This is a question business leaders across the globe regularly consider. A worthwhile MBA degree requires a serious investment of time and money but should provide significant tangible and intangible benefits for the rest of your career. Here are some of the top reasons to pursue an MBA: Develop your leadership skills Build your network with other industry leaders Upskill yourself in core business sectors such as marketing, finance, HR and operations Learn how to build a sustainable competitive advantage If I choose to do an MBA, why should I choose a manufacturing focus? The manufacturing industry is complex, global and far-reaching. The value chain for a manufacturer includes suppliers, financial institutions, logistics, government and public service providers and customers. If your career exists within the manufacturing eco-system then the GIBS Manufacturing Focused MBA at TWIMS is explicitly designed for you. Developed as a partnership between TWIMS and GIBS (Africa’s #1 MBA provider), this specialised MBA is Africa’s first and only to focus on the manufacturing industry. The 18-month programme is comprised of a PGDip and MBA. The PGDip is an 8-month diploma that covers important subjects for business leaders including accounting, economics, marketing, leadership, HR and operations management. These subjects are near identical to the general GIBS MBA, expect that we review manufacturing case studies to ensure relevance. Students who received 60% and above for the PGDip graduate to the MBA, which comprises 3 core sections; 1. In-class electives, 2. The Global Module, 3. A thesis. Our electives are manufacturing-specific and cover some of the most relevant topics in today’s manufacturing environment. https://twimsafrica.com/

Arch Retail Systems has embarked on a global expansion strategy, beyond its traditional southern African footprint. This has seen the opening of an Australian office in 2021/2022 and, more recently, entering Saudi Arabia as a retail management solutions provider. Saudi Arabia is a thriving economy, for the first time reaching the $1 trillion mark in 2022. Saudi Arabia is traditionally highly reliant on oil as the backbone of its economy. In this context of economic success and diversification away from oil, the development of the retail sector is a key objective of their National Transformation Program. Through modernisation, digitalisation and localisation, retail is to become one of the main employers of Saudis. Arch is proud to announce the signing of a deal with the Al Raya Group, whereby Arch Retail Management Solutions will be implemented. Al Raya has its Head Office in Jeddah, managing 51 stores countrywide, a DC and three bakery production centres. Al Raya Supermarkets was founded in 1991 in Jeddah as a pioneer in the supermarket business, with a peculiarity that each store daily bakes its own bread and pastry. Over the past three decades, Al Raya Supermarkets has grown to become a robust network of supermarkets across the Western part of the Arabian Peninsula, establishing itself as a household brand from the border with Jordan to the border with Yemen. The full suite of Arch retail management solutions will be deployed in Al Raya: Arch Enterprise, an ERP solution centrally controlling the operation; Arch Retail, in-store solution driving operational efficiency and ultimately profitability; Arch Mobile, management capability for quick on-the-floor management intervention; Financial Integration, seamless flow of operational flow from Arch Retail to SAGE Evolution; Integrated EFT to local banks; Integrated telco/virtual services to local mobile companies; and WMS integration into the DC. Says Frederic Levy Perrault, CEO of Al Raya, in an interview with CEO Insights Asia: “My journey in Al Raya Supermarkets has been to decisively transform the company from systems, logistics, organisation, our sales approach up to our store concept, to ensure Al Raya is back at the forefront of grocery retail. Some players are exiting the market, many are struggling to face the new normal and some, like Al Raya Supermarkets, are embarking on ambitious turnaround strategies to become leaner and more agile, meeting new consumer trends better.” Arch is privileged to partner with Al Raya and play a role in achieving these set-out objectives.

The Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) in South Africa is a government programme that aims to encourage employers to hire and retain young workers. The incentive is intended to reduce the cost of hiring and retaining young employees by providing a reduction in the amount of Pay[1]As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax that an employer is required to pay. To be eligible for the ETI, the employer needs to be compliant with SARS in terms of no outstanding amounts owing to SARS. This could be in terms of VAT, UIF, SDL, PAYE or any other non- compliance with SARS relating to the employer’s PAYE reference number. The employee eligibility can be seen below: ■■ An employee must be between the ages of 18 and 29 years old ■■ The employee must also earn R6,500 or less per month in terms of their gross remuneration figure ■■ The employee should have been employed on or after 1 October 2013 ■■ Employers can claim the ETI for a maximum of 24 qualifying months for each qualifying employee If the employer is not subject to wage regulating measures, the employee’s wage should be at least R2000.00 per month if they are exempt from the national minimum wage. If the employer is subject to the wage regulating measures, then the employee’s wage should not be less than the prescribed minimum wage for the employer’s industry. The incentive works by reducing the amount of PAYE tax that an employer is required to pay on behalf of a qualifying employee. It is important to note that the ETI is only available to employers registered for PAYE with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and that the incentive is claimed on a monthly basis by the employer when submitting their monthly Emp201 declaration to SARS. Overall, the Employment Tax Incentive in South Africa is a valuable tool for employers looking to hire and retain young workers, as it can help to reduce the cost of doing so. Employers who are eligible for the incentive should make sure to take advantage of it to support the employment of young people in South Africa. This programme is a great way for employers to give back to the community and contribute to the reduction of youth unemployment and economic growth in South Africa. The ETI came into effect on 1 January 2014 and it will end on 28 February 2029. LABOURNET SERVICES Our services are designed to improve business efficiencies, ensure compliance and provide you with peace of mind that your payroll administration and management activities are accurate and always accessible with one goal in mind – improving your bottom line! Choose the solution best suited to your requirements: For the matured business, access to all modules in the application to facilitate the employee’s full life cycle with technical infrastructure, system support, and expert legislative knowledge as and when required. Supported Payroll Service Not the conventional outsourcing model but rather an extension to your business, full facilitation of your payroll process from employee engagement to termination. Full Outsource Payroll Developed by leading payroll experts and developers, cloud[1]based PSIber Payroll delivers a truly unique payroll system that can be used by clients in any industry and of any size. The system automates complicated payroll calculations and processing through its sophisticated yet user-friendly functionality – and is easily accessible from your phone, computer or tablet. Reporting is comprehensive and flexible, while processing of all statutory requirements is both simple and accurate. T: +27 (0)31 266 6570 C: +27 (0)82 786 7480 E: johanvd@labournet.com W: www.labournet.com

'A friendly budget of trying to balance the short-term and long-term priorities of government in a tough economic environment.' Our Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana, delivered his budget speech for the 2023 / 2024 fiscal year on Wednesday, 22 February 2023, in the National Assembly. Eskom and loadshedding woes took centre stage in a budget where tax rates are set to remain largely the same (other than for inflationary related adjustments to personal income tax tables and excise taxes). Detailed below are some of the highlights from the 2023 National Budget Speech. Economic outlook and budget framework: Tax revenue collections for 2022/23 are expected to total R1.69 trillion. This exceeds the 2022 Budget estimate by R93.7 billion. The improvement in revenue collection is due to higher collection in corporate and personal income taxes as well as customs duties. This partially offsets the lower value-added tax estimates. Real GDP growth of 1.4 percent is projected from 2023 - 2025 compared with 1.6 per cent estimated in October. Mainly due to the Eskom debt relief, government debt will stabilise at a higher level of 73.6 per cent of GDP and in 2025/26. This is three years later than anticipated in the 2022 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. The consolidated fiscal deficit is projected at 4.2 per cent of GDP for 2022/23, and will reach 3.2 per cent in 2025/26. Debt-service costs are projected to average R366.8 billion annually over the medium term, reaching R397.1 billion in 2025/26. Click here for viewing further details

