We are once more delighted by the number of entries that we are receiving for the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2023. If you have not already sent in your entry for one of the category awards, please make sure we receive your submission by the 23 June 2023. The categories are: Standard Bank Client of the year – SME Category Standard Bank Client of the year – Larger Enterprise Manufacturing Sector Transport/Logistics Sector Franchising Sector Family-Owned/Managed Businesses Agricultural and Agro-Processing Sector Community Upliftment and Improvement Employee Wellness Renewable Efficiency – Green initiatives If you are having any challenges with uploading your submission, please submit your entry and/or supporting documents by email to gayleadlam@gmail.com TOP BRAND In order to vote for the Standard KZN Top Business Top Brand 2023, SMS the letters KZN and the name of your top brand to 45633. The Top Brand award is judged by public vote only. You may enter as many times as you like. And get your employees, clients, families, friends and other stakeholders to vote. A cost of R1.50 per SMS will be incurred. Furthermore, you could win a one-night stay for two people at the Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga. Voting for the Top Brand award closes on Sunday 16 July 2023 at 10 pm. If you require any further information or assistance, please contact Grant Adlam at 0832629529 or Gayle Adlam at 0836530465 Entry and award information is on the website www.kzntopbusiness.com

Entries are swiftly flowing in for the category awards for the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2023. We have also had many requests for some extra time. We always try to accommodate such requests as we well know that getting your submission on point is important. So, we listened and if you have not submitted already, all entries must be with us by Wednesday 28 June at 5 p.m. Grant Adlam CEO of KZN Top Business said, ‘We are delighted about both the quantity of entries as well as the quality of the submissions received so far in the various categories. The judges are going to have a difficult task in selecting the winners and runners up in each of the categories. We wish all entrants well.” In order to vote for the Standard KZN Top Business Top Brand 2023, SMS the letters KZN and the name of your top brand to 45633. You may enter as many times as you like. And get your employees, clients, families, friends and other stakeholders to vote. A cost of R1.50 per SMS will be incurred. Furthermore, you could win one a one-night stay for two people at the Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga. Voting for the Standard Bank KZN Top Brand award closes on Sunday 16 July 2023 at 10 p.m. The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards gala dinner is on the 20 July 2023, and will be livestreamed from the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga from 6.30 p.m. Visit www.kzntopbusiness.com for more information. #RiseAboveTheNoise For more information Contact Gayle Adlam 0836530465 or 0312671977 gayle@mweb.co.za Click here for FAQs Remona (Roving Reporter) KZN Top Business www.kzntopbusiness.com

