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As part of a drive to identify opportunities for economic development in its host communities, Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) has procured 75 000 cloth face masks from four cooperatives, one from each of the mine’s four host communities. “Since the lockdown, which was part of Government’s comprehensive approach to managing the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses have struggled to stay afloat and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost. Small businesses in our local communities were some of the hardest hit which is compounding the scourge of unemployment,” explains Werner Duvenhage, managing director of Richards Bay Minerals. “We want to help communities become more resilient over the long term and that is achieved by creating jobs and generating sustainable incomes.” This initiative by the mining company is a much-needed boost to the local economy and has led to the creation of 88 employment opportunities. Just as importantly, the masks being manufactured by these small businesses are being distributed in local communities to support government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. RBM spent R1.5 million during the first phase of the project and an additional R500 000 has been made available for the second phase, with delivery of the masks expected soon. The second phase of the project was initiated due to the increase in demand in local communities. “We hope that this project will help members of our host communities generate an income and that they will continue to be economically active beyond the life of the contract,” added Werner. The SMMEs contracted by RBM employ majority women and youth, which are vulnerable groups that normally struggle to make inroads in formal employment. South Africa’s unemployment rate is currently estimated at 31%, with youth unemployment said to be averaging 53%. Vusi Mhlongo, manager of Mackedama Dresssmaker Studio, one of the cooperatives that is manufacturing masks, said that he was encouraged by the support from RBM. He said the textile industry in South Africa has been under a lot of pressure due to imports and he hoped this initiative will create new opportunities for his company and others in the host communities. “I hope that this will show other big companies that township businesses are capable of taking on large projects,” he said. As part of RBM’s broader Covid-19 relief efforts , the mine has already contributed more than R6 million to assist local communities with the provision of water supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitisers and educational materials aimed at ensuring that communities are informed. This week, working with the Traditional Councils of its four host communities and two local NGOs, RBM distributed food parcels worth R1.2 million as part of its Covid-19 community relief programme. This was in addition to the R900 000 worth of food donations made at the start of the nationwide lockdown earlier this year. www.riotinto.com/en/operations/south-africa/richards-bay-minerals

Durban Chamber has launched an extended range of exclusive member benefits to help stimulate economic activity in the City. The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is pleased to announce that it is upgrading its exclusive member benefits package for active Chamber members to a total of 24 value-adding benefits, based on member input and requests. The Chamber has negotiated these agreements to provide exclusive benefits valued in excess of R50 million, an unprecedented injection of direct value into member businesses. “In the current challenging economic environment, no business, no matter the size or industry, is immune to the operational and revenue pressures being experienced across business sectors,” said Durban Chamber CEO, Palesa Phili. “As part of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s ongoing support to a member network of approximately 3 000 SMMEs and 54 000 informal businesses in eThekwini and beyond, we have looked for value-adding benefits, securing tangible value that will alleviate pressure on the bottom line of our member businesses.” “Landing in the middle of a recession as it did, the outbreak of COVID-19, has wreaked havoc on the economic and business context in eThekwini, the province and the country as a whole. As we enter into Level 2, this is a deeply challenging period for businesses of all sizes and across all industries and that is why, as a member-focused organisation, we have been working tirelessly to ensure that businesses have access to the resources and tools required to maintain operations during this rebooting period of constrained economic activity.” “We are very grateful to the eThekwini businesses that have agreed to contribute discounts and savings ranging from motor vehicles and tyres to executive education, HR services, training, leisure/recreation, pharmaceutical services, and many more products and services. At a conservative 20% uptake, the value that is available to businesses through this program is R50m. Participating members who have contributed to this suite of exclusive member benefits, are: Accord Development Consulting Group; ActionCoach; Ahavah Consulting; Avis Budget Rent A Car; Cowey Park Pharmacy; Denzile Reddiar and Associates; DNA Auto Centre; Bosch Car Service; Epic Centre; eThekwini Toyota and Hillcrest Toyota; GAD Consulting; Icebolethu Group; Isuzu Trucks New Germany; Kofi and Eat Fresh; Makrosafe Holdings; McCallister Catering; Onomo Hotel; Pfirestorm; Profitshare Partners; Regent Business School; Samac Engineering Solutions; Subb10 Technologies; Sumitomo Rubber South Africa; and Barons Bluff (Volkswagen),” said Phili. These benefits are available exclusively to members in good standing. They may email benefits@durbanchamber. co.za to confirm that their membership account is up to date in order to start accessing their due benefits. For more information, visit www.durbanchamber.co.za