Attrition is the departure of employees from the organization for any reason (voluntary or involuntary), including resignation, termination, death or retirement. The migration of employees to and from a business is natural. Attrition can also be defined as gradually making something weaker and destroying it, especially the strength or confidence of an enemy by repeatedly attacking it.” With this in mind, employee attrition refers to organizations that don’t replace employees who leave. Ultimately this diminishes the size of a workforce as they are leaving the workplace at a faster rate than they are being hired. Thus, it makes a company weaker and gradually destroys it, just like the definition says. Difference between attrition and turnover The terms attrition and turnover refer to employees leaving an organization and are often used interchangeably. While both cost the organization in terms of money, time and effort, by their definition of them, they are very different. Employee attrition refers to the lifetime of an employee within the organization. It is not in the organization's control and has no negative connotation or representation of the company. It can simply be because an employee is retiring, moving places to be with their family, going back to school to complete their education, or simply because the employee passes away. Regardless of the reason, the employee leaving is not because of any happening within the organization, but because of life happenings. ‍ Employee turnover , on the other hand, refers to employees leaving the organization for reasons like poor hiring decisions, hostile or discriminatory work environment, lack of learning or developmental opportunities within the organization, finding a better job, etc. When turnover happens, it usually reflects negatively on the organization. What Are the Different Types of Attrition? There are five types of employee attrition that you need to know of: 1. Attrition due to retirement If two or three people have retired from your company this year, this is statistically too small an employee group to count under attrition. However, if a sizable chunk of your workforce retires at the same time, this can cause attrition. 2. Voluntary attrition This is the most common type of attrition, where employees decide to simply quit their jobs. There can be many reasons for voluntary attrition (more on that later) and most of them are in your control. 3. Involuntary attrition In this scenario, it is the company and not the employee that initiates the exit. For example, the employee may have shown instances of misconduct in the workplace – a common reason for involuntary attrition. Structural reasons could also cause attrition. Mergers and acquisitions are often followed by a wave of involuntary attrition. 4. Internal attrition Here, employees are quitting their jobs in one department to join another department. In some cases, internal attrition is desirable, as it routes talent towards more profitable areas. It also ensures better employee-job fitment. But if a specific department has witnessed a high rate of attrition one year, it merits an investigation. \ 5. Demographic-specific attrition This is a significant concern for progressive companies trying to build an equal-opportunities workplace. Demographic-specific attrition means that employees from a single group – women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, veterans, or older professionals – are leaving the company in droves. What is the employee attrition rate? The employee attrition rate is a measure of how many left a company compared to the average number employed that year. This is reflected in a simple equation: (Number of Attritions/Average Number of Employees) x 100. An employee attrition rate is a measurement of employee turnover over a specific time period, typically one year. It helps employers know whether they are doing a good job retaining their talent in times when downsizing isn’t necessary or desirable. Here are the steps to calculate an annual employee attrition rate: Determine your average number of employees during the year. To do this, add the number of employees at the beginning of the year to the number of employees at the end of the year, then divide by two. Divide the number of employees who left voluntarily during the year by the average number of employees you calculated in the first step. The result is the attrition rate, which is generally expressed as a percentage. For example, if you have 90 employees at the beginning of the year and 110 at the end of the year, 90 + 110 = 200. Dividing that result by two shows you had an average of 100 employees during the year. If 20 employees left during the year, dividing 20 by 100 shows the attrition rate is .2, which is 20 percent. Best Practices to Reduce Employee Attrition Rate The average employee attrition rate varies significantly between companies and industries. There is an apparent downside to attrition – your workforce shrinks in size, you lose out on valuable product/domain knowledge, and you risk damaging your employer brand. It is therefore important to note the following: When hiring, be sure new employees not only have the necessary skills to do the job but are also a good fit for your culture . Make sure your compensation package is competitive. Survey employees regularly, and then use their feedback to make changes that will increase their job satisfaction. Assess for job and culture fitment right at the time of hiring Offer learning and employee development opportunities to accelerate career growth Regularly solicit feedback on employee satisfaction questions Conduct detailed interviews after an employee has exited to spot attrition trends www.drg.co.za

