March 12, 2009

The Awards are South Africa's foremost Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) awards initiative, hosted by Topco Media's annual empowerment publication Impumelelo, which documents BEE success stories.

The finalists in their categories are:

Top Empowered Company in ICT

• Voltsing Electrical (Pty) Ltd
• Torque Technical Computer Training PTY Ltd
• Dimension Data (Pty) LTD
• iBurst (Proprietary) Ltd
• Square One Solutions Group Ltd

Top Empowered Company in Health, Safety & Security

• Hlanganani Protection Services
• Bonitas Medical Fund
• Isilulu Professional Services

Top Empowered Company in Retail & Property

• Woolworths
• Ithuba Valves & Industrial Supplies cc
• RedFern

Top Empowered Company in Financial Services

• First Rand Limited
• Metropolitan Holdings Ltd
• Standard Bank

Top Empowered Company in Business Support Services

• Kelly Group
• PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc
• Deloitte
• KPMG

Top Empowered Company in CSI

• Tedcor
• Makwetla & Associates
• Telkom Foundation

Top Empowered Company in Sustainability & Beyond

• Woolworths
• Voltsing Electrical (Pty) Ltd
• First National Bank

Top Empowered Company in Logistics

• Super Group Limited
• Grindrod

Top SMME Empowered Company (turnover below 50m)

• Kgasi Trading
• Reshebile Aviation & Protection Services
• Vukani-Ubuntu
• 21st Century Pay Solutions Group (Pty) Ltd
• Maserumule Incorporated Attorneys

Top New & Innovative Company

• African Access Holdings (Pty) Ltd
• kopano Travel
• Iskhus
• Vukani-Ubuntu

Most improved year-on-year BEE score card

• Tongaat Hulett Ltd
• Business Connexion (Pty) Ltd
• iBurst (Proprietary) Ltd

Top Empowered National or Regional Transforming Government Department

• Department of Defence
• Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
• National Treasury
• Top Empowered Transforming Municipality or Province
• West Rand District Municipality
• JHB Water

Top Transforming Government Agency or Parastatal

• EC Tourism Board
• Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC)
• National Empowerment Fund

Other awards that will be announced on the night include:

• Top Black Entrepreneur of the Year
• Top Young Black Entrepreneur of the Year (under 35)
• Top Black Businesswoman Of the year
• Top Black Businessman Of the year
• Top Black Business Of the year

The awards are aimed at acknowledging, congratulating and celebrating the efforts made by local companies towards the development of BEE and employment equity. All the finalists deserve recognition for their commitment to the future of empowerment in South Africa. Meet these business leaders who are making empowerment happen at the MOEA ceremony, taking place on Thursday the 19th of March at the Sandton Convention Centre. For more information on the Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards and to book your table, please call Laura Barker on 021 791 7100.