newly developed the pace of development.
would be possible. programme — the NGO Accelerator Programme,
which is aimed at equipping our partners in the Tree planting at a school in ikageng. Potchefstroom
Tiger Brands has been actively involved in areas of governance, compliance, business skills,
the corporate social investment space for over a community enterprise development, bookkeeping,
decade, providing access to food for thousands of and other similar skills.
beneficiaries each year. However, the pace of job
creation and economic development required in The NGO Accelerator Programme is an
South Africa led to the decision to do more than incubator to build professional, globally compliant
just provide food donations. We found we could NGOs that can be self-sustaining businesses with
move faster by enhancing the capacity of all our access to capital and relevant business networks.
NGO partners to support the sustainable economic It is truly a flagship project to build food-secure,
inclusion of previously disadvantaged beneficiaries. resilient and economically-active communities.

Through our socioeconomic development (SED) We believe that by capacitating our partners
initiatives, we aim to encourage an integrated, in this way, they will be able to run sustainable,
supportive approach to social investment within an efficient and financially successful operations.
overarching focus on food safety, nutrition An additional benefit for these NGOs will be
and health. that they will be able to approach any corporate in
South Africa or international donors to secure
NGO Accelerator Programme further incremental funding and grow their reach

There are active, community-run NGOs in
virtually every settlement across South Africa.
They are run by passionate and dedicated
community leaders — often women — in the best
interests of our people. We believe that by directly
empowering them we can sustainably
uplift communities.

Consequently, it is critical that these
organisations are supported by corporates to be
properly and adequately capacitated to not only do

40 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

A DV E RT OR I A L

Research-led approach At present, Tiger Brands has relationships with
20 NGOs across South Africa, through which
Earlier this year, we conducted an extensive we reach 30 000 families and 4 000 university
social mapping analysis in eight of our host students on a monthly basis, impacting
communities to understand the community needs the lives of more than 100 000 people. We
and assets, identify stakeholders and formalise foresee our community enterprise approach
the relationships required as part of enabling our stimulating economic activity and reaching
NGOs to establish proper governance processes. even more families.

Based on this, we co-created real impact We dream of seeing at least one individual
programmes with the community NGOs to in every household who has been capacitated
address the challenges on the ground. become economically active; this would mean
one less family receiving a food hamper and one
An early example is a partnership with Food more family becoming food secure.
and Trees for Africa (FTFA) where we are rolling
out a programme called Eduplant, which teaches There will always be a need for food
permaculture in schools and communities donations to support extremely vulnerable
and creates opportunities for people to start groups or in the immediate aftermath of natural
microfarming enterprises and community food disasters. So, we will continue responding to
gardens. The vision is to stimulate these partners calls for support in these instances.
to become viable NGOs, even business enterprises,
while also supporting the community. Tiger Brands has
relationships with 20
Our socioeconomic development strategy is NGOs across south africa,
still in its early stages, but already we are seeing through which we reach 30
encouraging progress. We are fortunate to work 000 families and 4 000
with amazing partners who share our vision. It is university students on a
not only about providing food security, but also monthly basis, impacting
about stimulating economic activity — primarily in the lives of more than
the food space. 100 000 people.

For each programme developed, we build an Community enterprise development requires
exit strategy to ensure our NGO partners become a deeper commitment from corporates — and
self-sufficient and enable us to move on and reach more financial resources — than a simple
more communities. As much as possible, we will try donation. But such an investment builds
and build pathways for our beneficiaries into Tiger longer-lasting social impact by giving NGOs
Brands supply chain and business networks. For the tools to be more self-sufficient and by
example, it is possible that the herbs, which can be creating empowered communities that can
grown at our NGO partner community farms and do more.
microfarming enterprises, can be procured by Tiger
Brands as well as our retail partners. In the words of the well-known proverb, we
are teaching people to fish.
We believe this approach of empowering
communities through skills, network and market Nozicelo Ngcobo (4th from left) with her team
access will make them less reliant on government
and corporate partners over time. Ultimately, we
would like to see community enterprises reaching a
stage of self-reliance where we can phase ourselves
out of the relationship.

