The sixteenth edition of the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards was held on the 27 July at the new Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga. Award-winning broadcaster Iman Rappetti, the master of ceremonies, added her special flair and insights to the evening’s proceedings, ensuring a great event was had by all. In her welcome address, Fiona Ebrahim, Head: Local Market Business Clients, eThekwini Business Centre, Standard Bank commented: “We are proud to once again be associated with the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards for 2022. These awards honour those businesses making a tangible difference to their communities – something which resonates deeply with us as a financial services organisation.” Key note speaker, Martin Roe, the Group CEO at CCI Global, emphasised amongst other key business strategies, the need to focus on people. He said that while government has many schemes to address skills shortages it is necessary for “businesses to make a substantial contribution in the industries in which they operate.” This goal is to ensure the upliftment of people so that they may acquire the necessary skills to work within these industries to deliver real outcomes. He concluded by saying, “despite the headwinds that we face, the future looks very bright.” In his impromptu address Imtiaaz Sooliman emphasized the importance of all sectors of society – government, corporates and civil sector – working together to address corruption and the many challenges that face South African society. He said, “We need the support of corporate South Africa, for government to lift the barriers of bureaucracy and for civil society to come on board to save South Africa.” Of note the categories on offer in 2022 reflect some of the challenges experienced over the past two and a half years. In addition, in line with King IV the awards aim to promote excellence, achievement and accountability in all entities. The winners in the various category awards are as follows: Business Innovation: Mi7 National Group Entrepreneur Resilience : Isaac Mbatha – Sky Tents Digital/System Implementation: SmartXchange – AdNotes TV White Spaces Project Employee Wellbeing: Cox Yeats Attorneys Small Business Start-up: Infinity Growth Digital Marketing Community and Social Responsibility: East Coast Radio Family Business: Beekman Group Special Recognition: Margaret, Allan, Richard and Luci Hirsch – Hirsch’s Saskia Hill – MCS Debt Recovery Ebrahim Patel – CEO Magellan Management Imtiaz Sooliman – Gift of the Givers Business Personality: Esayvanie (Esay) Reddy Top Brand: Icebolethu Group Grant Adlam, CEO KZN Top Business said, “We congratulate all nominees, finalists and winners – you are all worthy of recognition. The awards are a great way to showcase the many achievements in KwaZulu-Natal. These people, businesses and organisations have risen above the ordinary and have very good stories of success to tell.” The vote of thanks was delivered by Reggie Gambushe Head: Local Market Consumer Clients, eThekwini Catchment, Standard Bank. He said, “At Standard Bank we are in the business of inspiring hope and enabling dreams. We believe that dreams matter because they fuel our growth. This belief is encapsulated in our tagline ‘It Can Be’.” The event was livestreamed to ensure that all employees, stakeholders, family and friends could watch and share in the evening’s proceedings and excitement. For more information www.kzntopbusiness.com

With a little something special, Business Sense...at the Radisson Blu Umhlanga Durban.