Local business coach, Marlene Powell, has been given the great honour of being announced as ActionCOACH’s global ActionMAN (woman) of the year for 2020. Twelve years ago, Marlene was the first woman to own an ActionCOACH franchise in South Africa. Marlene is based in KwaZulu-Natal and runs her coaching business from Westville. ActionCOACH is a business coaching organisation with over 1000 coaches representing 82 countries globally. The ActionMAN winner is a special award given by ActionCOACH’s Founder and CEO Brad Sugars to coaches and partners who have achieved great results and go ‘above and beyond the call of duty’. Only one coach is given this award at the annual global conference. Announcing the win, the master licensee for ActionCOACH South Africa, Harry Welby-Cooke explained that winning the ActionMAN award is an amazing achievement. “This is the most sought after award in the ActionCOACH circle globally and we are extremely proud of Marlene for bringing this award home to South Africa. It is rightly and justly deserved.” Marlene, along with Margaret Hirsch, executive director of the Hirsch’s group, has been hosting entrepreneurs’ workshops for fledgling entrepreneurs around the country on a weekly basis during lockdown. She also recently started a successful online business networking forum BizCAFE – B2B networking forum for business owners in South Africa. Both of these events are free of charge. www.marlenepowell.actioncoach.com

Catherine Clark, Owner and Founder of the Harvest Table Catherine Clark is the owner and founder of the Harvest Table, which is a family run business based in KwaZulu-Natal. The company provides health and nutritional products across South Africa. Catherine also educates clients on the importance of including these products in their daily lives. “My journey started twenty years ago when I realised that what I put into my body was what I got out,” she explained. “Together with diet, exercise, keeping stress at bay, laughing every day and having people in my life that I love and respect, keeps me healthy.” Catherine’s story began when she was in matric and started struggling with feeling really tired all the time to the extent that she could not complete a school day. “This was a really tough time for myself and my family as I was driven to do well at school. Despite numerous visits to doctors and specialists, no cause could be found. After been told that it was all in my mind, I started to research and looked for alternative treatments,” explained Catherine. Her research led to Dulcie Krige and the raw food diet in which she saw potential benefits. “After starting this eating programme, I improved daily. However, 18 months later towards the end of my 2nd year at university, I discovered an enlarged lymph node in my neck which led to the diagnosis of Hodgkins lymphoma.” Catherine believes that this diagnosis had been the cause of her tiredness and that the diet that she was following helped her to recover quickly. “After a course of radiation, I was completely cured but I was left with the effects on my thyroid and had intense muscle scarring. However, I believe that the lymphoma was a gift from God and allowed me to determine what was important in my life as well as to question what legacy I wanted to leave behind. I have explored and researched the topic of healthy food and now that I am married with two children wish to educate them as well.” Catherine discovered that many of the products that are beneficial to one’s health were not available in South Africa in the form that she required them which included no additives, preservatives or gluten. “We initially started making our own bone broth, which is an important part of many diets across the world. Then we discovered organic powered products and that is where our Harvest Table story began. We wanted to bring people along with us on this journey and the harvest table symbolises something that we can bring friends around and celebrate these ‘first fruits’. We have beautiful products that are whole and nutritional.” In reflecting on her role as a woman in business, Catherine says that women have unique challenges. “Women do have more roles and responsibilities – school pickups, swimming galas, ballet lessons and extra Afrikaans… However, I have not let being a woman hold me back in any way. I have learnt to accept that this is my journey and that I can play it out in the way I want to. I would like to go to bed at night knowing that I have served my business and community and done well by my children. That the Harvest Table is able to employ women fulltime is for Catherine a “beautiful expression of her story”. Through employing women, she believes that it is possible to shift their lives by providing a salary and educating them on the importance of health and wellness for their families benefit. However, says Catherine achieving a work life balance is probably her biggest challenge. She has had to undertake all the roles in the company from marketing to finance. “Every day I ask God for wisdom. I have also had to learn to say no along the way to strike a balance where necessary. I do ensure that I carve out time in my day for my children and we include them in everything that we do, including business decisions.” As an entrepreneur, Catherine says that she always has ideas running through her mind but needs