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 41

BUILDING AN

entrepreneurial economy

Many large corporates are supporting small businesses in various ways to assist them in running sustainable,
profitable operations, reports TREVOR CRIGHTON

T he support of entrepreneurs remains a participants access to nonfinancial support through
key focus for many large businesses in business mentorship and industry-related transfer of
South Africa, with 42 per cent of those skills; and third, by deliberate action to provide further
institutions spending 7 per cent of their CSI access to market opportunities for SMMEs. By way of
budgets in the field in 2018, according to Trialogue’s example, Macsteel was the first corporate to enter into a
report from last year. private-public partnership with SEFA (Small Enterprise
Finance Agency) and the first in the steel industry to
Skills development is a key focus, with 57 per cent implement a supplier credit programme.
of that spend dedicated to improving small business’
access to upskilling opportunities. Since the programme’s inception in 2015, Macsteel
has invested R27.2-million in the development of
FROM TOP: Students at the Sefako Magato Entrepreneurial mettle SMMEs and suppliers. Within 21 months, 114 SMMEs,
Nursing College; Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, primarily involved in some form of steel fabrication or
Steel supplier Macsteel’s Usizo supplier development construction, engineering, air-conditioning, irrigation
general manager, MTN SA Foundation. programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of or equipment maintenance industries, had benefitted
SMMEs within the steel manufacturing sector to better from a R10-million credit facility.
enable them to deliver quality products at competitive
prices. It offers small-business customers a sustainable In February 2017, informed by the DTI’s revised
solution to overcome their operational limitations.  B-bEEE codes, the Usizo Supplier Credit Programme
qualified for enterprise development.
The programme comprises three key components:
it provides simplified access to trade credit for small Kim Allan, Macsteel’s group CSR manager, says: “The
businesses with favourable cash flow terms to bring programme aims to increase the participation of black-
previously excluded entrepreneurs without collateral owned SMMEs in the steel sector, where access to credit
into the credit value chain; it gives programme enables them to secure input goods for their businesses
and build their credit profile. Many have been declined
It’s calculated that Usizo has enabled a contribution in credit via traditional channels, yet to date, shared risk
excess of R89.6-million to the economy, delivering 765 jobs on defaults represents 4.1 per cent of total credit, an
excellent result that is testimony to the success of the
— maintaining 585 and creating 180 new jobs. programme,” she says. “For many businesses, trade

