Enterprise Africa February 2024

AFRICA

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR AFRICA’S INDUSTRY LEADERS

February 2024

www.enterprise-africa.net

Winds of Change Boost PoCT Exclusive interview with Rajesh Dana, Transnet NPA PoCT Port Manager

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Africrest Properties / Ecwamix Chemical Systems / Concord Retail Solutions / Broll

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EDITOR Joe Forshaw joe@enterprise-africa.net

EDITOR’S LETTER

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Sam Hendricks sam@enterprise-africa.net SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER James Davey jamesd@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Eleanor Sarbutt-King eleanor@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Jamie Waters jamie@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Chris Bolderstone chris@enterprise-africa.net SALES MANAGER Tommy Atkinson tommy@enterprise-africa.net LEAD DESIGNER Aaron Protheroe aaron@enterprise-africa.net ACCOUNT MANAGER Isabel Murphy isabel@enterprise-africa.net

CONTRIBUTOR Manelesi Dumasi CONTRIBUTOR Timothy Reeder CONTRIBUTOR Benjamin Southwold CONTRIBUTOR William Denstone

Amazing and superb things are happening within South Africa’s business community – it’s true! While the President’s SONA may have inspired few, there is reason for optimism.

A realisation that progress must continue, whatever support comes, is now firmly rooted at the front of the entrepreneurial mind. And with this clarity, ambitious folk are taking on transformative projects.

At Concord Retail Solutions – a manufacturer and installer of refrigeration units for the retail industry – a large investment was recently concluded, bringing state-of-the-art equipment to the company’s base in Durban. This will allow for increased efficiency and improved quality.

At Africrest Properties – the Gauteng-focussed property business that creates high-quality, affordable rental units in previous office space – a new project is underway to create resort-style living at great prices, in Sandton nonetheless.

In Cape Town, Port Manager Rajesh Dana is dead-set on improvements to infrastructure to deliver a world-class service. New equipment is being installed, new roads being laid, new plans being designed, and new partnerships being embraced so that the city can again benefit from its coastline.

At Maskew Miller Learning, there is a new strategy in place that will leave no learner uncatered for. The producer and distributor of educational materials is blending digital and traditional print to create what is needed for all.

Ecwamix Chemical Solutions has achieved significant growth by investing in an export programme, building new relationships in the Middle East. Director Max Roux is proud to being SA-manufactured goods to a global audience.

Published by Chris Bolderstone – General Manager E. chris@cmb-multimedia.co.uk Fuel Studios, Kiln House, Pottergate, Norwich NR2 1DX +44 (0) 20 3097 1743 www.cmb-media.co.uk CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. © CMB Media Group Ltd 2024

As always, the successful business leaders are looking at the opportunities and not the problems. They are using every challenge as a new path to success. If you’re not doing that, you will likely not be here in 2025.

Get in touch and tell us what you are doing to cut out the noise and focus on the positives. We’re online at LinkedIn.

Joe Forshaw EDITOR GET IN TOUCH +44 20 3097 1743 joe@enterprise-africa.net www.enterprise-africa.net

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CONTENTS TRANSNET NPA - PORT OF CAPE TOWN 6 Winds of Change Boost PoCT ECWAMIX CHEMICAL SYSTEMS 14 Chemical Manufacturer Has the Recipe for Export Expansion MASKEW MILLER LEARNING 22 Transformational SA Education Business to Boom After Brand Overhaul CONCORD RETAIL SOLUTIONS 28 Resilient Concord Retains Positive Momentum AFRICREST PROPERTIES 34 Relentless Tenant Focus Fuels Africrest Triumph CENTURY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT 42 Big Horizons in Sight BROLL 48 Always Opening New Doors

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34 SKA OBSERVATORY 54 Growing Momentum Around SKAO Boosted by First Images EXXARO 60 Transitioning and Decarbonising with Long-Term Sustainability the Goal MOPANI COPPER MINES 66 Shining the Light on Africa in Energy Transition Challenge JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS 70 Collaborate to Manage VUCA MTC NAMIBIA 74 Connecting a Nation BESTMED 80 Enabling You to Live Your Best Life www.enterprise-africa.net / 5

TRANSNET NPA - PORT OF CAPE TOWN

Winds of Change

Boost PoCT PRODUCTION: James Davey

At the Port of Cape Town, a strategy of improvement, progress, and upgrade is being rolled out to revitalise business and position the port as an international destination of choice. Port Manager Rajesh Dana is working hard to deliver, and he tells Enterprise Africa that impact is already being felt.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: INFRASTRUCTURE

//

At the end of 2023, Transnet issued a statement confirming that it was working hard to reduce economy-damaging congestion at key ports – Durban and Richards Bay. The difficulties have seen major port delays and slowdowns thanks to multiple issues including resource planning, adverse weather and infrastructure challenges.

At the country’s other major seaports, the picture isn’t much better.

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Ageing and underinvested equipment within poorly maintained facilities mean that now, vessels are challenged in the harbour and trucks and trains are hampered on the roads and tracks. The end result is negativity for the public.

However, at the Port of Cape Town, managed by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), an evolution is underway to revitalise and reinvent.

Multiple high-value projects are ongoing to make infrastructure

bigger, stronger, more efficient, and better for the environment. Obviously, these are long-term developments that will take time to deliver, but Port Manager Rajesh Dana is confident and tells Enterprise Africa that the impact is already being felt.

“In the Port of Cape Town, we have drastically eradicated marine shipping delays in the past 18-months.”

Dana joined Transnet in 1994 and has held various roles across finance, port management and systems implementation for three decades. He knows the ports, and Transnet, inside out. Having recently headed projects to transform the Port of Port Elizabeth as Port Manager there for 10 years , he was named Port Manager at Cape Town in December 2021. When he took the helm, a number of issues immediately required attention – mainly those that arose during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At the Port of Cape Town, we have emerged stronger and far more resilient.

The challenges we faced allowed us to reset and reinvent and strengthen our processes across the board,” he says.

TRANSNET NPA - PORT OF CAPE TOWN

“There has been an enhancement in our health, safety and environmental controls, and there has been an emergence of digital interfacing with customers, staff, and stakeholders,” he adds, “these are the two key pillars that have evolved in the post-Covid environment.”

As part of the recovery from the pandemic, TNPA has reinvented its strategy to ensure empowerment of ports to become delivery platforms.

Three regional offices have been created to manage different ports in the country and the Port of Cape Town is part of a cluster in the West with Mossel Bay, Saldanha, and Port Nolloth.

“We have recognised the challenges that we face as a port authority, understanding that we manage all activities at the port, while further understanding that the port forms part of a greater transport and logistics solution. In the spirit of ensuring that the entire integrated transport chain operates efficiently, we have set in place a platform for meaningful collaboration and partnership across the entire value chain. That has allowed us to unite and create meaningful partnerships within that chain. From there, we built what we commonly refer to as our 8-point plan to improve efficiencies around the Port of Cape Town,” explains Dana.

Developed in partnership with multiple value chain partners, this plan is designed to bring about efficiencies and improvements – not small marginal gains, but larger stepchange overhauls. “It is constantly being worked on, but we see strong evidence of its effectiveness.”

PROJECT PIPELINE To address macro issues across the ports, Transnet is busy rolling out many different projects aimed at reducing backlog, improving efficiency, and driving productivity and modernisation.

In Cape Town, the second largest container port in the country and responsible for most of the fresh fruit

export, the port remains of strategic and economic importance. In recent months, more and more vessels have been passing the Cape of Good Hope as a result of avoidance of the Red Sea route and the conflict in the Middle East.

This 3500 mile change in plans makes for increased reliance on Africa ports to deliver refuelling and servicing, and South Africa should be the obvious choice. But effort is required to convince international shipping companies that the country’s ports are ready and able to deliver with Reuters describing African ports as ‘overwhelmed, illequipped, and poorly performing’.

“As the port authority, we are effectively the landlord and so we manage and regulate all operations within the port boundaries. That includes movement of vessels and cargo in and out of the port. To do that, we license different operators within the port system. We license terminal

operators for example, and we license bunker operators, stevedores, diving services, and a host of other services on the back of offering a full suite of integrated port services,” details Dana.

“We are empowered by regulation and we have certain mandates – mainly to plan and develop the port. We have it as a mandate to handle port development framework plans and also to execute on strategy. We control all operations in and around the port, and we serve as a change agent in the industry. Most importantly, we are geared towards trade facilitation for the movement of cargo in and out of ports, positioning them as a true gateway to and from international markets.”

To do so effectively, the port follows a ‘Reinvention For Growth (R4G)’ strategy which follows, as its four key pillars, operational excellence, revenue diversification and growth, capacity creation, and financial sustainability.

Rajesh Dana, Port Manager

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: INFRASTRUCTURE

MAJOR EXPANSION Currently, a major expansion at the Cape Town Container Terminal to take capacity from one million to 1.4 million containers annually is underway.

The first step is the construction and rollout of a brand-new truck staging area capable of handling 200 trucks.

The next step is to enhance and upgrade the rail martialling yard to allow for 50 rather than 40 wagons per train. Increasing cargo from road to rail remains important for Transnet.

At the same time, the company will look to enhance capacity at the terminal by improving stacking numbers. Strengthening floor areas will allow containers to be stacked five high instead of three, allowing for significant increases in throughput.

“That is the key catalytic project which is supported by many other investments as well, including upgrades to our ship repair facilities – the Robinson Drydock, Sturrock Drydock, and

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the Synchrolift,” Dana highlights.

“We recently completed the complete revamp of the pumping system of the Robinson Drydock - the oldest operating cobblestone drydock in the world - and that modernisation has led to improved efficiency and utilisation of that facility.

“The Sturrock Drydock – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere – is where we are focusing on the capstans, caissons, and cranes. We are well progressed in all areas and we are expecting delivery in the short-term.”

In 2019, former Port Manager Mpumi Dweba-Kwetana told Enterprise Africa of the country’s desire to become international recognised for its ship repair capabilities.

To complement infrastructural enhancements, the port’s fleet of support vessels has also received investment. A pair of new workboats, designed to maintain marine operations even in tough conditions, are more powerful than those already active at

the port. TNPA has also commissioned the construction of two launchers which Dana hopes to be active before the end of 2024, and he says a new helicopter service is also in the pipeline for 2025 to transfer crew to offshore vessels, minimising the need for pilot boats which has previously been a challenge with the city’s windy conditions.

“There is a host of other capital projects that we are embarking on at the same time,” he states.

BACK OF PORT In revenue sustainability and diversification, investigation is underway at the port to understand more about the potential rollout of a LPG storage facility. This, says Dana, will result in improved fuel security and energy diversification for the port and the region – which expands alongside the port.

At the end of 2023, TNPA issued Continues on page 12

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: INFRASTRUCTURE

Continued from page 10 a Request For Information to the market around the design, financing, development, constriction, and maintenance of a back of port facility known as the Culemborg development. Parcels of land owned by TNPA will be overhauled to provide significant capacity improvements for port operations.

