© 2017 South Africa - The Good News
BUSINESS BELIEVES IN SOUTH AFRICA
– Commitment to economic transformation with an historic ‘Contract with South Africa.’
– Fightback against deceitful #WMC campaign, making clear Business Believes in South Africa.
– Corruption and state capture are the cancers eating away at this society – and they must be rooted out wherever they are found.
In a keynote speech in Alexandra today, Bonang Mohale, the Chief Executive of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), began a fightback against the deceitful #WMC campaign, with one clear message: #BusinessBelieves in South Africa.
He said BLSA members are committed to economic transformation, so that the country works for everyone, summing up his organisation’s values in an historic six-point ‘Contract with South Africa’ – which includes a focus on job creation, inclusive economic growth, empowering black business and crushing corruption.
Mohale said: “Business Believes in South Africa. South Africa’s future and our future as businesses are inseparable. We want the transformation so many in this country need so desperately. We share the values set out in its constitution. And we say humbly: we want to play our part in ensuring that South Africa works for everyone.”
He went on: “We are fighting back against the falsehoods of the White Monopoly Capital campaign and we are asserting business as a positive force in the life of this country.”
He argued: “Too many people are still living low quality lives – denied the fair chance that Madiba demanded on their behalf. Too often the dream of an equal South Africa has been betrayed. Our society continues to be ravaged by unemployment, poverty, nepotism and corruption.”
Mohale called on all political parties and civil society to make inclusive economic growth their priority, saying: “Because business believes when the economy is strong, South Africa is strong.”
Bonang Mohale and Nicky Newton-King, CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), signed the following contract on behalf of the BLSA Board and Council.
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OFF to SILICON VALLEY!
1GIANTleap GRAND FINALE REVEALS SOUTH AFRICA’S NEXT TECH HERO
1GIANTleap’s startup program finale event, hosted by Edge Growth, took place at the Social Kitchen & Bar at Exclusive Books in Hyde Park, Johannesburg on Wednesday, 16 August 2017. After seven impressive tech entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to a crowd of respected players in the tech, startup and investment space, the judging panel’s decision was final: Cape Town based iSpani, a brand activation agency focused on township communities, were the winners of a trip to Silicon Valley in San Francisco, USA, to meet tech unicorns, multi-nationals and investors.
The judging panel was made up of entrepreneurs, specialists and investors in the tech space, Llew Claasen (Partner at Newtown Partners), Stephen Newton (President at Illuminate-Africa), Matthew Barclay (MD at Meltwater Africa), Clive Butkow (CEO at Kalon Venture Partners) and Professor Barry Dwolatzky (Founder at Tshimologong).
Twenty-three-year-old final year UCT Accounting student Patrick Machekera from iSpani echoed his elated business partners, 22-year-old Prince Nwadeyi of Queenstown (BCom Economics and Marketing student at UCT) and Ntandoyenkosi Shezi, 22, (BSc Finance, from Port Shepstone KZN), when he said: “I feel so happy, but our success is not certain yet, this is where the hard work begins!” Machekera and team have huge ambitions fuelled by the prize they won.
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Make A Difference Leadership Foundation Scholar Story.
Age: 21
University: University of Stellenbosch
Qualification year: 2021
Make A Difference Leadership Foundation Scholar Since: 2015
Lwazi is a Make A Difference Leadership Foundation scholar and a 3rd-year medical student at the University of Stellenbosch, and his dream is to become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon.
Being a part of the Make A Difference Leadership Foundation Scholarship Programme has enabled Lwazi to study Medicine, a dream he thought would be impossible as he was not in a position to financially afford a tertiary education. Make A Difference Leadership Foundation has made his dream possible by comprehensively investing, supporting and developing his academic and leadership potential through our Scholarship Programme. The programme offers scholars like Lwazi, the opportunity to focus on their future by removing every barrier between their potential and future success. Through a long-term, comprehensive and personal approach, every scholar is offered mentorship, leadership, academic and personal support through the duration of their high school and tertiary degree.
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THIS WEEK'S FAST FACT
Spring time
Flower kingdom: The Cape floristic region, one of six floral kingdoms in the world, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2004. The biodiversity hotspot has one of the highest concentrations of plant species in the world and is the only floral kingdom to be contained within a single country. It contains around 9,600 species, of which 70% do not grow anywhere else in the world. (Source: www.Eighty20.co.za