42 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Images: supplied FROM LEFT: MTN Foundation-supported to funding for SMEs that have secured government to improve and uplift the lives of poor and
computer labs. contracts, but lack the finance to execute such projects disadvantaged communities. Its scope is broad,
in a R300-million, three-year deal. The funding includes addressing challenges in education, health, arts
credit is an essential tool for financing growth. Before a short-term or once-off revolving facility for suppliers and culture, and enterprise development — with a
the launch of the project, there was no comparable undertaking work valued below R500 000 and short- specific focus on youth in the latter category.
finance product available to support SMMEs for their and medium-term and asset finance for contracts above
start-up and early-stage business development.” R500 000. The bank’s agribusiness transformation In 2018, the MTN Foundation partnered with
programme, supported by the faculties of Agriculture Datacomb Development Hub, the University of
So far, it’s calculated that Usizo has enabled and Entrepreneur Development at the University of the the Free State, and Hodisang Dipeu Holdings
a contribution in excess of R89.6-million to the Free State, focuses on farmers identified and supported to run a business support programme to impart
economy, delivering 765 jobs — maintaining 585 and by the Free State’s Department of Agriculture and Rural skills to small businesses in the ICT sector.
creating 180 new jobs. The SMME vendor database Development. It gives black commercial farmers and This partnership dates back to 2013 when the
of suppliers created by the programme has assisted black-owned agribusinesses involved in primary and foundation teamed up with Datacomb to run
Macsteel customers in securing vendor opportunities secondary agriculture, and that receive grants from the a 12-month accelerated business development
both within the company supply chain and through Department of Agriculture, the opportunity to hone programme for SMEs. Last year, the programme
other public, private and civil organisations. Usizo their skills both on and off their farms with the aim of saw 50 entrepreneurs in businesses, ranging from
participants are also involved in participating in a increasing their contribution to the transformation and app development to ICT skills training academies
number of the company’s other community-based economic viability of the agricultural sector in the Free and small businesses responsible for the rollout of
opportunities and are contracted to fabricate various State, support job creation and improve food security. fibre networks in Soweto, Alexandra, Thembisa,
funding requests received by worthy charitable Bloemfontein, Welkom and surrounding areas in
community-based organisations. Step Up to a Start Up the Free State, equipped with the tools they need to
aims to inculcate an run their businesses successfully.
Enterprise development entrepreneurial mindset
among learners in high Step Up to a Start Up aims to inculcate an
Standard Bank Enterprise Development aims to support schools by giving them the entrepreneurial mindset among learners in high
entrepreneurs in moving their businesses to the next practical skills required to schools by giving them the practical skills required
level by providing access to development, markets start a business and realise to start a business and realise their entrepreneurial
and resources. The bank has a number of initiatives in their entrepreneurial ambitions. The initiative includes a business plan
place, all aimed at working with selected Standard Bank ambitions. The initiative development competition and an entrepreneur
small businesses to ensure they have the necessary help includes a business plan boot camp. To date, Step Up to a Start Up has
needed to bridge any gaps to success. development competition exposed over 60 000 youth to entrepreneurship,
and an entrepreneur paid out over R100 000 in seed funding to
Earlier this year, Standard Bank partnered with the boot camp. businesses that are in development phase and
Department of Telecommunication and Postal Services contributed more than R150 000 towards bursaries
to identify and develop six entrepreneurs that have built Among its objectives are developing black sustainable to fund the further education of the winners.
technology relevant to the fourth industrial revolution commercial farmers; developing sustainable secondary
(4IR). These businesses were afforded the opportunity agribusinesses; cultivating mutually beneficial Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, general manager
to showcase at the prestigious international exhibition, relationships among stakeholders; strengthening for MTN SA Foundation, says that the country’s
the ITU Telecom World 2019, in Budapest, as part of agricultural training and development networks in youth are among the most powerful drivers of
exposure and access to market opportunities. Africa; and improving academic programme and social change. “We want to harness that spirit to
graduate employability. The aim is to replicate the help create the business leaders of the future,”
During 2018, Standard Bank invested R38.6-million model in other provinces and the rest of the continent. she says. ■
in enterprise development projects and a rand
equivalent of R87.2-million in supplier development. “We aim to create, and grow, sustainable small-, SMME STATS
It also entered into a co-operation agreement with micro- and medium-sized black-owned South African
the Limpopo Provincial Treasury to provide access enterprises, facilitating value chain transformation • South Africa only has a quarter of a
through bespoke funding and development million formal small-, medium- and
solutions,” says Jenine Zachar, sector head: Enterprise micro-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Development, Standard Bank.
• While 98.5 per cent of the country’s
Focus on youth economy is made up of small- and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
The MTN SA Foundation’s mandate is to use they only deliver 28 per cent of all jobs.
technology and innovation within the ICT sector
• As much as 56 per cent of jobs in
South Africa are created by the
1 000 largest employers, including
the government.

Source: 2019 Small Business Institute (SBI) Reports

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 43

GOING BEYOND In a country where sport is a
just sponsorship source of great national pride,
and where many corporates
pump money into the major,
high-profile codes, there is a lack
of sponsorship and support for
sports development programmes,
says CAIPHUS KGOSANA