to remain focused on ensuring that there is enough stock in the factory. “My number one priority is our customers and the daily feedback that I get from them is really important to me and keeps me motivated. We believe that our products can change people’s lives, we believe that diet is pivotal in terms of good health and wellness, which is the foundation of everything that we do.” Catherine commented that Covid-19 has led to despondence that has impacted the state of our mental and physical health. While we may not have much control over the things around us, the good news is that we can still take care of ourselves. Taking control of your life will not only improve your overall wellness, but will also give you a greater sense of hope for the future. “This pandemic has interrupted our ability to be the best version of ourselves, but we cannot allow uncertainty, anxiety and stress to consume us. We need to take charge of our lives by being more intentional about coping with our current reality and create a life to look forward to,” concluded Catherine. www.harvesttable.co.za

Meetings and communication are still essential. How are you reinventing the Durban ICC and your business? We are always trying to position ourselves as “Africa’s leading convention centre”. We have been investing heavily in our meetings’ technology over the last couple of years. So, we are really looking forward to being recognised as “Africa’s smartest convention centre”. We are now in a position where we are able to offer a whole range of virtual events from live streaming events to hybrid events, virtual events, video on demand, and to complete remote presentation events to our clients. What are ‘virtual’ and ‘hybrid’ events and how do they work? A hybrid event is your normal traditional face to face event, which takes place in a venue with a digital component such a live streaming component added in. We recognise that event organisers put a lot of time and effort in putting the event content together and selecting the speakers line up. By adding a digital component, which allows them to live stream that content at the same time, they really are able to maximise on all this hard work, monetise their event in new ways and reach a new audience. A virtual event is designed to be completely online, and all content is presented on an online format. The best part is that companies are taking advantage of this kind of event solution even during the lockdown by using the technology we offer and not having to wait until live events fully start up again. Some are even able to reach much larger audiences by taking their events online than they would have with a traditional live event and monetise them accordingly. How far along is the process of development for virtual and hybrid event solutions at the Durban ICC? We have been offering this solution for a while now. We did our first collaborative hybrid event with a client in September 2019, before anyone had heard the term Covid-19. This event was for a local association and was streamed nationally. Since that time, we have done many international events with simultaneous streams and both virtual and hybrid events. We feel that we are now in a good position to offer this in many different formats, both nationally and internationally. We feel that we have really earned our stripes in this space. What are the benefits for the virtual delegate? There many benefits. First and foremost, there is a massive cost saving, which includes the cost for a delegate to travel to a conference such as flights and accommodation costs. The belt tightening requirement that all companies have had to face in recent years is also significant. Whereas companies use to send ten people from a single company to a conference, they may now send only two people. Companies expect those two people to convey the conference content to the rest of the company on their return. With the hybrid and the virtual conference that content doesn’t have to be relayed. The guys who need to be consuming that content can get it first-hand, in real time in their boardrooms, or in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Companies are also only paying for one or two of those registrations depending on how the event organisers set up the conference proceedings. The delegates can still get the same interaction as in face to face events through real time chat options. They can be interacting with speakers through asking questions, making comments as well as getting their points heard. The delegates could also choose to view the content at a later time if it suits their schedule better, through the video-on-demand option after the event. They can also view selected sessions from the conference which pertain to their areas of interest. The delegates can also participate as sponsors. Companies can get their brands out in front of other conference delegates in the form of video sponsorships and through the use of screen logos for the duration of the event. Do you see this kind of conferencing become the new norm after COVID-19? I think that the digital components of events will be here to stay because of the advantages that they offer to event organisers, to the venues and to the whole conferencing industry. How soon will these services be on offer? We are happy to start working with virtual and hybrid conferencing requests immediately. Contact: Scott Langley T: +27 (0)31 360 1000 E: sales@icc.co.za