“It is one of the most exciting projects at the port,” says Dana. “A back of port logistics hub will add value to operations taking place at the port while enhancing efficiency of cargo movement in and out. We envisage creation and establishment of cold stores and warehousing, and all logistics associated with movement of cargo in and out of the port, including imported and exported cargo. This is a key revenue diversification project,

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and there are more including hull cleaning and small-scale LNG.” Importantly, no project is given the go ahead without extensive workshopping and consultation.

Any capital spend must yield results at the port at such a vital time – a turning point in the port’s life, moving from the ‘tavern of the seas’ to become a strategic, integrated transport and logistic hub for all of Africa. Even the wind has been the subject of scrutiny from TNPA and Dana explains that partnership is again at the centre of the progress.

“The wind in Cape Town is referred to as the Cape Doctor – it’s quite aggressive,” he smiles. “To better understand this, we have entered into a MoA with the CSIR who have partnered with three academic institutions in the country to provide us with a better predictive model of wind forecasting.

We also asked them to propose to us infrastructure solutions and terminal handling equipment that is more resistant to wind. We also asked them to look at the optimal recovery plan when we are inevitably forced to close because of wind. It’s well-advanced and we are working closely with the partners who are doing groundbreaking work that will bear fruit for us and for the entire port system in South Africa, and probably further afield across the world.”

Weather remains the key challenge at the Port of Cape Town. “We are located in the Cape of Storms and that is not said lightly,” reiterates Dana.

Recent additions to the quayside include hydraulic shore tension units that keep long vessels moored stably in long waves that are prevalent in winter times. This allows for ongoing loading operations, even during challenging conditions. Because of the success

TRANSNET NPA - PORT OF CAPE TOWN

// WE CONTROL ALL OPERATIONS IN AND AROUND THE PORT, AND WE SERVE AS A CHANGE AGENT IN THE INDUSTRY // with the first four units, TNPA has already progressed in the acquisition of a further 16 units for the Port of Cape Town to cover several berths.

CONNECTED ASSETS For cargo that must move on the road, the Port of Cape Town is working closely with the local community to make changes to road infrastructure.

An interim truck staging area has been put in place that is fully operational and helping to control

traffic around the port. Dana is using the opportunity to encourage more trucks to take up night runs through the port, easing the pressure on capacity in regular working hours.

“The port operates 24/7 but the entire value chain does not,” he says.

“We are advocating for available slots at night to be taken by truckers to ensure the smooth flow of trucks while not creating peaks during daytime operation – that is critically important.”

Of course, none of this progress would be made without a dedicated and forward-thinking employee base, which the Port of Cape Town is happy to boast. Shipping, logistics, and marine operations are all people businesses, and this means good people can contribute to ongoing improvement.

“Our human capital is key to everything,” underlines Dana, “and we have placed a lot of emphasis on creating a culture of service excellence

and customer-centricity. We have two common themes that we continue to work on: ‘Our port, our pride’ which is well-accepted by all employees, and ‘every minute counts’ and this is driving and unifying the entire labour force in the port to move to greater heights.”

Unlike most problems, deep infrastructure and investment issues cannot be overhauled at the click of a button. The TNPA strategy must be long-term, and the foundational port structure in South Africa – especially at Cape Town – makes for an opportunityladen issue which is being solved by those who are able to look past the storms and towards a collaborative future that is sustainable.

WWW.TRANSNET.NET

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ECWAMIX CHEMICAL SYSTEMS

Chemical Manufacturer Has the Recipe for Export Expansion PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

In a challenging manufacturing sector, Ecwamix Chemical Systems is flying high off the back of its best year yet, as several successful projects see the company entering new export markets and supporting local clients with innovative new ideas. GM Max Roux tells Enterprise Africa more about the company’s success.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

Max Roux, General Manager

//

South Africa’s vital manufacturing industry was partly dismantled during the Covid-19 crisis with many companies closed and many jobs lost. In fact, in October 2020, one of the worst months for pandemic damage, Stats SA reported that 85,000 jobs had been cut in manufacturing alone.

Combine the impact of the pandemic with inability of Eskom to keep the power on, and interest rate hikes that have anchored business growth, and the landscape is challenging for all business, especially manufacturing.

However, there is always opportunity in challenges. The key is making the right moves and having the right connections to take advantage when chances come up. For Gautengbased chemical manufacturing

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specialist, Ecwamix Chemical Systems, new export markets and new products are opening up channels for growth. The ambitious company is a manufacturer, contract packer, developer, and raw material sourcer, creating defoamers, concentrated surfactant blends, floor coatings, preservative biocides, wax and silicone emulsions, and more.

Building from one single customer as a CC back in 2005, Ecwamix is now a respected 60-employee business that manufactures from a 12,000 m2 Gauteng site. GM Max Roux tells Enterprise Africa that, because of its ability to find new opportunities, 2023 was the best year in the company’s history.

“Business has been exceptional.

We have established a core market in South Africa which we maintain and

look after key clients, big and small.

South Africa is still our key market, but with the expansion we have been focussing on, it has been a very good year. It has taken around 18 months to really show through, but we are very pleased with the results.”

BIG DRIVE IN EXPORT Exports to markets across the continent and in the Middle East have buoyed Ecwamix and taken the multi-million Rand company into a new growth phase, with new premises and recruiting for more staff.

“The export market has been a focus for the past couple of years after we found that the South African market was becoming quite saturated.

We decided to invest many resources into export markets, especially the

ECWAMIX CHEMICAL SYSTEMS

rest of Africa. In the past year, we have also started exporting to the Middle East. The growth has been excellent for the business and we have seen a lot of positivity in the export market, especially in Africa where there is a skills shortage and there is a large demand for products.”

On the continent, Ecwamix has opted for a unique strategy, not simply developing products and selling to distributors. Instead, the company has redesigned the manufacturing process to make everything easier and quicker, and is effectively establishing small manufacturing operations within communities. Capital equipment and raw materials can be provided alongside expertise, and products can be manufactured in-country to assist in cost management.

“We have developed an extensive range of products, where the manufacturing process is a simplified, and we can provide a package for local businesses to set up a manufacturing process,” explains Roux. “In Zimbabwe, for example, where manufacturing capacity is not that strong, we can send all the of the products and related equipment, as well as a person to assist in set up, and they can manufacture locally in the most efficient way possible.

It’s all about simplifying the process around manufacturing household chemicals. It’s a way of us giving back, to a certain extent, to communities where access to products is difficult.”

Dishwashing products, cleaning chemicals, and other general cleaning materials can all be made available to

// SOUTH AFRICA IS STILL OUR KEY MARKET, BUT WITH THE EXPANSION WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSSING ON, IT HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD YEAR // communities, typically in more rural areas, with the support of Ecwamix, while creating opportunities at the same time. It’s a unique model that moves the company beyond a chemical manufacturer to become more of a consultant and partner to small business owners.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

// WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PRODUCTS, WHERE THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS IS A WHOLE LOT SIMPLER, AND WE CAN PROVIDE A PACKAGE FOR LOCAL TEAMS TO SET UP A MANUFACTURING PROCESS // In the contract manufacturing space, Ecwamix has also built a thriving operation mixing and packing innovative products for various industries where experts in required materials do not have the capacity inhouse.

“Metallurgists, for example, might have a product that they want to supply to a mine but they don’t have the capacity to manufacture,” explains Roux. “We can manufacture for them and supply directly to the customer. In that division of the business, we do everything from bulk supply to the mine through to contract packing for other brands.”

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SOURCE OF PRIDE While growth in manufacturing output was ‘lacklustre’ in 2023 compared to 2022, ongoing issues that hamper the sector have ramped up. Electricity, logistics, economic, and political hurdles continue to blight businesses, and this is why Roux is pleased with progress in the export market.

“Our growth there is something we are proud of,” he says. “At international scale, people overlook Africa. Asia is a big market for manufacturing and exporting, and the fact that we are now exporting to the Middle East shows that we can manufacture and export from here in Africa. There are

not many companies doing so thus we are pleased that our decision to invest time and effort into the export market has paid off.”

Future growth will be aided by a push in the remediation category where Ecwamix is developing various solutions for problems including oil spills and mining acid leaks. In the Middle East, where oil is the main commodity, and in Africa where mining remains the backbone of many economies, this range expansion makes perfect sense for Ecwamix considering its capacity and experience.

Continues on page 20

LEADING THE WAY WITH QUALITY & EXPERTISE Explore a range of professional services and products to meet your needs. Ecwamix Chemical Systems collaborates with a network of experts, staying at the forefront of global chemical industry developments. Our goal is to provide customers with topnotch, cost-effective solutions to address complexities faced by South African industrial chemical formulators and manufacturers.

Concentrated Surfactant Blends Anti-foam Defoamers Eco Friendly Surfactants Floor Coatings Silicone Emulsions Wax Emulsions Preservative Biocides Emulsifier Systems 3 Granville Avenue, Lea Glen, Roodepoort, 1709, South Africa

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

other spaces like pit toilets and hygiene.

Especially in Africa, it’s a healthier way of maintaining those facilities in rural areas. That is a great range for which we would like to design a marketing campaign around in2024,” details Roux.

Pit toilets remain commonplace across African countries, with research suggesting that as many as 247 million people on the continent are exposed to the unsanitary conditions that fuel antimicrobial resistance.

Continued from page 18 “Remediation products will be a bigger focus for us in the future; biological remediation of oil spills in mining or petroleum - diesel, petrol, hydrocarbons etc - we have

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developed a range of products for the remediation of those spills. It’s a more environmentally friendly way of cleaning, and it has become a strong focus for us in the past year. It’s all enzyme-based and is directed at the oil and mining space with some going to

CUSTOMER FOCUS IS KEY Right now, the key products for Ecwamix and its clients are defoamers, silicone emulsion, and wax emulsion where the company is one of the largest producers in Africa. Having recently taken over an extra unit on its existing site, bringing total floorspace to a size with which Roux is comfortable for the next three years, the challenge now is to add talent. But

ECWAMIX CHEMICAL SYSTEMS

this is a difficult and lengthy process.

“Our business is often challenging to recruit for,” he says, “because it takes a lot of time and energy and effort from us to get staff up to speed with the manufacturing processes – it is a

// WE HAVE A STRONG FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DESPITE OUR SUCCESS AND GROWTH, WE DO PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN’T OUTGROWN OUR CORE CUSTOMERS //

big investment that is time consuming.

We want to be as efficient as possible but more technical positions mean we have to be very selective and put in a lot of time into training.”

Understanding the multiple inputs that allow the company to thrive makes for a lengthy training and development process, and this is the needed to embed new members into a culture of product and service excellence that has been crafted over the past 18 years.

“We have a strong focus on customer service and despite our success and growth, we do pride ourselves on the fact that we haven’t outgrown our core customers. While some might not be our biggest customers anymore, we still look after them the same way we always have. Customer focus is key, and without that you don’t get far.”

In a troubled manufacturing market, Ecwamix is a shining light that proves what can be done with the right recipe. Where others are cutting, Ecwamix is hiring, while competition slow, Ecwamix is booming in export, while some consolidate, Ecwamix is expanding. The driving force behind all of the company’s success is its ability to see opportunities within challenges – this attribute, says Roux, is something that will never go away.