The prestigious Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2023 are now in their seventeenth year of existence and aim to acknowledge the businesses and people that are contributing to the success of the province. “Standard Bank is committed to driving Africa’s growth. These awards are important in identifying and celebrating the businesses that exemplify innovation, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to both economic growth and social impact in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Hameed Noormahomed, Head of Business Banking, Client Coverage KZN at Standard Bank. Apart from the category awards, the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Brand Award is much coveted each year and is awarded by public vote only. Previous winners include Icebolethu Group (2022), Hollywoodbets (2021) and Blue Security (2019). In order to vote for the Standard KZN Top Business Brand 2023, SMS the letters ‘KZN’ and the name of your top brand to 45633. You may enter as many times as you like. And get your employees, clients, families, friends and other stakeholders to vote. A cost of R1.50 per SMS will be incurred. Furthermore, you could win one a one-night stay for two people at the Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga. Voting for the Standard Bank KZN Top Brand award closes on Sunday 16 July 2023 at 10 pm. Live Webinars In the lead up to this year’s Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards gala dinner event on the 20 July 2023, we will host three webinars where the shortlisted entrants in each of the categories will be introduced. Each webinar will announce three to four different categories. In addition, in each webinar the current rankings of the top twenty brands, as the voting stands, will be announced. WEBINAR ONE: 29 JUNE 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Standard Bank Client of the year – SME Category. Less than R100M turn over per annum, bank with Standard Bank Standard Bank Client of the year – Larger Enterprise. More than R100M turn over per annum, bank with Standard Bank Manufacturing Sector. Broadly defined as the physical or chemical transformation of materials or compounds into new products. Transport/Logistics Sector. Transport as an economic sector refers to activities concerned with land transport, railway transport, water transport, and transport via pipelines, air transport, and activities of travel agencies, post and telecommunications, courier activities, as well as storage and warehousing activities. WEBINAR TWO: 6 JULY 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Franchising Sector. A business that is owned by one or more people who provide products or services under the branding and rules stipulated by a parent company. Family-Owned/Managed Businesses. Open to businesses where the majority ownership/management remains within a family (or multi-family) structure, and where more than one generation contributes to the success of the business. Agricultural and Agro-Processing Sector. Incorporates establishments and activities that are primarily engaged in farming activities, but also includes establishments focusing on commercial hunting and game propagation and forestry, logging and fishing. The beneficiation of primary materials and intermediate goods from agricultural, fisheries and forestry-based sectors is included. WEBINAR THREE: 13 JULY 6:00PM – 6:30PM Community Upliftment and Improvement. This award is open to businesses or social enterprises that have made a significant positive impact on the community and region they operate in. This could include: charitable efforts or developing your local community. The motivation should be to make KZN a better place to live and work. Renewable Efficiency – Green initiatives. This category includes renewable energy, low-carbon transport, energy-efficient buildings, clean technologies, improved waste management, improved freshwater provision, etc. Employee Wellness - This award is for businesses that go the extra mile to engage their staff members and what difference this makes to the business. This may be through in-house training, flexible working, personal development, workplace wellbeing activity and teambuilding. To be eligible for a category award, entrants need to demonstrate how their companies have embraced the principles of the King IV Report on Corporate Governance in South Africa 2016. Factors such as stakeholder relations, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and quality of governance are all considered in the formal judging process. The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards gala dinner is on the 20 July 2023, and will be livestreamed from the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga from 6.30 pm. Grant Adlam CEO of KZN Top Business said, ‘We are delighted about both the quantity of entries as well as the quality of the submissions received so far in the various categories. The judges are going to have a difficult task in selecting the winners and runners up in each of the categories. We wish all entrants well.” Visit http://www.kzntopbusiness.com for more information and to register for the webinars and gala event livestream. #RiseAboveTheNoise For more information Contact Gayle Adlam C: +27 (0)83 653 0465 or +27 (0)31 267 1977 E: gayle@mweb.co.za

LIVE on the TOP BUSINESS YOUTUBE CHANNEL Join us online on Thursday 6 July at 6:00 p.m. when we will announce the shortlisted nominees in the following categories: • Franchising Sector • Family-Owned/Managed Businesses • Agricultural and Agro-Processing Sector In addition, the current rankings of the top twenty brands, as the voting stands, will be announced. Remember that the much-coveted Standard Bank KZN Top Business brand award is awarded by public vote only. Voting is currently open. SMS the letters KZN and the name of your top brand is 45633. (There is a cost of R1.50 per SMS). You may vote as often as you like. Top brand voting closes on the 16 July 2023. The annual Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards provide an outstanding platform to celebrate the successful businesses, as well as the exceptional businesspeople behind them, that participate in the economy of the KwaZulu-Natal province. For more information visit www.kzntopbusiness.com Register and watch the live announcement and countdown of the the Current Top Twenty Brands in KZN and stand a chance of winning a one night for two at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga

LIVE! LAST NIGHT STANDARD BANK KZN TOP BUSINESS AWARDS 2023 Watch the live stream and check out who is in the lead. Remember, keep voting for your favorite brand.