Help for entrepreneurially minded people The latest BusinessFit initiative is to help companies deal with the retrenchment of employees. During the South African national lockdown caused by the COVID-19 virus, many employers have struggled to keep their normal operations going. This has led to employers having to retrench employees; the effects of which are psychological, emotional, and financial. BusinessFit will work with employers and employees to help mitigate some of these effects where possible. This goal will be achieved by offering the possibility of setting up one's own business for entrepreneurially minded people. The BusinessFit team of experts will use their various skills and knowledge to assist these entrepreneurs to establish and to grow their own businesses. Companies are able to use social economic development funds, training budgets as well as enterprise development funds to finance BusinessFit's interventions. These are funds that each business would normally spend on similar types of initiatives to achieve their B-BBEE levels. For more information contact: Bruce Lennon bruce@stimelagroup.co.za David White David@drg.co.za

Pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have fallen considerably as governments across the world try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Quarantine, the closure of international borders, and a reduced need for transport, have drastically altered energy demand patterns, providing a picture of what a world with reduced air pollution might look like. In April 2020, daily global carbon emissions fell by 17% compared with average levels last year. Emissions of this level were last observed 14 years ago. A reduction in ground surface transport accounted for 43% of this figure, with emissions from industry and power generation also accounting for 43%. Interestingly, although the aviation industry has been most impacted by the global lockdown, it only accounts for 3% of global emissions. Unfortunately, with the return of economic activity, the reduction is unlikely to last. While unprecedented, its contribution to combatting global warming has been relatively small. In South Africa, daily CO2 emissions plunged by 22.4%. However, with the relaxation of lockdown levels, this is set to be the maximum decrease. Data collected in 2017 shows that the country is the world’s 14th largest emitter of fossilfuel CO2 emissions and the largest emitter on the African continent. The country’s domestic economy is powered by coal, which accounts for approximately more than 80% of emissions. It is of the utmost importance that South Africa changes to lower emissions fuel for the sake of the environment and its sustainability. Compressed Natural and Methane Rich Gas boast lower emissions than coal, diesel, HFO, paraffin and LPG. Not only do they thereby benefit the environment, they save significant costs on fuel storage/transportation and reduce the costs associated with the newly promulgated Carbon Tax for fuel combustion. SLG, which is the country’s largest supplier of compressed natural gas, also facilitates technical feasibility studies, regulatory licenses, risk assessments, installations, commissioning and post-installation technical and safety training as value added services. Reference Source: Living - Earth Day 2020: Startling photos show pollution before and after the coronavirus lockdown. - By Hannah Sparks T: +27 (0)31 812 0555 E: info@slgas.co.za W: www.slgas.co.za

The announcement by President Ramaphosa to move to Alert Level 2 of the COVID-19 risk adjusted strategy as from Tuesday, 18 August 2020 marked a significant leap and milestone for the tourism sector. Whether you’re seeking adventure, romance, luxury or safari, KZN is ready for you. In celebration of Women’s Month, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal presents some of the leading women in the province’s hospitality, travel and tourism industry. A POSITIVE OUTLOOK Despite challenges she faces as a small travel services and tour operator, Durban-based Mbali Msomi who owns and manages Leisure Holidays will not give up. She said she faced opposition from companies and organisations who are not willing to use her company as a supplier because she is still small - she has only one employee - and has not been in existence for a long time. “Accreditation and becoming a member of various industry bodies becomes difficult where there is a minimum turnover requirement. I am still struggling to overcome procurement hurdles. “However, I am not ready to throw in the towel. Being a wanderlust myself, I feel the need to help and assist other travellers in finding their dream holidays. “Leisure Holidays is all about inspiring individuals to leave their comfort zone and explore new places and new cultures whilst having lots of fun and adventures,” said Msomi, a mother of four. She is full of praise for Tourism KwaZulu-Natal for the opportunities provided for SMMEs such as Leisure Holidays to exhibit their services at trade shows such as Africa’s Travel Indaba and the East Coast Travel & Adventure Show. Msomi said she loved travelling and exploring new places and this is what inspired her to open her own travel agency. “The idea is to encourage South Africans to explore amazing South Africa and enjoy the scenery in their own back yard. “Our services to locals include girls’ weekend away, boys’ sports weekend, family bonding holidays and couples’ retreats. “It is about appreciating the relationships with one another and enjoying the scenery with family and friends.” She hopes to grow her business into a fully-fledged destination management company. Meanwhile she has urged developing SMMEs in the tourism industry to be patient and realise that it takes time to develop a brand and a business that is recognisable. FOLLOWING HER DREAMS Nokuthula Hazel Bond, the owner of Liapolis Accommodation & Leisure, is thankful to Tourism KZN for the opportunities she has had