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LYNDALL MOODLEY is a 42-year-old wife and mum of four. She was born and bred in Phoenix, Durban and currently resides in Umhlanga Rocks. Lyndall has a BCom Honours in Marketing and Business information Systems, which has held her in good stead for the business she now owns. After spending 15 years in corporate South Africa, Lyndall left ULSA as a marketing manager and embarked on her entrepreneurial journey with the purchase of the Kids Emporium KwaZulu-Natal franchise. She started the Hannah Grace Maternity brand in 2014 when she noticed the great need in our country for affordable maternity wear. Lyndall says, “I believe businesses exist to solve consumer needs and I have found great fulfilment in providing quality products to expectant and new moms.” The brand is sold online on an e-commerce platform ( www.hannahgrace.co.za ) as well as on six other local and international e-commerce platforms. During Covid, the decision was made to move manufacturing in house and all of their products are now manufactured in their Durban based factory. Hannah Grace was recognised in 2017 in the Standard Bank Mercedes Benz Business Accelerator programme called Threads. In 2022, the company had the honour of being shortlisted in the KZN Top Business Awards in the innovation category. MOTHERHOOD ACTIVISM As part of their corporate social responsibility, Hannah Grace donates a flat machine to one home-based machinist every two months. The company provides the materials to the machinist from the Hannah Grace factory and buys back the products from the machinist to sell on their e-commerce platforms. Hannah Grace are also a proud sponsor of one of the Gauteng based FLOURISH franchises, which supports disadvantaged LSM B and C mothers with antenatal and postnatal support. Lyndall is part of an activism movement called the Embrace Movement for Mothers, and she became a Mamandla fellow in 2022. The movement aims to empower women in their parenting journey through both social and policy change. In addition, Lyndall serves on the board of trustees at Khanyisa, which is a local Umhlanga based school for children who are differently abled. She is also the Kids Church Leader at Berea Church in Phoenix. A DREAM TO PURSUE Lyndall says, “I have always been inspired by my own parents who raised us on humble means. Their vision to provide their daughters with an education and a dream to pursue was fulfilled through my sisters and I. My dad was a dairy truck driver, and my mum would sell jackets, jerseys, and dresses door to door to provide for us. Through my dad, I learnt about having a consistent work ethic and my mom taught me perseverance and faith. In addition, I’ve always had a deep sense of community which compels me to give back.” A personal challenge faced as a female entrepreneur has been time management especially as a wife, mom, daughter, and business owner. “Over the years,” says Lyndall, “l have learnt to hand over control to trusted people in my circle and to focus on the most impactful tasks at hand.” A business challenge has been competing with cheaper imports on e-commerce platforms. “Being a responsible small business in South Africa means that you pay above minimum wage and make sure all your suppliers are local. It means supporting and building our local economy. I am confident in our vision and products that are comparable to other local quality brands. When you buy local you are building our country!” says Lyndall. As the e-commerce arena is just beginning to boom, Lyndall says that they have been privileged to bring on board the young dynamic local team from HASHUB, who handle their ecommerce and digital needs. Her future goal is firstly to create a legacy for her children, especially her daughters, to enter the e-commerce and manufacturing space. Secondly, as she regards her employees as her family, she desires that her employees achieve their dreams and goals for their families through their employment at Hannah Grace. Lyndall’s practical advice to young women would be to make sure that they have a nest egg to cover their expenses for three months or more when they step out into business because they are not likely to make money from the first day. She added, “Always be reading and learning, business can be lonely place, so you need to be responsible for your own personal development and network.” BREAKING BARRIERS Lyndall is married to Desmond Moodley who owns Plastipak and Timmemo – which are flexible plastic manufacturing and recycling plants based in Berea, Durban. She commented, “Apart from being a qualified electrical engineer, Desmond also holds various community leadership positions and much of my strength and knowledge is drawn from him.” Her eldest son, Erian Moodley (14 years old) has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. However, through grit and determination, Erian, who is a junior weightlifter, has attained the prestigious honour of World Fitness Federation brand ambassador in the 2022 WFF Champs. “We are very excited for what the future holds for him,” says Lyndall. “He has also taught us that perseverance pays, and we hope that he is able to make a difference in the world of sport for differently abled children and young adults.” She also has a 12-year-old daughter Evana, a 10-year-old son Emiel and 7-year-old daughter Elianne. When asked about what she does to relax, Lyndall says “I’m not a relaxed person naturally, I do enjoy the rush of a busy yet purposeful life. However, in order to maintain balance, I love long walks on the beach with my family.” In conclusion she says, “We hear so often that entrepreneurs should support one another. I believe that small businesses are the future of South Africa, and that we have to start at a micro level – my advice would be to support local as the FIRST option always.”