Media Release The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards celebrate the extraordinary businesses and organisations that are contributing to the economy and people in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Grant Adlam CEO of the KZN Top Business said, “Each year we are not only impressed by the array of companies that are operating in the province of KwaZulu-Natal but incredibly humbled by the sound business practices and outstanding efforts to ensure that employees and communities benefit from these endeavours. Our province is definitely a winning one. We congratulate all the finalists on their selection, this year’s task was extremely difficult.” The 2023 category finalists are: Standard Bank Client of the Year – SME Category • Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions • Sky Tents • Black City Records Standard Bank Client of the Year – Larger Enterprise • Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund • Royal Tyres • Hirsch's Homestores • P&A Fabricators • SMG Manufacturing Sector • Bell Equipment Limited • Tropic Plastics and Packaging • Microfinish • Champion Health Care Transport/Logistics Sector • East Rand Bulk • Fastway Couriers Durban • Transnet Pipelines Franchising Sector • ActionCOACH Marlene Powell • CMM Group of Companies • Star Retailers Family-Owned/Managed Businesses • Magnet Electrical Supplies • LHL Engineering • Phoenix Group • KZN Oils Agricultural and Agroprocessing Sector • Underberg Dairy • Heartland Foods • NTE Company Community Upliftment and Improvement • Mi7 National Group • KZN Oils • East Coast Radio • DRG Renewable Efficiency – Green initiatives • Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions • Beekman Group • LiteBriuim • Hemera Group Employee Wellness • Phungela Holdings • Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences (GIFS) • JD Telecoms • Star Retailers The Standard Bank KZN team congratulates all the companies who are finalists for the 2023 awards. They are really proud to be part of recognising successful businesses in the KZN province, which is part of the bank’s vision of driving Africa’s growth. The 20 top brands, which are selected by public SMS vote only, will be announced at the final event. The accolade of being ranked as the KZN Top Brand is much coveted with much interest and this year many thousands of votes have been cast. In the top twenty we have (in no particular order). · LHL Engineering · Icebolethu Group · Hollywoodbets · Mi7 National Group · KZN Oils · Blue Security · Sky Tents · Natal Razor and Wire · East Coast Radio · STE Scaffolding · Beekman Group · Hirsch’s · Imperial Armour · Gift of the Givers · The Sharks · Hemera · Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences (GIFS) · TAFTA · DRG In addition, the winner of the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Leader of the Year will also be announced. This award is given to someone who has demonstrated exemplary business achievement, industry influence and is a true inspiration to others. The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards ceremony will be held on the 20 July at the Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga. The event will be streamed online. To participate in the online proceedings, visit www.kzntopbusiness.com Thu, Jul 20 | Webinar Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2023 LIVESTREAM

We all have our reasons to exercise, its either to keep fit, lose weight, doing it as a sport or just having fun with your friends, but there is no doubt that regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brains health, it helps manage your weight, reduces the risk of disease, strengthens your bones and muscles, and improves your ability to do everyday activities. With so many exciting events coming up, you have plenty of reasons to enter and get training for them. Have a look below and we look forward to seeing you on a starting line ! CHOOSE YOUR RACE HERE SUZUKI DURBAN ULTRA - Entries are still open for Durban's friendliest triathlon on the 6th of August. VUM Durban Sunrise Run presented by JEEP Hillcrest - Join us for this exciting 10km and 21km running race on the 27th of August. TINMAN DURBAN - The next Durban TINMAN kicks off on the 17th of September. SUZUKI JOBURG ULTRA - Joburg's biggest Triathlon is back at Cradle Moon on the 8th of October. TINMAN CAPE - The NEW Val De Vie TINMAN is one not to be missed. This exciting Series which has gone from Benguela Cove to Langabaan, now takes place at the beautiful Val De Vie Estate on the 5th of November. Enter yourself and your friends for an exciting multisport race. PARK SQUARE FUN RUN - Come RUN Umhlanga in this exciting new event on the 15th of October. TINMAN JOBURG - The TINMAN Joburg Series kicks off again on the 29th of October back at Prime View.