to participate in the Tourism Indaba for three consecutive years. This exhibition allowed her to expand her tourism industry networks and marketing opportunities. Bond who was born and raised in KwaMashu township, north of Durban, qualified with a Bachelor of Social Science degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She explored many avenues and realised she wanted financial freedom and to leave a legacy for her three children to inherit. Liapolis Accommodation & Leisure was then established, a three-star graded establishment providing accommodation, meals, shuttle service and a venue for small private functions. She manages six employees. “Having funds readily available, access to markets and now the Covid-19 pandemic have been challenges in my business. However, it was all made possible with exploring and learning new trends in the tourism market, educating myself about improving customer experience and new staff development and training sessions,” said Bond. She said women are often portrayed as inferior and incapable, especially when it comes to business. She believes in continuing to only focus on giving of her best daily to build a successful business. “I advise women to have a good solid support structure, to understand what motivates you at work and to have a passion for the work you do. “You must identify your target market and focus on your needs and expectations. Join industry organisations such as the National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA) and your local Community Tourism Organisation (CTO) as they will keep you updated on legislative changes and on other important information.” The married mother enjoys her time hiking, taking long walks, reading and is passionate about training and developing people. Bond plans to handover the management responsibility to one of her staff members while she focuses on establishing a training academy in the near future. UNIQUE RURAL-TOWNSHIP TOURISM EXPERIENCES Bitten by the travel bug since childhood, Nomcebo Langa had the rare privilege of experiencing a variety of cultures locally and at tourist attractions around the world. Born and raised in a family-oriented home in Hammarsdale, she was taught to have respectable norms and values which kept her focused to pursue having her own business in the future. While burning the midnight oil and raising her only daughter as a single parent, Langa qualified with a Masters’ degree in Taxation from the North West University. Langa said: “I later exposed myself to business models and customer behaviour for six years at Ernst and Young, one of the largest professional services networks in the world and thereafter during 18 months with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Johannesburg.” Her numerous visits to international destinations convinced her that she must get involved in the tourism industry. Thus, she opened her own tourism business called 1000 Thrills in Hillcrest, which develops and packages unique rural-townshiptourism experiences. She said the lack of transformation in tourism in South Africa allowed her business to showcase authentic tourism and township experiences and offer a unique lifestyle to domestic and international tourists. She said the nature of tourism business was previously a male-dominated business. “I had to put on my big girl pants and work extremely hard to be the brand ambassador of my own company.” Developing a new business has been a challenge for Langa but through consultation with other successful tourism entrepreneurs, strong business ethics and sound business policies, she has managed to keep her business active even on quiet days. “New strategic business models aligned with new market segmentations and new ways of doing business had to be implemented during the lockdown. “SMMEs are advised to measure customer services and success of their business through customer retention and loyalty, customer satisfaction improvement and brand awareness,” she said. She praises Tourism KZN for showcasing her company’s products and services at Tourism Indaba, World Travel Market Africa and tourism expos in the Netherlands, Russia, China, United Kingdom and Kenya. The significant 76 percent of 1000 Thrills employees are women. She advises women that research and education is the key elements in striving to have your own business. Attending business tourism seminars and conferences expands your knowledge in order to build your business. Develop smart ways to involve customers through professional tourism packages and new ideas. Langa’s continuous determination and strong ethical business skills pushed 1000 Thrills to succeed especially after the announcement of level 2 lockdown which saw an influx and demand from tourists’ bookings for the next several weeks to come. www.zulu.org.za

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry has relocated to the Durban Country Club which was effective 3 August 2020. The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is now based at the iconic and world-class sporting and leisure facilities of the Durban Country Club, located at 101 Isaiah Ntshangase Road in Stamford Hill, Durban. “There is a tremendous sense of a new chapter of history being written. This partnership between our two iconic entities marks a mutual commitment to contributing to our City’s drive for inclusive economic participation for all businesses. The Durban Country Club is conveniently located on highly accessible traffic routes and welcomes the broader eThekwini business community and all who co-labour with us to grow our City’s economy,” said Nigel Ward, President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Durban Country Club has