WWW.ECWAMIX.CO.ZA

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MASKEW MILLER LEARNING

Transformational SA Education

Business to Boom After Brand Overhaul PRODUCTION: Jamie Waters

Maskew Miller Learning is set to grow significantly with a range of new products and services for South African learners. Group Executive: Corporate and Public Sector, Ruth Shogoe tells Enterprise Africa that this very South African company is aiming for very promising results as it begins a new era after a rebrand and restructure.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: EDUCATION

resilience remain, and we want to make a difference in South Africa.”

An economist by training, MBA holder, currently studying at the London School of Economics, and with a background across finance and HR, Shogoe is conscious of the impact of education and understands the heavy impact that the company’s work can have.

“We have been through a lot as a business but we have always been local. Maskew Miller Learning (MML) is a South African organisation, and that is a key advantage for us. We can solve local challenges in the local way.

We sit in the right rooms, in the right forums, and we contribute,” she says.

Ruth Shogoe, Group Executive: Corporate and Public Sector

//

In early 2017, Enterprise Africa spoke to key international educational publisher, Pearson, and its regional division in South Africa to discover more about the amazing work being done to guide learners through life in learning, from early development to higher education and eventual employability and beyond. ThenMD Ebrahim Matthews spoke of the company’s commitment to quality and an ongoing focus on digital learning.

Today, Pearson in South Africa has been through several changes, now recognised as Maskew Miller

Learning, but the dedication to quality remains. In 2022, following Pearson’s consolidation in global markets, Novus Holdings acquired a 75% shareholding in the South African operation, and Maskew Miller Learning was launched. The mandate was clear: deliver trusted, quality educational resources and materials for a brighter future through learning.

“If there is a company to watch in this industry it is Maskew Miller Learning,” smiles Ruth Shogoe Group Executive: Corporate and Public Sector. “The people are here, the desire is here, the expertise and

LEARNING & TEACHING The past four years have been particularly challenging for the company. While it goes about teaching others and inspiring communities around the best way to deliver content to hungry minds, it has been on a learning journey itself. The Covid-19 pandemic combined with uncertainty about the future made for a difficult environment. At the same time, the diverse range of institutions and infrastructure in South Africa makes for a challenge in terms of product, finding the best ways to reach as many possible, in the format they need. On top of all of this, the company had to reassure and reconnect to guarantee clients knew the business would continue following the rebrand.

“The years through Covid were challenging and a lot of people needed support remotely. We did that pretty well, but having to work remotely changes the dynamic and makes things more complicated. Trying to work remotely with global teams was difficult and continuity was a problem – a lot of companies did go through this, and

// WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT A BLENDED APPROACH IS THE FUTURE OF LEARNING AND WE MUST MAKE SURE WE CATER FOR ALL OF OUR USERS // 24 / www.enterprise-africa.net

MASKEW MILLER LEARNING

it did impact culture,” says Shogoe.

“After lockdown, having to restore our work environment and the culture has been tough but we have done very well considering we have just moved from a global to a local organisation.”

When the company reopened its offices, Shogoe was happy, and felt the collaboration and creativity that the company was famed for flow back into the environment.

“We started working on the rebrand and we changed everything – our name, our values, our mission. It was a team approach and was not left to marketing or HR,” she explains. “Everyone participated and it was collaborative and inclusive – and that is great. We workshopped the rebrand and change management processes, and it has been hard, but we have done everything we could as a team. Our people are at the

heart of everything we do and at the forefront of everything we stand for.”

These people - the same people that have been with the company for many years, spreading influence as Pearson and now continuing rollout as MML – are the heart and head of the business. They are local and they are smart – a powerful combination for an educational material organisation.

The company does not regurgitate international texts or copy the gamified online learning of some international players. Instead, MML delivers textbooks and digital materials that help learners to achieve their goals. Thoroughly researched, stringently tested, and effectively delivered, MML focuses on both students and teachers.

“I have never seen so much resilience from an organisation,” admits Shogoe. “Maskew Miller takes

its name from the most trusted and recognised publisher in South Africa, established in 1893. Over the years, the resilience and sustainability of the offerings has always been intact.

There have been changes over the years, but the business is still here and still very strong in terms of quality.

“We have people who have been with the business for over 30 years and they are very effective. We work with very smart people – doctors, professors, thought leaders, subject matter experts – and they contribute so much to their fields. Our creativity is endless and we are here to do everything we can.”

UNDERSTANDING THE BRIEF Right now, there is major pressure on educational institutions and providers to deliver in South Africa. The country is witnessing an emigration problem,

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: EDUCATION

with skilled and talented people moving abroad in seek of better opportunities. It was estimated in 2015 that the country was lacking around 46,000 teachers, and the problem continues today with sub-Saharan Africa highlighted by UNESCO as an area requiring major overhaul to attract and develop more teachers.

In South Africa, the system has been criticised for producing poor results, and so Shogoe sees an opportunity to assist with high-quality material.

“The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) report came out detailing challenges in the foundational learning space. Maskew Miller Learning has always been prepared and we have an offering for readers, in different African languages, which no competitors have ready.

We are able to solve instantly for many challenges that the education

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space is faced with. By rebranding and repurposing our content, we have offerings for mathematics, robotics and many other subjects.

“Alongside curriculum-based printed materials and e-learning content and tools, we also offer teacher training and early childhood learning.

There is a lot that we try to do within the South African educational economy.”

Strongly connected to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and influencers of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), the team at Maskew Miller Learning has entrenched itself in the South African industry and produces in all languages. To further its reach, the company is also the proud driver of the Marang Education Trust, a CSI initiative that aims to improve educational outcomes in underresourced schools. This, says Shogoe,

is another source of competitive advantage for the wider business.

“We support the Trust with pure authentic motive. It is fully-funded by MML and we have employees who go into deep rural areas in SA and enable teachers and learners. They go in for a cycle of around four years and ensure teacher development is well implemented as well as learner support. They are South Africa Council for Educators (SACE)-accredited and well-qualified, often doctoral level, and they are part of MML. We don’t only want to be commercial and make profits. We invest in the communities where no one goes. The trust works closely with the DBE and they report the work of the trust.”

This work is wide ranging and can include courses or workshops around psychological issues and other wellness initiatives, or anything

MASKEW MILLER LEARNING

that is required in the schools that the schools cannot typically afford.

“This is not an afterthought,” reiterates Shogoe, adding that the existence of the trust displays MML’s intentional approach, planning for targeted and desired outcomes throughout the year. A Level 1 BBBEE company, MML is well-positioned to reach learners across South Africa’s entire spectrum from Grade R to Matric and beyond.

“Our motto is ‘better learning, brighter futures’, and our aim is to allow our learners to move forward by providing trusted, quality educational resources and material. We focus on schools, we focus on technical and vocational education, and we focus on higher education – we are truly specialised,” says Shogoe.

BLENDED LEARNING A slight adjustment in strategy since 2017, the company is embracing both digital and traditional reading and learning. Previously, the focus under Pearson was to build strong digital assets but now MML has the digital tools required. However, it understands the local market and therefore takes a blended approach.

“We always speak of the blended approach,” confirms Shogoe. “We have two types of people in this world – those who love print and reading textbooks and those who are digital and can read a book in a day because it’s online. We believe strongly that a blended approach is the future of learning and we must make sure we cater for all of our users. We remain big printers – books, materials, magazines etc. We have to consider that in our rural areas in South Africa there is no connectivity. We would love to go online locally and globally, but the reality is that there are areas where that kind of change is not an option. Even though some areas have achieved some new ways of doing things, they prefer to have the traditional methods as a baseline.”

She adds that, following

the rebrand and the emergence of MML, the time is right to reestablish and reintroduce the company as an industry leader.

“It is for us to put ourselves out there and show that we have the content. We have e-content and digital assets, and we have lots of offerings that South Africa would not typically have been ready for - we have it and now is the time to use it.

A lot of SA schools, within the DBE, are now ready to say: ‘let’s consider, let’s explore’. Our people have been working tirelessly and we are ready to help solve problems in education.”

Going forward, Shogoe is confident. She speaks of several exciting upcoming developments that will help the business to grow, and a purpose-driven mission that will achieve significant societal outcomes.

“Our offering as a group is to solve real socio-economic challenges in society, and education is at the forefront of all of that.

“The work we do is for our readers - students. It could be a lecturer, a professor, a working professional, a school. It could be for businesses who need tailor-made training on specific subjects. When our people are happy and our beneficiaries are happy, we are winning.”

Clearly, the rebrand and the restructure has not impacted ambition and, if anything, has only catalysed MML as part of the beating heart in South Africa’s educational system.

WWW.MML.CO.ZA

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CONCORD RETAIL SOLUTIONS

Resilient Concord Retains

Positive Momentum PRODUCTION: Jamie Waters

Enterprise Africa catches up with leading refrigeration and equipment supplier, Concord Retails Solutions to see how the innovative business has managed to maintain momentum of 2022 in a tough industry. Sales and Marketing Executive, Scott Messenger is proud of what has been achieved and excited about the next steps.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: RETAIL

// WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE 2021 AND AN INCREDIBLE 2022.

HOWEVER, AT THE END OF 2022 THE ENERGY CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY WAS EXACERBATED //

//

In November 2022, one of South Africa’s premier manufacturing businesses was celebrating a strong period, installing SA-made refrigeration units and commercial freezers in supermarkets and retail outlets around the country. Concord Retail Solutions, a division of Southey Holdings, was going from strength to strength and Sales and Marketing Executive, Scott Messenger told Enterprise Africa about rebranding the business from Concord Refrigeration and how the business was expanding, adding to its legacy product portfolio.

Today, Messenger is once again excited, buoyed by solid results, success in tough times, and an exciting new product that will help the company grow into new stores.

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“The rebrand went very well and it was received by the market very nicely,” he tells Enterprise Africa. “We had a great launch at one of the trade shows in Johannesburg – Frigair. We changed all of our branding and rebranded everything from stationary to clothing.

We kept Concord – we did not change that at all. It was important for us to not play around with that because it has been around for over 50 years.”

The name Concord goes back to 1969 when a specialist need was realised for refrigeration products and services in the retail industry. Concord has grown and adapted to become an industry leader with unrivalled skills and enviable manufacturing capabilities. This, says Messenger, has helped the company to thrive even in the toughest of markets.

INCREDIBLE YEARS “We had an incredible 2021 and an incredible 2022. However, at the end of 2022 the energy crisis in the country was exacerbated. It fell off a cliff and loadshedding went from a small issue to major problem. It went from the end of 2022, right through into Feb 2023.

It put a halt on so many of our clients projects. Things came to a grinding stop with everyone focused on solar panels, batteries, and inverters. Unfortunately, our customers cannot operate on solar or batteries only – they need a stronger supply. So, instead of spending on upgrading their stores, they were pivoting to buy generators and diesel.”