24 JULY 2023 | BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING & INSOLVENCY Business rescue proceedings are a mechanism to facilitate the rehabilitation of a company that is financially distressed. Such proceedings are primarily aimed at restoring a company to solvency that should not be abused by a company with no prospects of being rescued to avoid a winding-up or to obtain some respite from creditors. Cox Yeats Attorneys, acting for the joint trustees of the insolvent estate of Paul de Robillard, were recently involved in two cases which came before the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA”) on the question of whether the conduct of an affected person in launching a business rescue application constituted an abuse of process. On 21 July 2023, the SCA handed down judgment in the matters of PFC Properties (Pty) Ltd v Commissioner for the South African Revenue Services and Others (Case no 543/21) and Brita De Robillard NO and Another v PFC properties (Pty) Ltd and Others (Case No 409/22) [2023] ZASCA 111 (21 July 2023). In PFC Properties (Pty) Ltd v Commissioner for the South African Revenue Services and Others (Case No 543/21), the SCA had to consider an appeal against a final order of liquidation granted by the Pretoria High Court against PFC Properties (Pty) Ltd (“PFC”) in favour or the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”). In Brita De Robillard NO and Another v PFC properties (Pty) Ltd and Others (Case No 409/22), the SCA had to consider an appeal against an order granted by the Pietermaritzburg High Court in terms of which it dismissed a business rescue application, as well as a postponement application for the business rescue application. BACKGROUND The facts of the matter are briefly as follows. SARS issued a liquidation application in the Pretoria High Court against PFC as a result of PFC’s failure to pay SARS VAT and income tax to the combined value of approximately R57 million. The trustees of the insolvent estate of Mr De Robillard successfully applied to intervene in the winding-up application. Shortly after the winding-up application was launched, PFC changed its registered address from an address in Gauteng to an address in KwaZulu-Natal. PFC failed to file an answering affidavit in the winding-up application and a few days prior to the hearing of the winding-up application, the trustees of the De Robillard Family Trust (“the DRFT”), as the sole shareholder of PFC, launched a business rescue application in the Pietermaritzburg High Court to place PFC into business rescue. One court day prior to the hearing of the winding-up application, PFC’s attorney filed an affidavit contending that, in terms of section 131(6) of the Companies Act, 2008 (“the Act”) SARS was precluded from proceeding with the winding-up application until the business rescue application was adjudicated upon, on the basis that section 131(6) of the Act suspended the liquidation application, because business rescue proceedings only begin once the court makes an order to that effect in terms of section 131(1) of the Act. The affidavit failed to address the allegations in the founding affidavit in the winding-up application. SARS sought leave, in terms of section 133(1)(b) of the Act to proceed with the winding-up application, submitting that the Court had a discretion in terms of that section of the Act to proceed with the application. A final winding-up order was granted by the Pretoria High Court on 13 April 2021. Both SARS and the trustees of the insolvent estate of Mr De Robillard opposed the business rescue application and filed detailed answering affidavits. The trustees of the DRFT failed to deliver a replying affidavit and failed to enrol the business rescue application for hearing. SARS accordingly applied for the application to be heard, and it was enrolled for hearing on 8 October 2021. One month prior to the hearing of the opposed business rescue application, the DRFT trustees filed an application to postpone the hearing thereof, on the basis that an appeal was pending against the final winding-up order, which rendered the business rescue application moot, alternatively, not ripe for hearing. The Pietermaritzburg High Court held that the pending appeal against the final winding-up order did not preclude it from determining the business rescue application, taking into account the timing of the business rescue application, and that the affidavits filed by SARS and the trustees of the insolvent estate of Mr De Robillard, to which there was no response, were a ‘reliable and useful indication to assess the bona fides’ of the DRFT trustees and the prejudice to other parties. In light of the prejudice that PFC’s creditors would suffer on account of a delay, the lack of prospects of success of the business rescue application and the authorities, the application for postponement of the business rescue application was refused with costs. PFC’s counsel then informed the court that they had no instructions to argue the business rescue application and left the court room. The business rescue application itself was then heard (and dismissed) in their absence. FINDINGS BY THE SCA The appeals against the final winding-up order and the dismissal of the business rescue application were heard jointly by the SCA as they related to one another. The main issue before the SCA was whether the conduct on the part of PFC and the DRFT trustees in launching the business rescue application constituted an abuse of court process. The SCA held that the business rescue application, whilst properly dismissed by the Pietermaritzburg High Court, should not even have been considered by reason of its use in a scheme of abuse, and that the launching of the business rescue application was a stratagem. The registered address of PFC had suddenly been changed to an address in KwaZulu-Natal to enable the DRFT trustees to launch the business rescue application out of the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Further, the DRFT trustees had failed to file a replying affidavit in their own application or enrol the matter for hearing, which was indicative of the fact that they had no intention of prosecuting the application to conclusion. This was further emphasised by the fact that at the hearing of the business rescue application, counsel for the applicants left the court room once the postponement application was refused. Over and above that, the DRFT trustees failed to make out a case that there was any reasonable prospect of rescuing PFC. In considering the conduct of the DRFT trustees and PFC, the Court referred to the recent decision by the Constitutional Court in Villa Crop Protection (Pty) Ltd v Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH [2022] ZACC 42; 2023 (4) BCLR 461 (CC), which dealt with the fate of proceedings launched by a party with an ulterior motive, in which the Constitutional Court held, inter alia, that “The behaviour of the litigant may be so tainted with turpitude that the court will not come to such a litigant’s aid.”…and “It is the abusive conduct of the litigant that, in a proper case, may warrant the exercise of the court’s power to non-suit such a litigant.” The SCA held that the conduct of the DRFT trustees and PFC was so tainted with impropriety that the Court must use the power it has to safeguard the integrity of its process. The applicants in the business rescue application were therefore non-suited. Consequently, the SCA held that the business rescue application could not have suspended the liquidation application because the former was tainted by abuse. As a result of the non-suiting of the applicants, the business rescue application was not “made” as envisaged in section 131(6) of the Act and thus, the moratorium never came into operation and did not suspend the winding-up proceedings. The SCA held that the liquidation order granted by the Pretoria High Court was therefore unassailable and both appeals were dismissed with costs. CONCLUSION The decision by the SCA reflects that the abuse of business rescue proceedings in circumstances where there is no reasonable prospect of rescuing a company will not be tolerated, and the court, when faced with a situation where it is evident that the business rescue application is being used as a stratagem to delay or avoid winding-up, has the power to safeguard the integrity of its process by non-suiting the applicants in such an application. Court Clamps Down on The Abuse of Business Rescue Proceedings as a Stratagem to Avoid Winding-Up Pro