been a member of the Durban Chamber for 34 years, and this move echoes and reinforces the Chamber’s commitment to building strong partnerships and relationships with local businesses in the pursuit of growing an inclusive economy in eThekwini. “We are proud to have our historic entities co-exist in the same locality, which will enable us both to leverage our years of extensive experience serving the Durban community and providing an exceptional and conducive networking environment. We look forward to welcoming the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry to our property and working together to serve our respective members. As a member of the Durban Chamber, we strive to operate by the ethos of being In Business for a Better World,” said Kamlesh Ranchhod, Chairman of the Durban Country Club. A few benefits of the relocation to the historic and prestigious Durban Country Club are the convenient location, sufficient parking, and easy accessibility for those using public transportation. The Durban Chamber’s main telephone contact number will remain as +27 (0)31 335 1000 W: www.durbanchamber.co.za

Dr Mthobisi Clyde Zondi is the Executive Chairman of the SanDock Austral Group, which is the holding company for SanDock Austral Aerospace, SanDock Austral Shipyards, SanDock Austral Defence Engineering Systems and Torpedo South Africa. With a history spanning almost 50 years, the group is the largest 100% black owned defence entity in South Africa, both in terms of revenue and facilities owned. SanDock Austral has an exceptional reputation for developing and delivering integrated solutions for commercial and defence engineering/mechanical projects. Dr Zondi’s more than 20 years of industry and public sector experience has well prepared him to be at the helm of the group. He started his career as a Junior Mechanical Engineer for a nylon spinning company in Cape Town. A stint as an Engineering Manager at a pharmaceutical company in Epping Industrial, Cape Town then followed. After completing two masters’ degrees, he spent four years with Transnet in various positions, including Chief Operations Manager in Richards Bay Terminals, and National Capacity Planning Manager in the Transnet Port Operations container business. Dr Zondi then worked as an Executive Manager for PetroSA, responsible for offshore support logistics operations. This position was followed by 12 years working as senior official in the National Department of Defence in South Africa. He joined the Department of Defence as Head of Defence Supply Chain Integration, responsible for supply chain process design, logistics repositioning and material governance within the Department. He was later appointed chief defence material responsible for armaments acquisition, industry support, research and development, technology management and oversight of the procurement agency. Dr Zondi commented that one of the highlights of his career has been in policy development, which once implemented has impacted an entire industry. Developing Strategy Currently, Dr Zondi’s primary role is to develop strategy for the SanDock Austral Group and direct the group according to its vision, which well resonates with him. He says, “We want to build the most valuable group in the African continent. One of the important aspects is the alignment of shareholder vision in terms of how we intend to take the group forward. What makes us unique in the space that we operate in, is that we are looking at collaboration and cooperation with several role players.” The SanDock Austral Group seeks to provide a platform where South African companies can showcase their combined complementary capabilities through packaging integrated defence solutions that appeal to international markets. “One of the challenges in the defence and security industry is that the local budget has declined in the last five years. The survival of defence and security companies does not lie in local spending. If you are going to compete in exports you need to make sure that you can put competitive products out there. We are introducing a business model to South African companies wherein they can collaborate in order to provide integrated products that can compete in the international space.” “We are able to put together a package to provide an integrated solution by plugging in various companies’ products and services that can be marketed for export. In our business we cover all three phases of war – prevention, equitable engagement and we look at post war rehabilitation programmes such as demining. Our technologies are very advanced given the heritage of technology development in South Africa,” explains Dr Zondi. “We are therefore continuously engaging defence companies and organisations of all sizes, locally and globally, on potential cooperation and/or collaboration. The partnership model involves co-investment in the region, technology transfer, localised product support and indigenisation of customised product systems.” SanDock Austral Defence Engineering Systems SanDock Austral’s defence capabilities cover remote control weapons stations, low-cost active protection systems, missiles, systems engineering, assembly and maintenance of torpedoes, radars and subsystems and radar testing. Broad engineering and fabrication solutions are also offered. SanDock Austral manufactures precision mechanical components for weapon systems at a factory in Springs, east of Johannesburg. The group also has partnerships with numerous local companies in the fields of radar and electronic warfare, amongst others. SanDock Austral Shipyards On the marine side, shipbuilding and repair capabilities are offered through SanDock Austral Shipyards, formerly