It was a chilly evening in Madrid when South Percy Tau (right) playing against Real Madrid in the of the commercial element. The R1.7-million in
African soccer sensation Percy Tau emerged UEFA Champions League. CSI funding goes to the Sports Trust, the bank’s
from the tunnel at the Santiago Bernabeu, partner in its Sports Affinity programme. Together
home of the world’s most successful football companies with a CSI budget. Grassroots soccer they support football, cycling, and hand over sports
club Real Madrid. On loan to Belgian pro football was the biggest recipient of this funding, receiving infrastructure to under-resourced communities.
league side Club Brugge, Tau was part of the team 40 per cent of about R180-million directed towards
to face a star-studded Madrid in the second match sports. Basketball and netball each received 13 per Also, when customers open a Sports Affinity
of Group A on 1 October 2019. Seeing him line up cent, while multidisciplinary sporting codes shared account or product, Nedbank donates a part of
against many soccer greats, it was unfathomable 11 per cent of this funding. Rugby, cricket, boxing, their monthly bank charges to a sporting cause of
that just two seasons ago Tau was plying his trade cycling, and other sports shared the remainder. the client’s choice. Badenhorst is confident that
in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, playing Nedbank ranks in the top three when it comes
home games for Mamelodi Sundowns at the Bigger CSI investment needed to supporting sports through sponsorship, cause
modest Lucas Moripe stadium in Atteridgeville, for sports development marketing and CSI. This includes prestigious
west of Pretoria. tournaments such as the Nedbank Cup (soccer),
Does sports development draw the short end of the the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the Sunshine Tour
Talent spotters had scouted Tau six years earlier stick when it comes to CSI funding? (Golf) and the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
while playing for Sundowns. Raised in a shack
shared with his single mother and siblings, Tau has Not so, says Tobie Badenhorst, head of sports He says the bank is proud of its Nedbank
since emerged as one of the hottest prospects in sponsorship and cause marketing at Nedbank. Ke Yona team, a soccer talent identification
world football. His rags-to-riches story is proof of In 2018, the bank spent R124-million on CSI, programme aimed at aspiring players aged 18–23.
the life-changing abilities of sport when players are of which R1.7-million went towards sports Badenhorst says the investment into Ke Yona is
spotted early and go through proper development development. But he insists that this has to be read immense, including staging seven trials around
programmes. For sports development programmes in conjunction with the vast amounts of money
to succeed and unearth more players of Tau’s the bank pours towards sports sponsorship/
calibre, across different sporting codes, support by marketing, which is separated from CSI because
business through sponsorships and other corporate
social responsibility initiatives remain key.

While corporates pump hundreds of millions
into sponsorships targeted at elite leagues and
successful pro players that attract huge viewership,
offering a handsome return on investment, the
picture is different when it comes to directing CSI
expenditure towards sports development.

According to the Trialogue Business in Society
Handbook 2018, which tracks CSI expenditure,
the total estimated CSI expenditure during the
year under review was R9.7-billion, representing a
6.8 per cent increase on the R9.1-billion that was
directed towards corporate social responsibility
causes in 2017.

Education received the lion’s share of CSI
spending at 44 per cent, followed by social and
community development initiatives, which received
17 per cent and health at 9 per cent.

Trialogue also noted that sports development
received a paltry 2 per cent of CSI expenditure
in 2018 and was supported by 24 per cent of

44 C OR P OR AT E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T

SPORT

Nedbank Ke Yona team.

“Corporate investment into
grassroots community and
school sports development,
centrally managed, ensures
that more funds are
available for a better long-
term sustainable impact on
a community.” — Anita Mathews