Amendments to FICA impose due diligence requirements on accountable institutions Following South Africa’s financial greylisting by global financial crime watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for not fully complying with international standards around the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, significant amendments have been made to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA). These amendments mean that any business dealing with significant financial transactions (also known as accountable institutions) must carry out due diligence or risk penalties. The same compliance requirements now apply to banks, estate agents, conveyancing attorneys, and vehicle dealerships which are also considered accountable institutions. This means that such businesses can be held liable for non-compliance. Serious warning, take heed The South African Reserve Bank's Prudential Authority (PA) has already shown that this is no idle threat, with their decision to impose sanctions on a major South African bank for non-compliance with the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act, in that the institution had failed to timeously determine when a transaction was reportable in terms of the FIC Act. The bank was issued with a reprimand and a directive to take remedial action, along with a financial penalty of R35 million. Fighting financial crime South Africa established the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) in 2001 to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. Accountable institutions, such as accountants, banks, casinos, estate agents, legal practitioners, jewellers and money remitters must implement anti-money laundering measures, report suspicious transactions, and cooperate with FIC investigations. Compliance is critical to reverse greylisting “The shift to holding institutions accountable will not change. Enforcement will continue to increase to reverse the greylisting for insufficiently tackling illicit financial flows,” notes Sameer Kumandan, Managing Director of SearchWorks. As such, compliance with FICA is essential to restoring the integrity of South Africa's financial system in the wake of being greylisted, by helping to protect reputations, avoid penalties, and combat illicit activities. As mentioned, non-compliance will lead to financial penalties, criminal prosecution, and reputational damage, making it essential for institutions to take robust steps to evidence their accountability. The enhanced compliance requirements for accountable institutions in terms of FICA require such businesses to: Perform customer due diligence (CDD): Accountable institutions are required to identify and verify the identity of their customers. This includes obtaining information such as the customer's name, address, date of birth, and identity document number. Report suspicious transactions: Accountable institutions are required to report any suspicious transactions to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC). A suspicious transaction is one that gives rise to a reasonable suspicion that it may involve money laundering or terrorist financing. Implement anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) measures: Accountable institutions are required to implement AML/CFT measures to prevent and detect money laundering and terrorist financing. These measures may include: - Maintaining records of customer transactions; - Training staff on AML/CFT matters; - Conducting internal audits; and - Cooperating with the FIC's investigations. Accountability through data “SearchWorks can assist accountable institutions ensure they carry out their due diligence in terms of accurate KYC (know your customer) and KYB (know your business) checks, accurately and without hassle,” Kumandan continues. ​​SearchWorks provides a data aggregation platform that provides information on individuals, businesses, trusts, and properties in South Africa, offering a variety of search types that can be used for a number of purposes, including KYC, AML/CFT, and due diligence. Proactive prevention Of particular importance in the prevention of corrupt individuals and their networks from infiltrating the legitimate financial system, is the ability to run comprehensive Politically Exposed Person (PEP) and Sanctions checks during customer onboarding and ongoing client reviews. A PEP refers to an individual in a prominent public role, who poses a higher risk of being involved in bribery and corruption due to their position and influence. Additionally, Sanctions screening checks ensure compliance with global law enforcement and sanctions lists, preventing unauthorised financial transactions. These efficient and cost-effective checks empower accountable businesses with vital data to proactively mitigate potential financial and reputational damage. Adapt or face sanctions “Notably, SearchWorks has recently expanded its search capabilities by introducing an ID photo verification search, enabling the retrieval of an individual's latest identity or passport image using their ID number alone. Furthermore, a Customised Search Information (CSI) spousal verification check has been added to verify the availability of associated spousal information, enhancing the efficiency of KYC checks,” Kumandan says. The compliance pressure on accountable institutions is unlikely to lessen. With this in mind, it is advisable for organisations to adapt to this pressure and use it to create additional business value by reducing fraud, safeguarding their reputation and capital while simplifying their reporting and compliance duties.