Southern African Shipyards (SAS). This is the largest shipyard in southern Africa and has built both naval and commercial vessels. The group offers the construction of small to mid-range steel and aluminium vessels and marine structures, repairs to all sizes of vessels and marine structures and construction and maintenance services to the offshore oil and gas industry. SanDock Austral Shipyards has made major leaps and bounds towards employing the concept of the collaborative economy in the execution of its shipbuilding and ship repair projects. The recently awarded multi-billion rand contract to build a Hydrographic Survey Vessel (HSV) for the South African Navy represents one of the most complex projects to be undertaken in the African continent in recent years. SanDock Austral Shipyards was judged the worthy winner of the world-class and soughtafter tender, which will further establish the company as a shipbuilder of note. Dr Zondi added, “A very exciting project that we are looking at currently is in how we can increase sea-based trade on the African continent. There is poor port infrastucture in several African coastal countries but there are inland waterways that are quite expansive. There are also huge rivers going through several countries that are landlocked, which is an opportunity for continental trade. We are looking at designing and manufacturing barges that can be used in these rivers and waterways, to move a range of cargo between these countries and to make sure that there is connectivity between both coastal and locked countries.” SanDock Austral Aerospace The group’s aerospace capabilities cover an electronic warfare jamming pod, electronic countermeasures, maritime surveillance aircraft and aircraft maintenance. Airport security is another capability offered, including personnel recruitment and training, airline and airport security audits, and airport security planning, design, and upgrades. “On the aerospace side we are currently in advanced talks with several entities that have maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities which we believe can benefit from a consolidation and rationalisation of their expertise so that we can get work from South African and regional aviation operators. If government comes on board this could be a breakthrough in the technical support side of the aviation business,” explained Dr Zondi. The greater good “SanDock Austral is very community and socially orientated – we always say that we are in business for the greater good.” One of the group subsidiaries has a 30% shareholding by military veterans. “We saw it prudent to bring them in as people who understand the defence and security environment as shareholders and directors at a subsidiary level. On a social level we deliver wheelchairs to military veterans if required.” SanDock Austral is also involved in community-oriented programme such as building schools and libraries. The group has a large in-service training and apprenticeship programme. This allows new graduates and artisans to gain work experience that enables them to have their qualifications recognised. “We make sure that we do not turn anyone who requires in-service training away.” “We really believe that with partnerships and collaborations this country has immense potential and we are here to make sure that it is realised,” concluded Dr Zondi. www.sda.co.za

It all seems wonderful when the orders flow in and business growth has finally become a reality until your accountant mentions that the business is running short of funds to pay salaries and suppliers. The business is cash strapped. Does this sound familiar? Cash flow planning is critical for sustainability at all times. When a business is growing, it is even more critically necessary. Start with doing a projected income statement for the next six months. Sales numbers to drive the income statement forecast is a key variable. Know your real costs to operate. Ensure that the business is delivering profit at gross profit and net profit levels. Making a profit does not imply cash in the bank at the end of each month. Use the projected monthly income statement results, payment terms with suppliers and terms of credit given to customers to drive the cash flow forecast. This will highlight when cash problems will be surfacing. Make a plan for the cash shortfall months well before it arrives. Whether you are a one man show or a large business, always have a credit policy. Be clear on the terms you can afford to give customers and do proper credit checks before you onboard new customers or extend more credit to your customers. Late payment from customers is usually the unforeseen show stopper affecting cash flow. Having a credit policy is not dependent on the size of your business. It is a non-negotiable for sustainability. For some businesses, it just takes one big customer to not pay on time to shut the business down. Manage working capital (stock, debtors and creditor balances) smartly to ensure that funds are not unnecessarily stuck in assets costing you money and cash flow problems. In conclusion, cash forecasting and cash management is an overall team effort within a business. Sound business policies, maintaining good accounting records, forecasting as well as good relations with your bankers and suppliers are the essentials to help you get through your cash flow challenges. info@fdvedanta.co.za www.fdvedanta.co.za

As a sought after speaker, Cindy often hosts her own motivational and training events and she talks at conferences, award ceremonies and business events. Give Cindy a call: (031) 265 2000 Direct Email: cindy@proappoint.co.za Suite 6 The Viewz, 11 The Boulevard, Westway Park