the country, travel and broadcasting the matches. Executive director Anita Mathews says sport FROM TOP RIGHT: Tobie Badenhorst,
It ropes in former football greats to help identify helps increase economic prosperity and provides head of sports sponsorship and cause
raw talent for professional leagues. One of the gems employment to many young people, and corporates
unearthed through this programme is Aubrey need to invest more in sports. “Big corporates marketing, Nedbank; the Sportainer at
Modiba who plays for Supersports United. A need to review their strategies in terms of how Winterveld, Gauteng.
former young player of the season, Modiba is also a their departments function. Corporate investment
Bafana Bafana regular player. into grassroots community and school sports THE SPORTAINER
development, centrally managed, ensures that
“Sport is a powerful tool. It is authentic and more funds are available for a better long-term Although not directly involved in sports, the Bright
relevant, it creates a sense of belonging among sustainable impact on a community,” says Mathews. Kid Foundation has used the benevolence of
people and enables us to connect with our target corporate South Africa to create an initiative that has
market and audiences,” says Badenhorst. By investing a bigger portion of CSI expenditure benefitted over 70 000 children in disadvantaged
in sports development, corporates can share in communities. Founded in 2000, the organisation
The Sports Trust, a venture between the joy of discovering another Percy Tau or an builds what it terms Edutainers — 12-foot containers
corporate South Africa, sports federations and Aubrey Modiba. ■ to house early childhood development centres
the government, aims to increase access and that operate from unsuitable spaces. And in 2012,
opportunities to participate in sports for all together with sponsors Altus Sports, GIZ (which
previously disadvantaged South Africans. is the official German Government Development
Corporation designed to promote development
It has supported over 2 000 projects and through sport) and the National Lottery Board,
managed funds over R500-million since its delivered a Sportainer version of the Edutainer to
inception in 1994. It works with corporates to Winterveld in Gauteng. The Sportainer was to be used
install sports infrastructure and donate sporting as a clubhouse and to train the Altus Sports leaders.
equipment to areas in need. Altus Sports uses sport to train young people in
leadership abilities. The Sportainer acted as a secure
Images: supplied TRANSFORMATION IN SPORTS STATISTICS and attractive place for young sportsmen and women
to have training meetings.
The Fifth Annual Eminent Persons Group report, which monitors the progress of
transformation in South African sports, reveals that less than 10 per cent of 25 000 public
schools participate in organised sports. Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Sports, Arts and
Culture, said in the department’s annual report that the transformation of sports was a
process that must start at school and community level.

He said his department had signed an agreement with the Department of Basic
Education to roll out sports programmes to schools in need. “This agreement must work
if we are to contribute meaningfully to the state of health in our country and also create a
pool of athletes that will one day represent our country internationally,” Mthethwa wrote.

C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T 45





DON’T UNDERESTIMATE

the value of water

It’s no secret that South T he corporate sector, civil society and the development; municipal oversight bodies; and dealing
Africa is losing water at an government are digging deep into their with the consequence of global warming.
alarming rate. TIISETSO resources to avert drought resulting from
TLELIMA finds out what climate change. Research nds that, at McNamara says South Africa has institutional issues
corporate and civil society current levels of water consumption, it is expected that by that need to be urgently addressed. NBi’s ndings are that
2035, water demand will exceed supply by 10 per cent. local municipalities o en sell their water for considerably
is doing to conserve this less than what it costs them to produce it. As a result, they
valuable resource Alex McNamara, programme manager for climate are unable to perform adequate maintenance.
change and water at the National Business Initiative
“At the moment, in many (NBI), a nonpro t organisation (NPO) formed in 1995, “At the moment, in many parts of the country, we see a
parts of the country, we see a warns that if water is not valued at a much greater level, combination of drought and organisational challenges at
combination of drought and South Africa will never achieve the sort of water security the local level impacting a lot of things like water quality,
organisational challenges at needed as a country. water quantity and the general provision of water in some
the local level impacting a lot places,” says McNamara.
“As we approach water scarcity where demand
of things like water quality, considerably outstrips supply, the value of water rises On the other hand, Investec’s water programme
water quantity and the general exponentially, until it’s almost in nite in its nal drop,” management has observed that water is controlled
says McNamara. at various levels of government, that is, municipal,
provision of water in some provincial and national, creating plenty of confusion and
places.” – Alex McNamara McNamara has been leading NBi water programmes disagreement among these various tiers of government.
for ve years and has also worked in the sustainability
is makes it di cult to nd e ective solutions.
eld for 15 years primarily dealing with energy and According to Investec, as of 2017, South Africa’s
climate change. He thinks that if the country is to achieve nonrevenue water is estimated to be sitting at 41 per cent.
sustainable water and sanitation access for all, it has to International best practice puts this loss at 15 per cent,
implement a multifaceted approach. But the three most while other water-stressed countries such as Australia
pressing challenges are infrastructure maintenance and keep it down to 10 per cent.

48 C O R P O R A T E S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T