Standard Bank, DRG, BusinessFit, NewMella, Stanlib, and the Success Company hosted the KZN Business Sustainability Convention at the Standard Bank Kingsmead Auditorium on the 14th of July 2023. There were approximately 75 attendees, mostly SME business leaders, but also including leaders from larger organisations. Adele Benvie was MC, and in her usual passionate and enthusiastic way, introduced the speakers and facilitated the morning magnificently. The speakers, Jannie Rossouw from BusinessFit Western Cape (keynote speaker), Akhona Mahlati from BusinessFit KwaZulu-Natal, Wendy Mahoney from Newmella and Associates, Ndivhuho Netshitenzhe from STANLIB, and Brian Pakkiri from Standard Bank where out of this world. Each contribution transferred significant knowledge and wisdom in how business leaders move their organisations from success to sustainability. The theme of the Conference was “How to position your business to excel in uncertain times”, and specific topics covered included the BusinessFit 5 Stage Quality Assurance process and methodology, understanding the important contribution entrepreneurs make in helping to creating jobs in South Africa and around the world, building innovative organisational cultures, an economic update, and a focus on how businesses grow capital. Feedback from the attendees confirmed that the Convention was outstanding in every way, and hugely needed at this time in South Africa, where emphasis has been put on the development and growth of the country’s SME sector. Special thanks were given to Sidney Reddy and Garrett Johnson from Standard Bank for making the event location possible, and Grant Adlam and the Top Business team for their support and communication, and gathering eligible attendees. Attendees shared that they learned that business is more of a science than they had considered. In particular they enjoyed the simplicity of the BusinessFit 32-point focus model within the four core pillars of Leadership, Functional Area Foundation, Measurements, and Energy. Echoed throughout the auditorium was that the BusinessFit approach certainly makes it easier for entrepreneurs and business leaders to anticipate success in taking their ideas and creations to market, and in building sustainable businesses that meet governance and stakeholder measures. Other learnings included the formula for profit growth: Increase qualified leads, Improve conversion rates, Selling more business in volumes to existing clients, Selling more business in Rand value to existing clients, and Improving margins within the business Attendees learned that quantum growth is possible, even in dire economic circumstances. Our next Business Development Convention session will be on the 25 August 2023, and will focus on “The business case for Sustainability, and why it is so important”. Please contact Lindiwe Bhadi ( lindiwe@businessfit.co.za ) to reserve your seat. Contact Details  Standard Bank - Garrett Johnson - Garrett.Johnson@standardbank.co.za BusinessFit – Lindiwe Bhadi – lindiwe@businessfit.co.za DRG – David White – david@drg.co.za

Several top businesses, organisations and individuals are waiting in anticipation to hear who will be honored at the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2023. The 17th edition of the annual Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards is the premier event in the KwaZulu-Natal business calendar. The awards are even more important now as they celebrate the innovation and resilience shown despite the challenging conditions faced by businesses in the region over the past few years. With one day to go, excitement is building as we will find out who our winners are and who will be our No.1 Top Brand. Join us on the livestream: Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2023 LIVESTREAM | KZN Top Business. Remember to share this link with colleagues, friends, family members and lets support and celebrate our KZN businesses in fine style. Go and get your copy of today's Mercury. On page 3 you will find out who all are finalists are. Please join us live and let's share and celebrate our KZN businesses.

If you’re struggling to reach your customers, to tell them about your product or service, you’re probably focusing on the wrong issue. First, you need to understand precisely what problem you solve… for who… and how you do that, consistently… which will enable you to figure out how best to reach them so that your message lands. 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