Deloitte hosted an interactive session and press briefing on 8 June 2023, with the objective to encourage and motivate the industry bodies, professional bodies, and other partners to encourage their members and network to plan strategically when implementing Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) and to ensure their contributions lead to transformational and sustainable B-BBEE. Representatives from various industry bodies were in attendance.
Member Support Executive at the BEE Chamber, Yuneal Padayachy, said that the BEE Chamber tried to remind people about the importance of the B-BBEE legislation, which is trying to address the inequalities of the past. He added that another goal is to look at government’s main tool driving an inclusive economy throughout the different elements in the portfolio and areas that are driving an inclusive economy for South Africa (SA), by reducing unemployment with a specific focus on the black youth. He added that addressing the issue of unemployment in SA is going to be a collaborative approach, because it cannot only be left to government or the private sector to deal with this issue.
Mr Padayachy said parties should come together to create solutions, programmes, policies, and address unemployment and one of the strategies are to focus on B-BBEE legislation. He spoke about changing the workforce dynamic and representation and looking at how employers in SA look at areas of management within their organisation, as well as upskilling of individuals. He pointed out that SA needs to have a skilled workforce. He said that SA should upskill individuals within the country, and make sure they stay competitive globally, but also to add value to the country. Mr Padayachy also emphasised the significance of making new supply chains, specifically on black own business. He said the conversation is about the concept of sustainability.
Mr Padayachy pointed out that SA must create such businesses to sustain the future of the country in terms of supply. He spoke about development programmes for black beneficiaries, specifically looking at how best they can be assisted in getting into income generating concepts.
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, spoke at the event. She said that she was pleased that the interactive session was a few days after the launch of Youth Month. She pointed out that Youth Month is very important not only to commemorate, but also to draw inspiration from the sacrifices made by successive generation of young people, towards a more just human society. She said that this year was commemorated under the theme ‘Accelerating Youth Economic Emancipation for a Sustainable Future.’ Her department is reaffirming the nation’s location of young people regarding the future well-being at the centre of the development state.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma said that they are doing so by calling on government and society groups, because this cannot be done by one sector alone. It needs a collaborative effort of the whole society. She added that in SA and in the continent of Africa the youth continue to be the biggest part of the population, she said that this is a blessing but does not mean that automatically the nations will benefit from the demographic dividend, unless SA invests in its young people. ‘We must invest in our young people so that everyone feels they have a stake in this country,’ Dr Dlamini-Zuma said. She added that she hoped that all stakeholders do what they can to ensure that the everyone in the country has a stake in the future of this country.
Kgomotso Ramotsho Cert Journ (Boston) Cert Photography (Vega) is the news reporter at De Rebus.