Stage 6 load shedding was implemented from 7 December 2022 when 20,000MW of generating capacity was taken offline as a result of power station breakdowns.

Just one standard chiller display cabinet from Concord has electrical components using more than 810w, and stores can have multiple chillers, freezers, cold rooms, water systems, and more. It was a difficult time, and the impact from this continues.

But one big retailer was somewhat prepared and had a strategy in place to invest its way through the challenge.

Shoprite posted sales growth of 16.9% for the financial year ending 2 July 2023, and this allowed for security over the rest of the calendar year and into 2024.

“Many other retailers were slow to react and they stopped spending, and that effected our ability to produce fridges and

CONCORD RETAIL SOLUTIONS

freezers for them,” says Messenger.

“It made a big difference,” he adds.

“By the end of June 2023, we still had an incredible year – the best in our history.

But it would have been 40% higher. We did very well but it felt like we ended on a downer because of what happened across the industry and country.”

While there is no end in sight for loadshedding, many companies – including Concord Retail Solutions – have taken measures to mitigate against the damage it can cause.

Importing highly energy efficient freezers from Portugal, installing units with efficient fans, and even highly reliable LED lighting all makes a difference. At the same time, the company continues its exploration of alternative gases, including CO2, for use in refrigerant equipment.

TECH EXCELLENCE Internally, new machinery and equipment is securing Concord’s position at the cutting edge of its sector. The company installed new Italian-made capital equipment in 2023, and has recently finalised the commissioning of a second piece, both of which will drive efficiency and safety.

“We have invested heavily in machinery. We installed and commissioned a brand-new laser cutting machine last year and we have just finished commissioning Africa’s biggest panel bender, both from Salvagnini. It’s very exciting for anyone in manufacturing and is a beautiful machine. It will enable us to manufacture faster and more accurately, and cheaper,” Messenger Beams.

Behind the fridges, freezers, and

chillers, Concord Retail Solutions is busy with a new innovation for the business that hold major potential for clients. Most traditional units are cooled by water or gas systems, or both. Typically, air is passed through a cooling system and warmth is reduced and then dissipated through exhaust systems. This is not always suitable, and not always efficient. Waterloop technology is a similar system, but uses compact evaporator and compressors.

“We had been trying for about two years to win a contract with this new technology,” explains Messenger.

“The fridge is linked to large water pipes and that pumps water out through a dry cooler and returns colder water. Shoprite wants ‘dual redundancy’ where the store – many of which are in rural areas – has the

Simplifying your logistics with safe, on time deliveries We offer a wide variety of services to and from most destinations in South Africa and are fully geared to assist with all your logistic solutions – transport and warehousing

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031 566 3606/3656

avinash@monsha.co.za

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: RETAIL

// WE DO THINK THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUDGETS WILL HAVE CAUGHT UP AND MOST WILL HAVE INCLUDED THIS IN THEIR PLANS AND SPENDING. BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC // luxury of knowing that if something goes wrong, the machine can switch over automatically, keeping products cold, until a refrigeration contractor can get there to carry out maintenance.”

Waterloop technology has already

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been implemented by many retailers around the world and is preferred because of its smaller footprint, reduced energy consumption, comparatively speedy installation, and lower ongoing maintenance costs. Concord designs and manufactures some components for the system locally, and others in the market import from Poland or Austria. With proven installation teams, experienced on South African projects alongside South African retailers, this is an opportunity that Messenger has been keen to develop.

“We finally got our opportunity and we did our first store in Vryheid,” he says.

“It’s a hot and humid climate and the store is in a new mall. We had not done a waterloop supermarket but it has been a real success. We are so excited as it’s the best performing waterloop store in the country. It has given us

the opportunity to get into that space which is important as it can double turnover, per supermarket, for us.”

FLAGSHIP PROVIDER Going forward, Concord is expecting to grow further, adding to the successes that have been achieved since the reemergence of the market post Covid-19.

Three highly successful years have been attained alongside rebranding and transforming culture internally. It has been tough going, but Concord’s people have driven innovation.

“Now, things are not as bad as they were a year ago but there is still a considerable amount of loadshedding.

That translates into delayed projects and customers spending less in the store and more on generators and diesel. We do think that in the near future, budgets will have caught up

CONCORD RETAIL SOLUTIONS

and most will have included this in their plans and spending. Because of that, we are optimistic,” Messenger relays.

“Pick n Pay, back under the leadership of Sean Summers, will certainly come back to the table with the right person at the helm. That will generate a lot of momentum and that is good for us. It will also stimulate their competitors and they are also our clients – the likes of SPAR and SUPERSPAR. Shoprite Checkers will obviously continue to grow and the space is exciting.”

He says that investment into people is also a catalyst for improvement.

Adding team members and upskilling the existing base has helped the develop a shared mindset around quality and customer-centricity. “We now have some really strong people in the right positions,” he adds.

“It has been a mission changing

the culture of Concord Refrigeration from a family-run business years ago to become part of a corporate as Concord Retail Solutions. It has taken a long time for a lot of the employees to accept as we have moved into the corporate space. The team we have now is a very strong and dynamic.”

Importantly, customers – and customer’s customers – remain delighted with the work of the company. Concord Retail Solutions continues to provide products and services that others simply cannot.

And the reach of the business goes further than others can imagine. In 2022, Messenger was busy finalising an installation at a Checkers site. This, he says, is the perfect example of the work the company can do – world class.

“We worked on that flagship store in Cape Town and that was successful.

We have since worked on two more

flagship stores. I have worked in the UK and travelled around through many countries, and I am confident saying that these Checkers supermarkets are, arguably, the best looking supermarkets in the world, and we are proud to have been a part of that.”

Being chosen as a key partner in these projects that elevate and pioneer across the retail space is what keeps Concord humming along nicely.

While there are others in the market, and while the competition is strong, Concord has built its reputation around superior, robust design meeting service excellence, and this is exactly what South Africa’s retailers need.

CONCORDREFRIGERATION.CO.ZA

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AFRICREST PROPERTIES

Relentless Tenant Focus Fuels Africrest Triumph PRODUCTION: James Davey

Continued success for award-winning Africrest Properties sees the company - famed for converting plain office buildings into outstanding residential rental apartments - plan for further great developments that will delight residents. Director Grant Friedman talks to Enterprise Africa about delivering a hands-on approach to property development and management.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

//

At the end of 2021, Africrest Properties Director, Grant Friedman outlined unmistakeably that tenants are at the core of the business. “Our success comes because we offer such incredible value for money,” he said.

Realising the potential in the residential multi-family housing market (multi-family housing is an asset class where by one institutional landlord owns and manages the entire property) after shifting from the commercial space, the company has boomed thanks to a strategy of converting office space to modern,

high-quality, affordable apartments.

At the end of 2022, the journey continued as Africrest completed the Atlas – its third major development in Sunninghill, Gauteng –, and The Alpha and Apollo remained fully let. “We offer a unique product that appeals to tenants,” he said.

Now, the company is recognised as an industry leader because it does what others cannot or dare not, growing sustainably and only developing where it makes sense.

The tenant always remains the beating heart of the organisation and this is why every decision that

// THE WAY AFRICREST TRIES TO DO BUSINESS IS TO PROVIDE RESORT-STYLE LIVING AT AFFORDABLE PRICING FOR OUR TENANTS // 36 / www.enterprise-africa.net

is made is taken with liveability for the tenant as a key consideration.

“The difference between us and other developers is that they develop to sell. They will develop 50 apartments and sell them off to individual buyers – job done; the developer moves on. At Africrest, we don’t sell our apartments off, we only rent them,” Friedman tells Enterprise Africa. “That creates a different incentive as we have to ensure tenants are happy for years to come. Our apartments have to be exceptionally liveable, and we have to update continuously with what tenants like. If we didn’t do that, our tenants would leave, and very quickly the estate would be vacant. The same goes for our amenities – I don’ think there is a company in South Africa that has the same amenities as us. We know our competitors and we know

AFRICREST PROPERTIES

what challenges they face. It is very difficult for a sectional title developer to put a lot of money into common area facilities. Buyers are not buying the amenities, they are focused on the apartment. Our tenants are renting the apartment and the amenities. That is why we build beautiful swimming pools and fully-kitted out gyms so that people can cancel their gym membership etc. We have free community events such as movies under the stars, group gym classes, sip and paint events, ultimately our estates create communities and an amazing lifestyle.”

EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG Concentrated on the business districts within Johannesburg, Africrest continues to grow during a long period of higher interest rates. The higher rates

have resulted in more people looking to rent, holding off on purchasing a home. Due to this, demand for multifamily residential rental apartments continues to outstrip supply.

“The rental market has been exceptionally strong and we have seen real rental growth. Our occupancy levels are above 95% and our bad debts are below 0.5% - essentially negligible,” says Friedman.

“The way Africrest tries to do business is to provide resort-style living at affordable pricing for our tenants,” he adds. “That means brilliant workfrom-home facilities (that could rival a WeWork), movie theatres, braai areas, yoga rooms, swimming pools and more.”

The obsession with tenant satisfaction comes from a culture that has been embedded throughout the

company. Africrest employs more than 100 people and each one is instilled with the mantra that tenant happiness tops the list of priorities.

Whether it’s the on-site maintenance team who is repairing a broken cable, or the on-site management team resolving a billing query, everyone understands that the job is about providing the best possible service.

“We have often stayed in the apartments ourselves for a few days to see what needs to be improved. We also love to ask our tenants directly what they like and what can be improved.

We run surveys throughout the year and we ask very direct questions. Given our scale we get excellent feedback,” explains Friedman, adding that Africrest is confident that a handson approach to asset management

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

and tenant satisfaction is the way to secure tenants for the long-term.

“We recently ran a survey about ovens in apartments. All of our apartments come with an oven but our tenants are typically younger, between 28 and 35. Are they using an oven? Or would they be happy with a stove and a microwave? We asked the question considering that rent could be cheaper without the oven, and the response was very interesting. We want to know about each individual element in the apartment. We build an in-depth profile of our tenant’s likes and requirements.”

POWER PROBLEM Of course, the past 12 months have not been challenge-free for Africrest.

Like most businesses, the micro and macro-economic climate has created a difficult environment for business because the ability for consumers to spend money has been eroded. But Freidman is optimistic. The major problem for the company is widely faced in South Africa and, as such, there is a market in place to mitigate.

“Loadshedding puts additional pressure and cost on property management as you must buy diesel

to run generators to power properties,” he says. “The silver lining is that our estates continue to supply power to the common areas of the properties 24/7. This encourages people to come together to charge their devices and this further helps to create a community.”

He says that the installation of back up generators across the company’s entire portfolio was an expensive burden. “It’s easy to say sorry, blame it on the government, and remove those services, but that is not what Africrest is about. The commitment to tenant happiness again outweighs the expense.

De Mesquita, Twilley and Associates CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES Call 0116097773 joe@demt.co.za

38 / www.enterprise-africa.net

AFRICREST PROPERTIES

Currently, Africrest is installing solar PV generating capacity atop the entire portfolio. “We want to greenify our properties but it comes at a large cost,” says Friedman, suggesting over R30 million to cover every square meter of rooftop as well as car ports and other spaces.