Leading edible oil producer, Willowton Group, manufacturers of Sunfoil Pure Sunflower Oil and Sunshine D Margarine and spreads, has reached out to the Green Hill Primary School in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, to refurbish the school which has become a safety hazard for learners. Work began at the end of November 2022 and was completed ahead of the school re-opening for the 2023 school year. The handover ceremony to the school principal Mr Diren Naidoo took place on 22 February with Mr Mohamed Ishfaaq Moosa representing Willowton Group The refurbishment of Green Hill Primary included the repairing of leaks to roofs and the replacement of gutters and sagging and broken ceilings as well as the repair of damaged prefab buildings and the repainting of the entire school. The repair of catwalks used by learners to access different school buildings was also attended to. The school, which celebrates its 50th birthday in 2023 has established itself as a strong institution of teaching and learning over the past 48 years with many of the learners that have passed through its classrooms making the school extremely proud, said principal Mr Diren Naidoo. However, due to flood damage last April and lack of continuous maintenance, the state of the school and its classrooms had begun to compromise the quality of teaching at Green Hill Primary. “There are no words to express our gratitude for what Willowton has been prepared to do for the school’s teachers and management, its learners, and the community. We never thought this would happen. The children and their parents were so excited when they returned to school in January to what seemed like a new school. These children do not come from affluent homes and this is a real pick- me-up for them,” Mr Naidoo said. He said that the school had appealed to Willowton, which had supported its school feeding scheme in past years, for help during 2022. He said that no upgrades to the school had been carried out since the school opened in 1973 and numerous appeals for funding of repairs had gone unanswered. Despite attempts to keep the school neat and tidy, it was falling apart. Heavy rains last year caused severe damage to the aging school building. Roofs were leaking, gutters had fallen down and ceilings of classrooms and corridors were on the verge of collapse. The prefab buildings were dilapidated and a safety hazard to learners with one prefab building being condemned. However, the school serves poor communities. Although it initially served Northdale, after 1994, it included learners from surrounding communities. Now, 90% of the school’s 545 learners travel to school from surrounding townships and informal settlements such as Edendale, Imbali, Grange, France, Copesville, Happy Valley, Jika Joe and Site 11 informal settlements. Only a very small portion of school fees are paid. The school grants school fund concessions to unemployed parents. However, Mr Naidoo said this had a negative impact on the funding of the school. The small grant amount received via the Department of Education, together with the school’s internal fundraising efforts, goes towards payment of utilities such as electricity, purchasing of school books and stationery as well as employment of educators and cleaners. “The school had no choice but to repair the rain-damaged school building at its own expense. But because the school is serving an impoverished community with many unemployed parents who are not financially in a position to carry the responsibility of repairs, we needed to humbly appeal for help from Willowton,” he explained. Operations Executive of the Willowton Group, Mohamed Ishfaaq Moosa, said that The Company commended Mr Naidoo and the school body for being prepared to fight for the well-being of the school and its learners during extremely trying times. He said Willowton Group was proud to be able to offer support and looked forward to a positive school year for the learners at Green Hill Primary during 2023. “The primary years are an important foundation for high school and equipping our future generation for the acquisition of skills via tertiary education. South Africa needs a skilled workforce to assist its economic recovery which is why it is important to invest in the upcoming generation of learners. We know just how important education is when it comes to lifting people out of poverty and allowing them to access job and entrepreneurial opportunities.” he said. The total amount spent on the refurbishment of Green Hill Primary School is R700 000. The fact that education is very close to Willowton Group’s heart is evident in its contribution to several KZN schools. During 2021/2022, Willowton Group assisted 11 schools with the building of infrastructure and classrooms and helped more than 30 schools with funding for school fees and feeding programs. Willowton Group’s concern for the health and well-being of surrounding communities extends to its ongoing efforts to clear a 1 kilometre stretch of the heavily polluted Baynespruit river urges other industries and communities to follow its example. Its efforts to clear the river, which have included the reintroduction of the KZN Yellow fish in June 2022, have improved the quality of life for its neighbours. Photographs: The link to the photos taken before renovations at Green Hill Primary School - https://we.tl/t-4SRBRRzr5P Completed refurbishment photos at Green Hill Primary School in Pietermaritzburg - https://we.tl/t-KXvG3stjAD ABOUT THE WILLOWTON GROUP The Willowton Group, manufacturers of Sunfoil Sunflower Oil, is one of the leading manufacturers in the South African FMCG market. The group operates across South Africa with manufacturing facilities in Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. A wide range of products encompassing edible oils, margarines and spreads, beauty, toilet and laundry soaps, candles, baking and industrial fats. Well-known brands include, among others, Sunfoil, Sunshine D, d’lite and Allsome rice. Distributed by Shirley Williams Communications. Contact Shirley on shirley@shirleywilliams.co.za

