Free State Business 2018 edition

INTERVIEW The Black

INTERVIEW The Black Management Forum Free State Kaiser Khoza, Provincial Chairperson of Free State BMF, outlines the goals of the organisation. Kaiser Khoza Please outline the main objectives of the Black Management Forum. The BMF advocates for excellence in Managerial Leadership. It is a champion for socio-economic transformation as an enabler for equity. The BBBEE Act must be implemented by government and corporate SA. What is your current focus? Our focus is still on transformation. We have issued the Transformation Barometer and are now engaged in the Transformation Master Plan. We are looking at the regulatory environment and are teasing out aspects that have resulted in a slow pace of transformation. We are looking at strengthening Employment Equity as most companies do not comply. BIOGRAPHY Kaiser Khoza has been an admitted attorney since 2001, having graduated from the University of Durban-Westville. He has worked as a state attorney, in the national Department of Higher Education, the Presidency and several Free State provincial government departments. He has served as secretary of the Black Lawyers Association, Free State, Deputy Chair of the State Litigation Management Forum, a member of the Information Officers Forum and is a member of SASREA Appeal Board and a trustee of the Lebone Trust. What are some of the most recent achievements of the Free State BMF? We partnered with the ILO on SME research and other programmes in the Free State. We have entered into MoUs with the UFS Business School and PwC for training and development. We have partnered with a number of corporates regarding placing graduates and community development programmes. Does the BMF work with other organisations? We work closely with all stakeholders; our role in the N3 De Beers Pass is a case in point, as it was a serious threat to economic stability of the Free State. The recently launched Maluti-A-Phofung SEZ was threatened by the De Beers Pass and our work with labour, government and civil society saw us achieving great milestones. What issues lie ahead? We remain concerned about the slow pace of transformation. Most black SMEs rely on government work to survive. We need to work with corporates on their enterprise development initiatives and ensure that the rand rotates around the Free State. We are part of the Buy Black Business Day Movement which encourages black people to buy from and amongst each other. FREE STATE BUSINESS 2018 60

Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry PROFILE The voice of business in the Free State. The Chamber seeks to be the voice of business in Mangaung and to assist in promoting economic development and investment in the province. In these endeavours the MCCI won the PMI Africa award for the organisation doing the most for business development as well as triple BEE in the province. The new Chamber of Commerce and Industry was constituted in 2003. In 2013 we reregistered as the Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry in order to include the whole metropole. Although the MCCI is the oldest business chamber in the Free State, in 2017 we strongly believe that we have the progressive outlook befitting a chamber complying with the modern-day requirements of the business world. MMCI have won the Africa PMR Awards for the last 3 years. Objectives • Entrepreneurs are the engines of communitywide economic development. The MCCI is creating a sufficient number of entrepreneurs to transform this region’s economy. • We serve our members and the community with innovative approaches to establish a vibrant business network that will promote all levels and stages of businesses. • Signing and implementing MOU’s with stakeholders that can make a difference. • To give practical credibility to the term “Local Economic Development” not only in Mangaung, but in other areas in the Free State as well. • To promote and support local businesses through specific interventions like the “Member-support- Member” campaign. • To promote triple BEE by, among other initiatives, linking big and small businesses through the chamber’s network. • To do advocacy on behalf of our members so that we can influence and monitor relevant authorities and role-players. • To promote the development of the city and surrounds as a destination of choice for tourists. • To become a strategic vehicle for the participation of member businesses in social responsibility programmes. • To promote and support initiatives aimed at renewable and alternative energy sources. Benefits for members • Innovative networking events and opportunities • SMME development and support centre • Import and export support centre • Seminars, training, workshops and business mentoring • Advertising opportunities for our members • Lobbying municipalities, local and provincial government CONTACT INFO Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tel: +27 51 522 1710 Email: President@bcci.co.za Website: www.mcci.co.za 61 FREE STATE BUSINESS 2018