QUALITY, CONVENIENCE Africrest is not a listed property fund and therefore has no requirement to grow for the sake of growth. There is no need for satisfying third party shareholder returns and there is not a defined growth target for each quarter.

This, say Friedman, allows for true commitment to tenant happiness.

“We only look for great assets to grow our portfolio. We want to carry

on building a great business, but we only grow when the opportunities are right. We only engage around a new project if it’s a great project.

“Our tenants are really happy,” he adds. “Eight out of ten of our tenants would recommend us to a friend. For a landlord, we think that is phenomenal.

We treat our tenants like gold – we are here for them, and that filters all the way through the business.”

Africrest has developed and owns just over 3,500 apartments and around 3,500 more are currently in development. With a new project in the heart of the Sandton CBD underway right now. 450 new apartments will be made available in ‘Africa’s richest square mile’ and this exciting new development will further entrench

Africrest as an industry leader.

“We are excited about our pipeline at the moment,” Friedman beams. “We have more than 3,500 apartments in the pipeline. Those are all in and around Johannesburg and our investment methodology is to invest and develop these residential estates so that they are within or very close to business districts. They need to be within a 10-minute drive from a major business district – that is unheard of in somewhere like London or New York.”

AWARD WINNING A demonstration of the excellence in the Africrest product, backing up the commitment to service quality, the company claimed the International Property Awards ‘Best Residential

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

Renovation’ prize for 2022-23 for The Apollo in Sunninghill. Each apartment is loaded with quality amenities including designer kitchens, free high-speed fibre, quality appliances, modern bathrooms, and on site basement parking and much more, the Apollo is a flagship development for Africrest.

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“It was the scale of the development at almost 700 units alongside the resort-style living and incredible amenities that impressed the judges,” says Friedman. “We create facilities that were not just tick boxes to place on a marketing pamphlet.

Sometimes you go online to book a

hotel and you see there is a gym or a business centre and it ends up being just a tick box. You arrive on site and the gym has a single treadmill and basic weights machine. We create facilities that people look forward to using, as they are incredible.”

At the Apollo, amenities were not an added extra but designed as part of the fabric of the building, aimed at enhancing the life of its residents and elevating the offering from the former-PwC office building.

“We ignored the tick boxes and tried to create facilities that are mindblowing, especially in the middleincome housing sector. The swimming pool is amazing, right on the corner where the street intersects. It changed the whole look and people drive past thinking it’s a high-end hotel.”

Since the Apollo, the expansion of The Landmark project and The Atlas project have added units to the portfolio, bringing more options

AFRICREST PROPERTIES

for affordable luxury in Gauteng.

In Ferndale, The Landmark was first completed in 2018. Africrest owned an adjacent piece of land which has now been developed to a world-class standard. “We decided to develop a seven-story building on the land. We have just completed the development and demand has been overwhelming,” says Friedman.

At the time of initial development, Africrest converted mainly apartments with minimal common areas. Since then, the company has become known for its amenities and this new building allowed for the development of a gym, pool, business centre, and more to serve those living in the original development as well as the new building.

The Atlas, according to Friedman, is the perfect example of Africrest’s work - in the Sunninghill node, high quality and very liveable spaces, at scale.

“That was a conversion of 10 buildings in an office park,” he says.

“At the centre of the development was a big car park. We never needed so much parking, so we removed the entire lot and created an enormous garden with a brilliant swimming pool.”

During South Africa’s famous 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, Africrest put up a large screen in this area and projected every match for tenants.

“Everyone came to watch and we had hundreds of people coming out to see the final - other developers simply can’t offer this. Because we manage the estate, we have the resources and knowledge to do this. It was only bars, restaurants, and sports clubs that had a set up like this, but we managed to offer the same vibe and it was fantastic.”

Purchasing properties with great potential and converting them to resort-style living of the highest quality will remain the mission for Africrest, and more like The Atlas will come soon.

“Going forward, we want to do more of the same but better. Across

all of our estates that are in planning or development, we want to make them better than the last. There are no big changes happening, but there are hundreds of tiny changes.

Those small changes that we invest in on a continuous basis is what creates an extra-ordinary product.

“We have an exceptionally high occupancy rate, and we are doing so well because we are focused.

All we spend our time on is how we can provide the best rental experience for tenants and how we can develop beautiful estates that are great to live in.”

WWW.AFRICREST.CO.ZA

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CENTURY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

Big Horizons in Sight PRODUCTION: Jamie Waters

Century Property Developments is leaving a meaningful, sustainable mark on Gauteng, creating amazing residential and commercial spaces that move people forward. Providing locations for families and businesses to thrive in an area with historic challenges is a real challenge, but this is a business with all the right experience to deliver change.

42 / www.enterprise-africa.net

Waterfall Estates

INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

approach, buying up swathes of land and developing entirely new neighbourhoods. Waterfall City, Modderfontein, Sunninghill, Melrose, and others have all benefited in a big way from investment. Businesses have set up new offices, international organisations have established an African presence, and the perceived safety and exclusivity of being close, but not too close, to the old CBD has added to the area’s appeal.

//

In its prime, Johannesburg CBD was the economic heartbeat of the nation, and arguably the continent.

Staggering wealth, unrivalled skills, and unrelenting ambition called the towers of Jozi home. A dense collection of skyscrapers command the skyline and Johannesburg is still recognised internationally for its historic contribution to global industry and cultural heritage. But parts of the city itself are dilapidated.

Heritage buildings have been left to decay. And infrastructure has been underinvested. While it remains a vibrant and important global centre, with enviable architecture, the business community is increasingly looking north for places to call home.

The suburbs between Johannesburg and Pretoria have received major investment over the past three decades and while Johannesburg is the known name, much of Gauteng’s – and South Africa’s - vital business is

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done in Midrand, Rosebank, Sandton, Centurion and other growing nodes outside of the traditional CBDs. Well-connected by road, in wide open spaces, and with booming industry in every direction, there is no question of economic activity in the region. Shiny glass facades adorn the HQs of global financial services companies in Sandton, and powerful sports cars sit on forecourts waiting for new owners. There’s money and there’s opportunity.

But it hasn’t always been this way. Rosebank, Bedfordview, Sandton and others previously begged the Johannesburg City Council to be included in municipal structures and while the council was unsure based on its budget, agreements were made.

Residential developments quickly bought new life to the northern suburbs and companies followed.

The ongoing development of the region is impressive. Property developers often take a nodal

RIVERSANDS In Riversands, to the west of Midrand, Century Property Development is doing great things to urbanise, uplift, and beautify.

The company, founded in 1975 as a developer of shopping centres, has broadened its scope and is now well-recognised for commercial and residential developments. The strength of Century comes through its people – South African property experts. The value, design, and proven return-oninvestment has driven the Century brand, and the standard of completed projects has delighted clients whether home buyers or businesses.

Century’s portfolio is impressive.

Work in Waterfall City has demonstrated the capital flight and urban blight of the CBD as major organisations have relocated to the once-farmland site in droves. The company boasts the 140-hectare Waterfall Equestrian Estate, the Waterfall Country Estate, the 198-retirment home Waterfall Hills Mature Lifestyle Community, the 24-hectrare Waterfall Valley, the 43-hectare Carlswald Lifestyle Estate in Midrand, the 192 Hilltop Loft Apartments in Carlswald, and many more.

“In each of our projects, we have provided investors with a valuable asset of enduring quality and integrity,” the company states.

“Our campaigns are centred on family values, as wholesome Continues on page 46

Collaboration Etched into R&L Nature

Creating sustainable award winning architecture from a vibrant environment since 1964

60 years old and targeting new industry sectors, R&L Architects is looking to create and inspire across SA landscape alongside its key partners. Proven in multiple industry sectors, this is a business generating architectural magic for clients.

In the heart of the Riversands area, Gauteng, between Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Riversands business district is emerging form the ground thanks to Century Property Developments. R&L Architects has been appointed as lead principal on two such developments.

Covering a large swathe of land, the Riversands area is a secure complex that can cater for a range of projects.

Recognised as a modern home for businesses in the region, Riversands is attracting the country’s biggest and best. Perfectly positioned between Waterfall City, Steyn City, Midrand, and Centurion, setting up in Riversands is an investment in the future. To date, the outstanding achievement on the site is the Massmart Distribution Centre which dominates with more than 70,000 m2 under roof.

“We looked at South African colloquial art forms and understood as well as generated the philosophical connection and the history of that. It’s about resilience, it’s about being bold, and we paired that with our buildings and even the companies we represent,” explains Stephen Atkinson, Director at R&L Architects. “They must have a level of industrial resilience and boldness. We liked the union of that, and we put that together in the way a corporate identity is put together – the simpler the better; it’s more striking and noticeable. Everyone likes simple, clean, and modern – we applied this to the cladding of the building. People who drive past that Massmart DC most often comment on how striking it is. The flying wings of colour makes you look and think that it’s not just a white box – it’s something with a little bit of inspiration and it’s a little more comfortable in how it sits in the landscape.”

Century Property trusted R&L to deliver based on the company’s sterling reputation. For 60 years, the reliable architectural practice has been carving a niche in the industrial, retail, and commercial space. Atkinson describes the company’s

CONNECT WITH US

core as full of ‘architectural magic’. More than 50 people work hand-in-hand with clients – developers and blue-chip organisations – to deliver that magic on brief and on budget.

“Our main vibe is to try and create everyday architectural magic for everyday people,” says Atkinson. This, he adds, was achieved at Riversands with Massmart. “A warehouse can be unimaginative. You could rubber stamp them across the map and the landscape would suffer for it. The mental take-in for anyone who drives to work down a road like that all day will be diminished.”

Bright bursts of yellow, shadowed by two-tone grey and snaps of blue, all angled across the sloping environment make for something fresh and different for the eyes of any passers-by.

And the future is equally bright for R&L Architects. The team behind the only South African-designed stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and with a resumé across industrial, tier one retailer, schools, retail stores, healthcare, and shopping centres, collaboration will be the base of their future growth strategy.

“We are constantly partnering with a number of companies” reveals Atkinson. “Often, people who are experts on the development side, who can get the finance and planning right, will approach us to form new partnerships. This allows us to get into a variety of typologies like residential, hospitality, pharmaceutical spaces and much more.”

“We feel it’s the right time to spread our wings and show off our architectural expression,” he smiles. “We want to build on our strong core and add that more artistic, more creative approach.

That is why I am excited about the coming few years.”

Whether partnering with leading property developers or mutual clients, R&L Architects has the experience, brand, and skills to conjure up magic.

021 465 9702 / connect@rlarchitects.co.za

INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

Continued from page 44 living sets the tone for Century Property Developments’ uniquely South African lifestyle estates.”

In the commercial space, Riversands is a headline for Century.

Spacious modern offices are perfectly located for access to Johannesburg, Pretoria, and surrounding towns as well as airports and highways that connect to Durban and the rest of South Africa.