Passengers onboard the Turkish Airlines flight that landed at King Shaka International Airport were given a warm Durban welcome when they stepped into international arrivals on Thursday 16 June. The airline has extended two of its Istanbul-Johannesburg flights to include Durban on Thursdays and Saturdays and has plans to increase these to four weekly flights later this year, depending on passenger uptake. Currently, Emirates flies five flights a week from Durban directly to Dubai, Qatar Airways flies four direct flights a week, with plans to increase this to five; and now Turkish Airlines brings additional capacity with the reintroduction of flights into Durban. “The reintroduction of these flights reopens business and tourism opportunities between Istanbul and Dubai. This underpins the resilience of KwaZulu-Natal, its people and leadership to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications of the recent destructive flooding have had on the tourism industry. “This achievement, along with the recent direct Airlink flight to Harare, Zimbabwe, is indicative of the untapped capacity within our destination for air services, as well as the behind-the-scenes work being undertaken by Government and its agencies to bring air connectivity into KwaZulu-Natal,” Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Mr Ravi Pillay. King Shaka International Airport is regarded as the second-fastest recovering international airport in the country, achieving 71.9% of its pre-COVID-19 passenger throughput in the year to date. By March 2022, international load factors had reached 50% of the March 2020 pre-covid level and domestic load factors have achieved the pre[1]covid level of 77% year to date. Turkish Airline’s Johannesburg-Durban-Istanbul return route will boost cargo airlift capacity, said Mr Hamish Erskine, Chief Executive Officer of Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone, and Durban Direct Co-Chairperson. “With the gradual reintroduction of international, regional and domestic air services the Dube Cargo Terminal has seen a growth of 23 percent in cargo volumes over the past 12 months. This is a direct result of the increased capacity available in passenger flights serving King Shaka International Airport.” Most foreign countries have eased restrictions on South African travellers, provided they are fully vaccinated. While, South Africa’s vaccination rate is lower compared to other countries, a larger proportion of the adult population – the age group that travels – has been inoculated. Phindile Makwakwa, Co-Chairperson of Durban Direct and Acting CEO of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, said: “The return of Turkish Airlines is very important for tourism as Istanbul offers our destination fantastic connectivity to our tourism source markets in Europe. Air services continue to play a critical role in ensuring ease of travel for tourists, thereby growing KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism sector, which in turn grows the tourism economy and increases job opportunities within the tourism value chain”. Locally a resilient domestic market has been critical to the recovery of air travel in South Africa with King Shaka International Airport passenger numbers breaching the 72%-mark year to date. Overall, domestic travel now contributes more than 74% of the Airport Company South Africa’s (ACSA) irport network traffic. Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda, Mayor of the City of Durban added: “Collaboration with our tourism trade partners and other Government entities has enabled us to achieve great milestones under the most difficult time of COVID-19. The road to recovery is promising.” “Turkish Airlines have stated that Durban remains a strategic market for the airline and country. Prior to COVID-19, Istanbul ranked number seven as a top international destination for Durban, with as much as 88% of outbound domestic passengers originating in Durban. These flights to Durban will make it easier for local passengers to visit Istanbul and will allow travellers from our source markets in Europe to fly into Durban,” he said. ACSA Regional General Manager, Mr Nkosinathi Myataza, said: “Turkish Airlines flights will add much-needed traffic between Europe and South Africa, this will help in propelling the recovery of both air freight and passenger traveller, a key driver of South Africa’s tourism sector, an economic multiplier for the country.” “The resumption of Turkish Airlines signifies resilience and demonstrates efforts of recovery and thus rebuilding confidence within the aviation industry. This is important to connecting South Africans to people, places, dreams and opportunities, and vice-versa for inbound traffic.” Turkish Airlines has a route network connecting 128 countries and 329 cities from its hub in Istanbu. W: www.invest.durban

Don’t miss the opportunity to take your business to new heights! The Entrepreneur 2023 entries are now open. To enter the programme, candidates need to complete the entry form that can be downloaded from The Entrepreneur website ( http://www.theentrepreneur.net.za ). Entry forms can also be collected from the iLembe Chamber offices, the offices of Enterprise iLembe and iLembe District Municipality or any one of the iLembe District municipalities’ offices: KwaDukuza Municipality, Maphumulo Municipality Ndwedwe Local Municipality, and Mandeni Local Municipality. The Entrepreneur is an University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Graduate School of Business and Leadership accredited business accelerator programme presented in collaboration with Airports Company South Africa, Enterprise iLembe, ENGIE Peakers Operations, Siza Water and The North Coast Courier. The application form must be completed and submitted before 14 July 2023. This can be: Scanned and emailed to reception@ilembechamber.co.za / sakhile@ilembechamber.co.za Faxed to 086 666 1164 Dropped off at the iLembe Chamber Offices, The Quarter Centre, 1 Stewart Drive, Ballito Late or incomplete applications will automatically be disqualified. All applications received will be reviewed against the selection criteria. Interviews may be conducted to select the finalists that will participate in The Entrepreneur 2023 competition and programme. Selected business owners are required to participate in a 10-week entrepreneurial development programme endorsed by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and USA-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which include tuition and mentorship. The programme will commence on 29 July 2023 and will run until October 2023. Competition winners will be judged on the perceived potential of their businesses, programme participation and attendance, as well as the content of the business plan submitted. Finalists that complete the programme will be offered the opportunity to showcase their business at The Entrepreneur 2023 Exhibition where the winners of the competition will be announced. Prize money will take the form of business development funding that will be disbursed in line with the submitted business plans after being approved by the finalist’s assigned mentor. www.theentrepreneur.net.za

The Morar Incorporated webinar on Saturday the 27th of February was a great success as the National Treasury team coupled with the Morar Incorporated team delivered an impactful and informative analysis of the National Budget Speech on the 24th of February 2021. The Q and A section had questions posed from small, medium and large enterprises and aided to diversify the discussions.

