KLCBT celebrates top businesses
Ms Phephsile Maseko was announced as the winner of the Lowveld Big Change. She runs a rural development organisation in Nkomazi. Phephsile's has indigenous knowledge and understanding to manufacture unique skincare products. Ms Buzi Mabuza was also honoured with the KLCBT/KPMG Leadership Award.
MBOMBELA – The Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT) held a prestigious awards ceremony on Friday to honour and recognise excellent performances in business, tourism and good governance in the Lowveld region.
The purpose of the awards is aimed at building confidence in local businesses while creating an awareness of all the world-class operations happening in the region.
Various role players were honoured for their contribution in the broader community of the Lowveld.
Delivering the keynote address at Emnotweni Arena, the president of the KLCBT, Dr Norah Fakude, said that the gross domestic profit (GDP) of the province had contributed immensely to the country’s overall GDP despite a challenging financial year. For that, Fakude commended the chamber for its role in economic and business development.
Fakude encouraged a partnership between the government in the province and local business people to create job opportunities. She was also honoured with a philanthropy award alongside Mr Fred Kinnear.
According to Fakude, the chamber was working on ways to improve the local economy and also identify stumbling blocks which were hampering the growth of the region. KLCBT and various other stakeholders were in constant communication with the minister of water affairs regarding the bulk water supply.
She mentioned that there had been a real improvement in the region, following the implementation of the turnaround strategy of Mbombela Local Municipality.
“We are hopeful that the surrounding towns will follow Mbombela’s good example,” she said.
She said that KLCBT took pride in creating networking and marketing platforms for its members. It had hosted 20 events during 2015 that offered numerous marketing and advertising opportunities on an ongoing basis.
Other dignitaries at the ceremony were Dr Mathews Phosa and his wife, Ms Pinky Phosa, Prof John Shongwe and Prof Thoko Mayekiso of the University of Mpumalanga.
The ceremony included the handing over of the inaugural KLCBT President’s Award.
This recognises individuals, institutions, group or companies whose contribution to the community and the economic growth of the region goes beyond the requirements or criteria of any of the other awards.
The first recipients were the Halls family, which, as mentioned on Friday night, were synonymous with farming and business in the Lowveld. HL Hall & Sons celebrated their 125st birthday this year and they were thanked for being a big driving force towards the local economy.
Ms Phephsile Maseko was announced as the winner of the Lowveld Big Change. She runs a rural development organisation in Nkomazi. Phephsile’s has indigenous knowledge and understanding to manufacture unique skincare products. Ms Buzi Mabuza was also honoured with the KLCBT/KPMG Leadership Award.
This recognises leadership or outstanding service by individuals who are an inspiration to the community. Mabuza was recently appointed as the chairman of the Industrial Development Corporation, the largest development finance institution in sub-Saharan Africa. She also served as special adviser to the minister of minerals and energy.
Previous recipients of the award includes the Phosas and Ms Irma Green, managing group editor of Lowveld Media.
The winners in the various categories were:
• KLCBT/Halls Properties Alan Bachelor Environmental Award: Sabie River Sun
• KLCBT/KMIA Tourism SMME Award: Bee Eaters Boutique Hotel
• KLCBT/Crossing Superspar Tourism Large Enterprise Award: Pine Lake Inn
• The KLCBT/XL Travel Today Tourism Personality Award: David Frost
• The Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo/KLCBT Entrepreneur Award: Sabie Brewing Company
• The KLCBT/First Technology Franchisee Award : Aïda Lowveld
• The KLCBT/Sappi Limited Community Service Award: Childline Mpumalanga (Runners-up, CANSA and Ntataise – cheque of R5 000 each)
• KLCBT/ MLF Philantropy Award: Dr Norah Fakude and Mr Fred Kinnear
KLCB /Bidvest Car Business Personality Award: Ig Oliver
• The KLCBT/Nedbank Retail Relationship Banking Small Enterprise Award: SS-IT
• The KLCBT/SABC Radio Sales Medium Enterprise Award: Swift Group
The KLCBT/PricewaterhouseCoopers Large Enterprise Award: Sappi Lomati Mill.