“Riversands Outlet Park offers premium office, showroom,

Riversands Overview

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warehouse, and light industrial spaces to clients looking to make an iconic brand statement and find the ideal home for your business.

Located in Riversands Commercial Park, Fourways, Gauteng, these premises tick all the boxes in terms of accessibility, visibility, technology and security,” the company says.

REDEFINING MIXED-USE This is welcomed by major clients, including Massmart, who set up a Distribution Centre in Riversands

to serve the entire Gauteng region.

Wallmart brand Makro is also an anchor tenant in the area, a 240-hectare site developed in phases.

“Over 30% of Massmart stores are based in Gauteng so this facility will give us the opportunity to deliver fast moving products to these stores at greater speed, thanks to the use of full pallets, with no need for re-packing inside the facility,” said Jonathan Molapo, Chief Operating Officer at Massmart.

Century has no doubt about the significance of Riversands from a commercial perspective: “A development that is already redefining mixed-use neighbourhoods in southern Africa.

“Riversands has been identified as a focus area for strategic investments and will be used as a catalyst for the further economic and social development in the north.

“The development is set to become the preferred commercial address in northern Johannesburg with innovations like the Riversands Incubation Hub gaining the

CENTURY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

Waterfall Estates

development much attention and praise,” the company says.

Century has deployed its full skillset at Riversands. Not only creating the Outlet Park and impressive commercial spaces, but also in the residential market, ensuring the business community has space for employees to live and play.

The Parks is the new home in the area for those seeking safe, secure, and value for money. 1960 bachelor, one, two and three-bed apartments close to Steyn City and beyond, this is a lifestyle location that is far beyond what is available in traditional centres.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTS Critically, the Incubation Hub at Riversands is up and running and boasts a 40,000 m2 campus for businesses and entrepreneurs to develop and grow.

Century is a founding partner and co-funder of the organisation which

began as an NPO in 2015. Providing a range of services to enable local organisations, and businesses from across South Africa, the Hub is already supporting a range of different business on their journey from inception to scale, creating employment that lasts.

This is how Century goes beyond to make a difference. While Johannesburg CBD will always be packed, the new suburbs that the private sector is building will allow for business incubation, safety, charitable work, and – ultimately – sustainability.

“Century Property Developments has set aside 60 hectares of valuable land in Riversands, where seeds indigenous to Southern Africa are propagated and planted out as seedlings, and then replanted to Century’s various developments. Last year, the Century nursery has cultivated over 400,000 indigenous plants and trees. This is in addition to the more than

one million indigenous trees already propagated and planted in its current developments. This nursery employs 30 people who are responsible for the propagation of some 50,000 trees and plants a month,” the company says.

As more and more land is opened up in Gauteng, and as more and more people look to the region for a ‘live, work, play’ existence, Riversands and others have become to go-to. Century Property Developments is leading the way in developing sustainably, and the connectedness and quality of construction means that, hopefully, there will be no long-term flight and the northern suburbs will continue to grow for many decades to come.

WWW.CENTURY.CO.ZA

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BROLL

Always Opening

New Doors PRODUCTION: James Davey

Broll Property Group has long been turning opportunity into real achievement, developing a mindset that through every interaction and every small contact, there is the chance to do things better. This has grown in the business into a clear industry leader, and much opportunity remains, across the continent, for this expert organisation.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

//

It has long been said that those in business who can see opportunities through challenges - those that have clear vision, not stifled by short-termism – are those that are the true drivers of change. In Africa, where the challenges are easy to identify but the solutions less so, it is a paradox for true entrepreneurs – loaded with heavy anchors for slow, cumbersome

// THE GROWING POPULATION MEANS A GREATER NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES IN EDUCATION, HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE // 50 / www.enterprise-africa.net

businesses, but rife with opportunity for those nimble and ambitious companies.

As the population swells, private companies and governments are looking at options in their countries to ensure the property demands are met with supply. Obviously residential is a concern and many are underway with aggressive new build campaigns.

But in the commercial and industrial space, where businesses are positioned - creating employment and economic development - the environment is driven by the private sector.

By 2050, 2.6 billion people will call Africa home, and where they work will matter. Agriculture and industry remain the key sectors in Africa’s job market, but employment in these sectors is slowly shrinking. Digitisation and technology adoption are paving the way for significant growth in tertiary

economic systems, and this will come with a different demand on property.

No one knows this more than Broll, the continents leading property group.

Founded in 1975 as a property services business, the company has grown significantly to become a turnkey provider in the property industry.

From administration, leasing, rental collection, facilities management, planning and design, through to greenifying and future proofing, this is a business that bleeds bricks and mortar.

RESILIENCE In 2020, then-Broll MD Investor Services, now-COO Property Management, Nkuli Bogopa told Enterprise Africa that the company was becoming more resilient as it dealt with the challenges of lacking investor confidence and economic slowdowns

BROLL

in South and Southern Africa.

“Tough times require one to become more resilient, and resilience is something we drill into our teams and the management of the organisation. You have to be tougher than the circumstances you find yourself in,” she said.

In 2022, COO: Africa, Jess Cleland told Enterprise Africa that the opportunities in the market are endless and that capitalising on prospects sometimes only takes looking at the problem with a different mindset.

“There are so many opportunities out there,” she said. “One has to shift away from this idea that investment property is only retail, office, industrial, and residential assets. Now, especially in Africa, real opportunities lie in segments of the market where there is the greatest socio-economic need – property that meets a social need – services that a

government would normally provide but where they might not have been able to keep up with demand. I’m talking about things like healthcare, education, infrastructure, affordable housing, student accommodation, data centres – those segments of the market, because of the pure supply versus demand, are where we will see real growth in the next 10 years.”

In 2024, business hurdles remain, economic challenges are here to stay, and it is easy to look on with peril rather than optimism. But Broll Group CEO Malcolm Horne is a glass half full character – an example to follow for many in the industry.

Taking up the role at the helm in 2003, Horne has always seen open doors where others see locks.

While he admits that some issues are unwelcome, his leadership filters through 15 sub-Saharan African countries and 2000 employees, and

the result is a positive mindset that contributes to a problem-solving culture that clients invest in.

“The growing population means a greater number of opportunities in education, housing and healthcare.

I am surprised by the number of Nigerian and Ghanaian families who choose to educate their children in the United Kingdom and United States.

With this becoming increasingly unaffordable, there is a real opportunity for private education providers across the continent,” he says.

STRONG PORTFOLIO Broll is active in education, providing integrated facilities management to a number of educational facilities across the continent. Here, the private sector is important as significant investment is required to get property out of the ground. When a site is up and running and Broll steps in to manage and

Malcolm Horne, Group CEO

www.enterprise-africa.net / 51

INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

// IT’S ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE HURDLES, LEARNING FROM THEM, AND EMERGING STRONGER THAN BEFORE // maintain, government can provide support in service delivery but the building itself will typically remain in investor hands. This is an opportunity for attraction of new investment on the continent. The supply and demand facts are undeniable. Educational buildings are required – across most markets – and Broll is well-positioned to support. Whether it’s learning centres, accommodation, or research facilities, education is not only

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central to commercial development but also in societal advancement.

Here, Horne is also looking for opportunities amidst challenges.

“Given the economic challenges being faced in Nigeria and South Africa, in particular, both are seeing a substantial increase in the loss of talented and highly educated professionals to Europe, Canada and the United States. This leaves fewer skilled people to fill roles as well as lower tax revenue for governments,” he says.

For the property market, this is a challenge. Good businesses need great people to lead the way and human capital flight is damaging.

At Broll, comprehensive learnership programs and apprenticeships are in place to help nurture and secure talent. That talent can eventually go on to support clients as they navigate their own journey creating an

environment where people can thrive.

“We understand the importance of investing in the next generation,” he adds, “which is why we offer internships and mentorship programs for young talent. These initiatives not only provide valuable experience and skills development but also pave the way for future leaders in the industry.

“Both the inward and outward creation of opportunity feeds back into the world in which we all live and work. A better world for Broll to operate in, and a better world for our friends and family to live in. Everyone wins.”

In South Africa, Broll’s home – where its HQ stands in Sandton – the ongoing problem of power supply leaves limited options for a property manager. While the company can help clients to invest in back up power and alternative options, or advise on mitigation against the loadshedding

BROLL

schedule, if the lights go out Broll cannot switch them back on.

“Currently, the biggest challenge to this opportunity in South Africa, for example, is the country’s unreliable electricity supply,” says Horne.

However, Broll’s experience and deep understanding of the markets that it operates in – especially South Africa – means that it can offer up micro analysis of small details to help customers do the best possible in tough conditions.

“Our Energy, Water & Sustainability (EWS) service line is well positioned to assist clients in improving the overall productivity of their built environments, from minimising energy spending and reducing operating costs; to creating automated processes to ensure correct billing and recharging of accounts (smart metering); and coming up with mitigation strategies

to reduce the risks associated with energy scarcity and optimise asset maintenance via proactive data, amongst other,” the company states.

OPPORTUNITY ABOUND While many consider if the challenge is worth the reward, Broll continues to deliver for clients, taking the built environment – a simple real estate number – and nurturing it to become something useful and proactive for businesses. Without the input of this expert service provider, many would face costs on a much higher scale. It’s tough, but it’s critical. An investment in Broll’s vision is a signal that you support sustainability.

“We understand that setbacks are not roadblocks but opportunities for growth. When we face adversity, we do so with grace

and unwavering determination. It’s about acknowledging the hurdles, learning from them, and emerging stronger than before,” says Horne.

“I believe in the transformative power of opportunity. But not as a selfish endeavour - it’s not just about seizing it for ourselves, but about extending a hand to others and ensuring that everyone has a chance to thrive.”

Horne continues the message from Bogopa and Cleland, and reinforces a consistent message. There is always opportunity in real estate, and there is always major potential in Africa – it just takes intentional ambition and willingness to see it.

WWW.BROLL.COM

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SKA OBSERVATORY

Growing Momentum Around SKAO Boosted by First Images PRODUCTION: Sam Hendricks

The most advanced scientific research tool in history continues to be rolled out across South Africa’s Northern Cape as construction of the telescope infrastructure, part of the SKAO, commences. Many milestones have been reached on this global mega project, and South Africa is a major beneficiary of the bold and exciting developments that are happening to further enhance our understanding of the universe.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SCIENCE

//

In December 2022, the famed science and technology project – the SKA Observatory – hit one of the most significant milestones to date after project ideation in 1993. After decades of planning, negotiation, design, and testing, construction finally got underway in South Africa and Australia. When complete, the project will realise the Square Kilometre Array Observatory – the world’s largest and leading radio telescope.

Delving into the depths of the universe, expanding human understanding of the cosmos, and helping to pioneer questions that are yet to be asked, this is an instrument that goes beyond innovation and is in fact a revolution; a marvel of engineering, and a technological

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triumph on a scale not seen before.

A truly global collaboration, the project is made up of scientific communities from around the world. Headquartered in the UK but with significant involvement from multiple nations, the SKA Observatory announcing start of construction is particularly meaningful for South Africa because of the size of investment required to bring the project to life.

