Mawande Jack
The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has been lauded for its role in black economic empowerment.
Accredited verification agent IQUAD has recognised the CDC as the main contributor in promoting broad-based black economic empowerment in the Eastern Cape.
The state-controlled entity, which operates the Coega Industrial Development Zone as the country’s export zone and the main investment destination in the province with its Ngqura port, said it welcomed the recognition by the IQUAD as a Level 2 BBBEE contributor.
With its CEO Pepi Silinga, the company has been credited for promoting SMMEs from especially disadvantaged areas around the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, holding workshops for Coega staff on black empowerment and government procurement policies and assisting in monitoring compliance with the BEE codes.
Coega spokesperson Ayanda Vilakazi said the corporation had good empowerment credentials. He said every bidding company was required to submit their BEE certificates when submitting bids to the organisation.
“In the CDC we are trying to drive transformation and empowerment through the tender process,” he said.
The company has also issued an advert to advise its suppliers and stakeholders of the changes in national treasury regulations when the preferential procurement policy regulations were revised in December 2011.
“To this effect, awareness workshops were held around the province by the CDC communication and marketing department,” said Vilakazi.
The corporation started implementing broad-based economic empowerment in August by training the corporation’s internal staff to understand the policy.
“Through its Coega Human Capital Solutions the corporation claims to have been “successful in monitoring compliance with BEE commitments by going to the workplace to confirm that people listed in the tender were physically active in the work.”
About R3bn worth of procurement and services by broad-based black economic empowerment firms were anticipated in the planned PetroSA crude oil refinery a year, PetroSA spokesperson Thabo Mabaso said. Such strict verification for BEE compliance for both private and public sectors was “essential for good governance.”
mawandej@thenewage.co.za
Article source: http://www.thenewage.co.za/43499-1016-53-Coegas_BEE_policy_tops