FIRESIDE CHAT Invite - Join us for an insightful talk on Innovative Solutions to Avoid Water and Ocean Pollution with Rachael Z. Miller! In this talk, Rachael will be sharing her insights on how we can make a positive impact on the environment by taking simple yet effective steps. From reducing plastic waste to adopting sustainable practices in our daily lives, there are many ways we can work together to keep our oceans and waterways clean. *** Limited seats available!!! Register now to secure your spot! REGISTER HERE : https://forms.gle/Ra86zva7Y8xUwyo99

The Durban ICC has yet again achieved another clean, unqualified audit opinion for the 2021/22 fiscal year, culminating in an achievement of 7 clean audits for the multi-award-winning Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre Complex, in the past 8 years. Lindiwe Rakharebe, CEO of Durban ICC, said the positive financial turnaround for the entity can be attributed to the aggressive pursuit of revenue-generating opportunities, as well as strategic re-engineering of the operations. A significant highlight of the entity’s clean audit opinion, testament to strong governance and oversight, is the fact that the Durban ICC incurred zero irregular, unauthorised as well as fruitless and wasteful expenditure. It is especially commendable that the Durban ICC team contributed towards the entity’s successful financial recovery trajectory post-Covid, without any job losses, which was so prevalent in the hospitality industry. The Durban ICC which was recently chosen as South Africa’s Best Convention Centre 2022 for the third year in a row at the World MICE Awards which recognises excellence in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry, plays a pivotal role in contributing to the national economy and job creation, especially in the Durban and KwaZulu-Natal region. The buoyant turnaround in financial performance when compared to the previous fiscal, has resulted in year-on-year revenue growth coupled with cash inflows from operating activities, which is especially noteworthy. Stringent austerity measures and an overall culture of frugality were implemented throughout the entity’s operations, thus contributing towards sound financial health. “Achieving a clean audit indicates that our drive to promote good corporate governance, coupled with the implementation of stringent policies, has paid dividends,” said Ms Rakharebe, adding that the support and guidance of the Durban ICC Board, management and staff helped in no small measure to achieve this feat. Durban ICC CEO, Ms Lindiwe Rakharebe expressed her gratitude to the Centre’s shareholder, eThekwini Municipality as well as the Board of Directors, led by Chairperson Mr Glen Mashinini, for their invaluable guidance and oversight over the past year. She also thanked the staff for their passion and commitment, as well as the clients, strategic partners and suppliers for their unwavering support. Issued by: The Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) For more information contact: Durban ICC Acting Marketing & Communications Executive – Sandile Makhanya, 031 360 1192 or sandilema@icc.co.za

The Premier invites members of the public to air their views on what they would like her to talk about during this important address in the province. Send us your inputs for the State of the Province Address to SOPA23@kznpremier.gov.za OR send a WhatsApp video to 072 181 0615.