Significant infrastructure is required around the telescope sites, and more than 40 contracts totalling €450 million had been signed by December 2022. Importantly, these contracts will require skills development and engagement in the local communities.

“The official start of on-site construction of the SKAO telescopes is a fantastic opportunity to

celebrate excellence and multilateral collaboration in science and acknowledge the SKAO’s strong bonds with its partner nations,” said formerMinister of Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande. “Moreover, this important milestone heralds a new chapter of direct relationships between SKA Observatory and the local communities around the telescope sites, in particular building on years of work in community engagement by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory.

The South African government welcomes the opportunities that will flow into the country, due to the construction activities of the SKA.” Eventually, two different telescopes will make up the larger array, capable of detecting extremely weak radio emissions from faraway extraterrestrial civilisations – if they exist. Together, the network will be a giant ear that listens to the universe. Across South Africa’s Northern Cape, thousands of antenna will be constructed in a carefully planned system, connected to powerful computer systems to analyse gigantic volumes of data. In Australia, similar but different antenna will be put in place and connected to the South African array to create a significant network of instrumentation and knowledge.

Proof of what is possible is already available. In South Africa, the MeerKAT array of 64 telescopes was completed a precursor project in 2018. In February 2023, the MeerKAT discovered a distant galaxy with some of the largest hydrogen atoms in the universe.

This discovery drove excitement around what the SKA will eventually achieve. Just a month previously, the team behind the MeerKAT had been lauded by the Royal Astronomical Society, claiming the Group Achievement Award for the year.

SKAO Director General, Professor Philip Diamond said: “At MeerKAT’s launch, I told guests that the telescope would ‘certainly make history’. It did Continues on page 58

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SCIENCE

Continued from page 56 not take long to be proven right as the prestigious Royal Astronomical Society award confirms.”

Now that full construction is underway, progress has been swift with flagship announcements coming thick and fast.

FIRST DISH In December 2023, capping off an exciting year for the project, the first SKA-Mid telescope production dish was assembled in China. One of four initial dishes that will stand tall above South Africa’s Karoo region, the final unit is made up of 66 panels, weighs more than 50 tonnes, and stands at over 36m tall.

Chinese company CETC54 lifted the dish onto its pedestal in Shijiazhuang, ready for testing before dismantling and shipping to South Africa.

“Assembling the first SKA-Mid dish is the culmination of years of

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design work and the contribution of many people and partners around the world,” said SKA-Mid Senior Project Manager, Ben Lewis. “We’ve seen prototypes constructed in recent years and that’s been exciting, but this is the first component of the actual SKA-Mid telescope, and seeing it take shape is very special for everyone involved.”

SKA-Low antennas to be housed on the ground in Australia are manufactured in Italy, and many have reached site and are set to be installed on the first six stations.

SKAO Deputy Director General, Programme Director Joseph McMullin summed up a feeling of positivity with so much progress under belts.

“2023 was a transition year for us, going from understanding the instrument and knowing how to build it to actually building it. We have deployed prototype systems in Australia and South Africa, and both are yielding data that we are taking and feeding back into the process,” he said.

For South Africa, the project ramp

up brings a buzz to the usually desolate Karoo region and its inhabitants. “There has been considerable progress in terms of activities happening,” said SKA-Mid Site Construction Director, Tracey Cheetham. “We are looking at construction of new roads, new fibre and electrical reticulation networks, and antenna foundations to get ready for installation of the dishes on site.”

GLOBAL GROWTH While activity on the ground moves ahead at pace, high-level structures continue to be adapted to ensure ongoing support for the project. In January 2024, India announced its intention to become a full member of the SKAO, committing funding for the next seven years of the project.

India has been a partner for many years, contributing heavily to software design and other aspects of the project.

“India’s scientific ambitions are clear to see, particularly in the development of the world-class upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio

SKA OBSERVATORY

Telescope (uGMRT) and recent successful space missions. I’m very pleased that the SKAO is a priority for the Indian government and that the journey towards full membership is now formally under way,” said Diamond.

India would join other full members who have signed the SKA Observatory Convention including Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, Spain (joined in 2023), Switzerland, and the UK. Other prospective members including Canada, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, and Sweden.

FIRST LIGHT IMAGE Also in January 2024, some of the historic work done on site was rewarded, bringing a sense of fulfilment to all involved when the SKA-Mid telescope achieved first light. The single dish that stands in the Karoo, known as SKAMPI, is a prototype for the larger SKA-Mid project that will see 197 interconnected dishes scan the skies. Funded by Germany’s Max Planck Society, SKAMPI captured the first light image of the Southern Sky at 2.5 GHz wavelength, proving that the technology works.

SKAO Head of System Science, Dr Robert Laing said: “Tests of the SKAMPI prototype have already provided invaluable measurements of key performance parameters. These have been used to refine the design of the

// ASSEMBLING THE FIRST SKA-MID DISH IS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF DESIGN WORK AND THE CONTRIBUTION OF MANY PEOPLE AND PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD //

SKA-Mid dishes to ensure that they meet our demanding requirements for pointing and surface accuracy.”

SKAMPI will continue to produce scientific outcomes before joining the larger array in the future. Proposals are being discussed for the next significant usage with the German and South Africa scientific communities setting out plans.

The tests carried out and the images captured will help to define various settings for the larger instrument.

Showing radio emissions of the Milky Way and external galaxies such as Centaurus A, SKAMPI’s detection of the Vela Pulsar – a radio, optical, X-rayand gamma-emitting pulsar associated with the Vela Supernova Remnant - excited Hans-Rainer Klöckner from The Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy who said: “We have performed first-light observations with SKAMPI in the S-band at frequencies between 1.75 and 3.5 GHz, demonstrating the telescope’s spectral and pulsar capabilities with imaging of

the radio emission of the Southern Sky.” Clearly, the enthusiasm within all spheres of the organisation is not unfounded. This project of three decades is starting to yield tangible results and that should serve to only attract more interest and more funding from around the world. With South Africa at its heart, and expected to roll on for another three decades at least, there is so much more to come.

The scientific mission to research the formation of the very first stars and galaxies, solving complex astrophysics questions, edges closer to a quantifiable quest with each milestone. South Africa is committed and has the skill to deliver.

As more progress is praised, the country’s budding scientific minds recognise that there is no better place to be when it comes to global mega projects.

WWW.SKAO.INT

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EXXARO

Transitioning and Decarbonising with

Long-Term Sustainability the Goal PRODUCTION: Jamie Waters

Exxaro continues to look forward with ambition as new opportunities for growth open up in renewable, alternative energy. Already a powerhouse in coal, this integrated organisation is positioning itself as a front runner in the energy transition, trying hard to shake the reputation of industrial scale emitter.

Several projects are underway that will help the miner to embrace a cleaner future.

//

At Exxaro, the South African mining powerhouse, an identity shift is underway.

As longstanding CEO Mxolisi Mgojo handed the reins to Dr Nombasa Tsengwa in 2022, there has been a notable change in rhetoric from the business that has always had a deep focus on coal.

Of course, this won’t change entirely anytime soon, and Mgojo’s retirement was not the spark that started the change,

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but 2023 saw more commitment to an alternative way forward.

However, today, the company’s operations are across coal, iron ore and ferrous, and zinc. Major coal mines exist in Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

The Grootegeluk, Leeuwpan, and Belfast mines are major suppliers to domestic and export markets, and JV’s at Mafube and Matla are also critical for the markets they serve.

A Ferroalloys Ferrosilicon Plant in Gauteng processes materials for

domestic and export, and Exxaro also owns a stake in Sishen Iron Ore Company and Black Mountain Mining, which it is looking to divest from.

In the Eastern Cape, Exxaro has laid foundations for its future with two wind energy farms that generate 239MW for the national grid.

Renewable energy is a key focus for the company going forward and, whether to power its own Continues on page 64

Exxaro CEO, Dr Nombasa Tsengwa & Limpopo Premier, Chupu Stanley Mathabatha © Exxaro

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© Exxaro

Continued from page 60 operations or to feed into a strained electricity supply for the benefit of the country, this unavoidable transition is gathering pace.

“We are building Exxaro into a sustainable and impactful business that catalyses economic growth,

// TOGETHER, WE CAN POWER POSSIBILITY AS WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ABUNDANT RENEWABLE RESOURCES OF OUR COUNTRY, IN THE FORM OF SUNLIGHT, WIND AND STRATEGIC MINERALS // 64 / www.enterprise-africa.net

environmental stewardship, and positive change,” the company states as part of its vision.

The strategy includes transforming the business, over the next decade, from a coal business to a minerals business and a renewable energy company that can thrive in a low-carbon future.

PAVING THE WAY As part of the commitment, in December 2023, the company signed a MOU with the Council of Geoscience (CGS) to intensify its sustainability and decarbonisation progress. Mandated with ownership of geological information in South Africa, the CGS partnered with Exxaro to explore carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) initiatives that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in heavy industry.

“This collaboration comes at the right time where we have made tremendous strides on the technical front in implementing this scientific intervention, the CCUS, and the geological characterisation has progressed exponentially to

confirm the suitability of the targeted reservoir to the pilot carbon dioxide sequestration project,” said CGS CEO, Mosa Mabuza. “The CCUS project is a co-funded initiative by the South African Government and the World Bank and its partners and is intended to contribute significantly to the climate mitigation programme as well as energy security trajectory.”

Mongezi Veti, Exxaro Chief of Sustainable Impact Officer, was equally happy with the agreement, highlighting the need for collaboration.

“Our strategy also aims for an integrated, multi-stakeholder approach to positioning the business for a resilient and sustainable future. We cannot act alone to create the impact we are aiming for, hence strategic partnerships such as the one with the Council of Geoscience, are key to ensure that our carbon neutrality goal become a reality.”

Exxaro CEO Dr Nombasa Tsengwa added: “We aim to draw upon the Council of Geoscience’s knowledge and expertise to promote positive, solutions-driven approaches to climate

EXXARO

change mitigation and adaptation and to highlight transformational climate action. We have a long way to go, but the first steps are the most valuable as they help us gain momentum in this journey towards reducing our climate impacts.”

LEPHALALE SOLAR In November 2023, the company was already taking steps to further diversify its renewable energy portfolio when it held a sod turning ceremony for the Lephalale Solar Project (LSP) – a 68 MW development that will generate 176 Gigawatt hours of clean energy annually in South Africa’s north.

Located close to the mighty Grootegeluk mine, this project is led

by Cennergi, the renewable energy division of Exxaro, acquired in 2019.

At the event, an excited Limpopo Premier, Chupu Stanley Mathabatha, said: “We have been following the developments which have today led to this successful sod turning, from the signing of Memorandum to develop wind farms in 2009; to the bidding of Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme; until Cennergi become a full subsidiary of Exxaro which today we are here with you witnessing the mission fulfilled.”

Leon Groenewald, Managing Director of Energy at Exxaro, added: “Our mission goes beyond profit; we also aim to be stewards of the environment in which we operate.