MERRILL KING, joint MD of Capitol Caterers, has had a 36-year career in the food industry. King, when having to decide on a career path, followed in her brother's footsteps who was working in the hospitality industry, and was lured by the 'romance' of working in the kitchen. She qualified as a chef through the trainee programme at the Royal Hotel in Durban. This culinary background has served her well, providing King with a thorough knowledge of food preparation and service. She has served as Group Executive Chef for a period of ten years at Capitol Caterers. However, together with joint MD Russell Nzimande, King now focuses on the business side of managing Capitol Caterers' daily operations. Headquartered in Pietermaritzburg, Capitol Caterers was founded in 1993 by her husband Giles who in the current role as chairman, still plays an active role in the business. The company is currently entering its 26th year of service and caters for clients in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng as well as in Eswatini. King says that much of her time is spent travelling to the regional offices to ensure that these operations are well supported. In addition, she values the relationships that she has developed with her staff and she strives to understand their needs and ensure that they are happy. "We favour a collaborative style of leadership and obtain input from all divisions when decisions are to be made. Within the catering environment, all of our staff play important roles. While wages may motivate some staff members, supporting our staff so that they are happy means that all our clients are happy too," commented King. Capitol Caterers has over 100 clients in different sectors. These range from the education and health sectors, to the commercial and the retirement sectors. "The catering business is hard work. In order to meet these varied sector needs, a standardised approach or menu is not possible. We have to ensure that our menus are within our clients' vastly different needs and budgets." In addition, Capitol Caterers not only keeps up with food trends but ensures that all the food that is prepared in their kitchens is nutritious and fulfils a wide range of dietary needs while being beautifully presented. "We pride ourselves in continually striving for excellence and in ensuring that our food is interesting, local and relevant, but most importantly, being steadfastly mindful of our footprint on the environment by adhering to strict QMS and ISO practices. "In order to ensure that the staff are skilled, Capitol Caterers has registered Midlands Hospitality Academy (MHA), which is accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and CATHSSETA. Staff empowerment has been promoted through the company's Workers Trust. In an empowerment deal initiated in 2003, the beneficiaries have grown to 570 and now boast a 49% share in Capitol Caterers. King commented that in addition to empowering staff, the company needed to continually make its presence known in the marketplace through active marketing campaigns. In order to obtain some life balance, King enjoys spending time in the gym, paddling or running to stay fit and 'to ensure a flow of endorphins'. She is a competitive canoeist who has won several age-category gold medals in the Dusi and Fish River Marathons as well as a silver medal with partner, Sonja Bohnsack, at the World Marathon Canoeing Championships in Pietermaritzburg in 2017. She hopes to complete her 16th Dusi in 2020. King has also competed in running events including two Comrades Marathons and five Two Oceans ultra-marathons. King was the first woman to hold the position of president of Canoeing South Africa, which she occupied from 2008-2010. She is a long-serving board member of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). Whenever possible, King enjoys relaxing with her husband, their three children and grandson.

This Week@Work, purpose is paramount. Pavlo visited a successful tea company who now proudly display their original tea sorter (a DIY modified cement mixer!) in their reception area to remind the business about their heritage. In tough times, go back to what you’ve been through and come through to motivate you to get through now, and focus on what needs to come next. Your prosperity is largely in your hands. It's also in the wellbeing of your suppliers, customers, friends and family who run their own businesses. You're welcome to share This Week@Work with them. Subscribe to receive This Week@Work Pavlo Phitidis www.aurik.com

This Week@Work I’m going off the beaten track, and I’m not going alone. In a tough business environment we can’t tackle every single challenge by ourselves. Surround yourself with trusted allies to get out of your head – it makes the climbs more manageable, interesting and rewarding. Your prosperity is largely in your hands. It's also in the wellbeing of your suppliers, customers, friends and family who run their own businesses. You're welcome to share This Week@Work with them. Pavlo Phitidis www.aurik.com

This Week@Work the Skills shortage has been touted as a skills crisis. How do you get the right people to do the right thing at the right time, all the time? The solution lies deep within your business – understanding clearly what problem you solve, for whom and then codifying the activities that deliver the solution and experience are the key to building a purposeful team. Your prosperity is largely in your hands. It's also in the wellbeing of your suppliers, customers, friends and family who run their own businesses. You're welcome to share This Week@Work with them. Have an entrepreneurial week, Pavlo Phitidis www.aurik.com

This Week@Work, when the business environment is uncertain or challenging, it’s easy to delay investment in your business, while you ‘wait and see` what will happen with the country, economy etc. But growth requires investment, you have to be bold to be the last man standing on the other side. Your prosperity is largely in your hands. It's also in the wellbeing of your suppliers, customers, friends and family who run their own businesses. You're welcome to share This Week@Work with them. Have an entrepreneurial week, Pavlo Phitidis www.aurik.com