Article Written by Jannie Rossouw of Bright Future Consulting The marketing strategy and implementation thereof is one of the things which we have control over in our businesses. Gilbert Morris – an account executive at the Fuller Smith & Ross ad agency – created the, “I don’t know who you are,” business-to-business advertisement for McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. that 41 years later, in 1999, was named the “Best Business-to-Business Ad of the 20th Century” by Advertising Age’s Business Marketing magazine. Its message is as valid today, as it was six plus decades ago. Here is a copy of the ad wording. “I don’t know you. I don’t know your company. I don’t know your company’s product. I don’t know what your company stands for. I don’t know your company’s customers. I don’t know your company’s record. I don’t know your company’s reputation. Now, what was it you wanted to sell me?” The question is, if this still holds true in business today, how can we become relevant as consideration for when a client has a need for a product or service? Seth Godin, in his bestselling book, “Permission Marketing” stated that we need to turn suspects into prospects and prospects into clients and clients into friends. We need to start a journey with a potential client so that they can get to know us and our business, start to like us/our business because we add value to their lives and where this journey leads to a trust relationship which will increase their willingness to take our advice onboard and give due consideration to our product or service. How do we move along the path of “Know > Like > Trust”? Although the answer to this question will be different for every business, we can venture to share a couple of ideas to get you thinking. “Know” – Do you have a website? Is your personal LinkedIn profile professionally written and does it link to your website. Some businesses have success by using other social media channels as well. A website and LinkedIn profile should be the core elements of your online presence. To vest yourself as a specialist in your industry is also helpful. Consider offering free Masterclasses or write articles which inform and educate your target audience. There is also a place for Google and LinkedIn Ads to drive well defined traffic to our website. Advertising in your local newspaper can also be helpful to vest yourself in the local community where you operate from. “Like” – People want to know that your business practices are not harmful to the environment, that your business is making a positive contribution to the community (social) and that the business is governed (governance) well. “Trust” – Most people want to see social proof that you are delivering upon your promises. Client testimonials and edifications can go a long way. Make sure to post recent feedback on your website and request clients to leave feedback on Google Reviews. It sounds complicated, but the crux of the matter is that we need a well targeted and niche focused marketing strategy and plan which is implement meticulously. Create raving fans for the business which will lead to a positive word of mouth and who will be eager to know about future product or service releases of the business. Contact information if you have any questions about this article or is in need of business advice and guidance. Jannie Rossouw Mobile: 082 560 4149 E-mail: brightfuture@mweb.co.za Website: www.brightfuture.co.za LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jannie-rossouw

TAMI is a SA Chamber UK initiative (managed by the local SA Chamber Chapter). In essence it is an “Inbound South African Business Portal”, creating opportunity for international organisations interested in doing business in SA to meet local professional service providers and support partners. TAMI is supported strongly by the KZN Growth Coalition, KZN Top Business, Commonwealth Entrepreneurs Club, and Global Economic Forum. TAMI website can be seen at www.tami.org.za . The website creates direct linkages to Private and Public sector service providers / support partners. Individuals and organisations from anywhere in the world, through TAMI, can meet specialists in each of the functional areas of Banking, HR, Accounting, Legal Services, Operations and Logistics, B-BBEE, Foreign Currency Trading, Mobility, and Property to enquire about local legislation, services, and opportunities. Functional area specialists engage directly with interested parties. TAMI also has professional business facilitators, who are able to assist international organisations develop in-country landing strategies, provide research in various sectors, and facilitate local networking and introductions. TAMI’s initial intention was to support the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and encourage “ease of trade” from across the African Continent into SA. TAMI has since grown to encourage individuals and organisations from across the globe to make contact and build relationships with SA business leaders and government officials. The launch of TAMI will include communications to Chambers and Government offices across Africa, UK, USA and other. TAMI is not intended as a local SA business linking service, however, time will show if there is a market for TAMI’s services in SA. Each of the 12 functional area specialist service providers have been hand picked as the “best in their field”, and it is a great honour to have been able to include such quality people and organisations into this initiative. Business Responders TAMI approved Business Responders in South Africa support local and cross border trade through sharing knowledge and expertise in business administration and compliance. Foreign organisations considering trading in South Africa require understanding of local market opportunities, as well as business trading, best practice, and reporting responsibilities. TAMI ’s essential service provisions include banking support, professional guidance in aspects as financial adherence, legal infrastructure and guidance, HR administration and staff engagement, Black Economic Empowerment transformation, and other. Each of the appointed TAMI Business Responders are ready to support SMEs and Corporations wishing to understand all that is required to support their endeavours in setting up and advancing business development opportunities in South Africa. ​ Our Services Banking Services – Standard Bank HR Administration and Compliance – DRG Financial / Accounting - The CFO Centre Legal Services – Cox Yeats Attorneys Business Facilitation - BusinessFit SA Business Communications - Top Business / Business Sense Operations and Logistics - Business Insights Black Economic Empowerment – Stimela Group Governance and Sustainability – Earth Energy Forex Treasury Solution - CC Currencies Recruitment – Pro Appointments

Next up is the TinMan Durban. It’s Durban’s 1st Tinman race of the year, so sign up, bring the family and join us for a lekker day of sunshine and energy on the 12th of March. Entries are open and we are looking forward to welcoming you back to Suncoast. Enter yourself and your kids here: https://www.entryninja.com/events/78568-tinman-durban-1