We are actively engaging with the local community, and during the peak of construction, we aim to employ between 300 to 400 individuals, with a significant emphasis on sourcing local talent. We will contribute towards economic growth within this region.”

Tsengwa was unequivocal in her call for ongoing transformation, aligning the company’s growth with the environment.

“We aim to grow from the exceptional business we have built over the past 17 years,” she said. “Together, we can power possibility as we take

w w w. a m a g r o u p . c o . z a

advantage of the abundant renewable resources of our country, in the form of sunlight, wind and strategic minerals, and build shared prosperity and sustainable development because we know that there is a better place to be tomorrow, than where we are today.”

While in the early stages, no one at Exxaro is denying a strategic transition that will see the company more and more involved in renewable energy, with an environmental focus, but with a strict concentration of returning shareholder value.

In the company’s interim financial results for the year ending 30 June 2023, several headwinds were identified that will impact the business from a coal perspective. But performance remained robust, with both CEO and CFO pointing to a more diversified portfolio than ever before as a key driver behind

Exxaro’s ability to weather storms.

“We are steadfast in our commitment to grow your business and diversifying the portfolio to contribute to the global energy transition,” said Tsengwa.

While the future remains uncertain, one thing is abundantly clear – South Africa’s biggest coal miner is changing course, and is doing so collaboratively, involving partners at every turn to ensure long-term sustainability. Perhaps the energy transition well underway in other parts of the world is not as far behind in South Africa as many expect.

WWW.EXXARO.COM

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MOPANI COPPER MINES

Shining the Light on Africa in Energy Transition Challenge PRODUCTION: Sam Hendricks

Zambia’s copper belt is vital for producing the key ingredient in the global energy transition, and one of its key companies – Mopani Copper Mines – has a new lease of life as the industry begins to boom.

//

It is quickly becoming widely recognised that sub-Saharan Africa holds one of few keys to the global energy transition. To decarbonise, and improve efficiency across industry, transportation, energy, and more, key base metals are essential. Transportation is the

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easiest example. Globally, around eight gigatonnes of CO2 was emitted by the transportation sector in 2022. The plan is to introduce battery powered electric vehicles to replace cars, trucks, trains, and boats to dramatically reduce this figure, and this progress is already underway in some nations.

Solar power is also hoped to provide the energy for the batteries here, and this industry is a big user of copper.

But the transition will take time, and will need quantities of material, including copper, that the world has not mined at this scale before.

An electric car uses four times the

© Mopani Copper Mines

INDUSTRY FOCUS: MINING

amount of copper when compared with a typical internal combustion engine car, and the mines of the world simply cannot supply at the rate needed if the transition is to have an impact.

This is where Africa, and Zambia and the DRC, are globally strategically important. The Central African Copper Belt runs through the two countries and is estimated to hold more than five billion tonnes of copper ore. The area is also loaded with cobalt, and ever since discovery and commercialisation in the 1920s, mining has been the key activity fuelling economic growth.

If electric vehicles, and their associated battery systems, are to continue to be improved and rolled out around the world, mines in Zambia can and should be a part of the conversation as the eleventh most valuable mining nation in the world. In 2022, the country signed a

© Mopani Copper Mines

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MoU, alongside the DRC, with the USA to develop EV battery value chains with copper at the heart. “The MoU is stated to be entrusting the two African countries to work on a value chain that covers mining all the way to assembly,” said ZCCM-IH (Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings).

Premier in the country is Mopani Copper Mines (MCM). Founded in 2000, the business has grown to become one of the largest copper and cobalt producers and exporters in the world. Today, after years of tumult, the company is stable and looking to cement its position in the global supply chain. Two major mines – Mufulira and Nkana - and a host of heavy industrial processes make for a unique and exciting offering.

The set up in the north of the country is so appealing that, in November 2023, International Resources

Holding RSC Ltd (IRH) of Abu Dhabi invested more than $1 billion in Mopani.

A 51% stake in the business would be the prize, and investment was promised in the form of $620 million up followed by $400 million in shareholder loans and a commitment to contribute to completion of projects started by former owner, Glencore. Several outstanding bills, amounting to $640 million, have also started to be repaid to suppliers.

A documented shortage of copper spurred IRH to take on MCM and commit to the long-term future, striking a big deal with ZCCM-IH who owned MCM on behalf of the Zambian government.

PRICE INCREASE? According to Bloomberg, the supply deficit in the copper industry stands at around 3.6 million tons with China responsible for more than 50% of global demand. Because of the deficit, there is expectation that prices will jump by as much as 20% in the next three years.

With money flowing again after the company exited ‘care and maintenance’, MCM has the chance to capture value in this situation. The advantage that the company holds is that no one has ever doubted the capacity and capability on site. Only macroeconomic factors have ever challenged the business and now several factors are coming together to create a positive outlook. MCM has the benefits of supply and demand at its feet.

With a shaft modernisation programme started as part of the company’s 10-year plan to become a world class miner by 2023, operations are able to deliver significant tonnage annually. Since 2014, three new shafts have been installed, replacing outdated infrastructure. The Henderson Shaft at Mufulira, and the Syclinorium and Mindola Deeps Shafts at Nkana have added another quarter century of life. This means more jobs and more income in the long term, boosting Zambia and MCM at the same time.

Going far down below the surface,

MOPANI COPPER MINES

As a growing leader in the Zambian engineering space, Surmpy Engineering and Service Limited provides a full and diversified product offering across the engineering and mining industry. Serving Zambia and beyond, Surmpy Engineering and Service Limited combines a commitment to product excellence with a wide range of service capabilities.

Authorised Distributors / Sales Agents for:

We are Exclusive Distributors for:

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• Ernest Lowe Pty Limited - Pneumatic and Hydraulic Automation Solutions www.elco.co.za • The Hydraulic Centre Pty Limited - Hydraulic Hoses and Fittings www.thc.co.za

sales@surmpy.co.za | starlin.musampi@surmpy.co.za | info@surmpy.co.za Mobile/WhatsApp: +260 967 454343 | www.surmpy.co.za

the shaft at Mufulira takes miners down and brings copper up. The technology is staggering and the operating temperatures in the earth are just one of a long list of challenges, reaching 48 °C. New headgear and A/C systems have been installed, and a new acid plant and smelter have also been added to drive efficiency and reduce harmful emissions, converting sulphur dioxide to sulphuric acid. The new shaft has also become the second deepest in the world at 2km, just behind the Resolution Copper Mine at 2.1km in AZ, USA. Now, MCM is capable of producing more than 800,000 Mtpa but has failed to reach these numbers through recent years. The end goal is for MCM to produce more than three million Mtpa by the 2030s, dominating the local landscape and providing Zambians with economic security and employment longevity.

“ZCCM-IH is committed to see that MCM delivers to its optimal production levels in order to contribute

to the national production target of three million metric tonnes of copper by 2030,” said ZCCM-IH. GROWTH BACK ON THE CARDS To achieve this ambitious goal, leading investment bank Rothschild & Co has been engaged is providing strategic review of operations and value. Surmpy Engineering has been onboarded as a reliable partner in the provision of engineering solutions and tooling.

MCM has also created a new digital presence with a fresh website and new social media strategy to engage all stakeholders more effectively.

Locally, the company has received several awards in recent months including two - Best Community Social Impact Award under the Skills Development category, and the CSR Excellence Award in Safe Drinking Water under the Water Reticulation category – at Zambia’s fourth CSR and Responsible Business Awards.

MPM also claimed the Kitwe and

District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KDCCI) Mining company of the year award – for the eighth year in a row. Picking up the trophy, CEO Charles Sakanya said that the company valued association with the KDCCI and is a proud part of the Zambian fabric.

While the road travelled recently has not been conducive to strong growth, MCM likes its namesake the Mopane tree is ready to once again thrive in Zambia’s challenging but rewarding environment. with new investors involved, new technology and infrastructure supporting a highlyskilled Zambian workforce, and with global demand at strong levels, now is the time for MCM to prove its worth and drive the global energy transition as a African supply chain pioneer.

WWW.MOPANI.COM.ZM

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JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS

Collaborate to

Manage VUCA PRODUCTION: Sam Hendricks

Tough conditions in the mining sector are outweighed by the major potential that comes from the global energy transition. Metals and minerals are key in the electrification of the world, and demand is set to boom. Partnering with reliable, trusted, experience organisations helps to reduce volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, and JVChantete continues to position itself as the leading contractor in Zambia.

//

Employment of a mining contractor has long been debated across Africa, where the industry accounts for around 4.5% of GDP at continental level.

Should mining companies employ large numbers internally? Should they be responsible for equipment and process? Should they load on cost, against the backdrop of quickly changing commodity prices? It’s a tough one – many say yes, when you want to exploit natural resources then

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you should carry the risks. Others say that employment of a contract is exactly that – managing the risk.

Thankfully, there are many options in Africa. Whether its copper in Zambia, gold in South Africa, diamonds in Botswana, uranium in Namibia, or bauxite in Guinea, miners have the choice to get hands dirty or trust a reliable, experienced local company.

Even for the biggest mining houses in Africa, a blend of options is often the best way as most look to fulfil the

‘social contract’ – delivering returns for shareholders through extraction while promoting economic development and prosperity for the local community.

In Zambia, on the copper belt – where the world’s eyes are fixed as the transition of green electricity from fossil fuels is powered – big mining is underway. Copper and cobalt has been mined here for more than a century but with demand set to skyrocket as the next generation of power comes into play, mining

INDUSTRY FOCUS: MINING

effectively and efficiently is vital.

Operating here since 1999, JVChantete Earthworks is celebrating its 25 years of operation by highlighting its position at the top of the industry.

It is an expert in all mining contracting challenges and can offer advice, support, fleet, personnel, and so much more. Central in the company’s offering is a significant fleet of heavy machinery and a highly skilled workforce of around 550 people who can answer tough questions.

With copper prices set to climb, pulled by demand from the world’s automakers, battery companies, and energy utilities – including in the USA, which signed a MoU with Zambia and the DRC in 2022 – Zambia has a major opportunity.

PEOPLE POWER JVChantete Earthworks Group CEO Shaun McCann says of the company’s success: “Our people, backed by our equipment, systems and processes, drive our performance.”

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Key services include drilling and blasting, open pit mining, civils and bulk earthwork, and more.

“Our core assets are our skills base and earthmoving fleet. A hands-on management focus ensures our delivery of efficient, professional and cost-effective solutions. We ensure our client base and business partners our commitment to sustain or exceed production targets,” the company says.

Often in Zambia, the wage bill represents a third of total costs – or more. Electricity makes up another large chunk of the cost base, and other fuels – including diesel – are major contributors. With the price of copper currently sitting at around $3.50 per pound, there has to be consideration of profitability as input costs rise and this is why it is often highly appealing to employ a proven mining contractor.

In January 2024, JVChantete Chairman, Lafras Luitingh highlighted the opportunities in the country, offering mining companies the chance to look at challenges

differently, encouraging the view that every problem is a chance for an innovative solution.

“Mining companies should be thinking afresh about the decade ahead, especially those either based in Africa or having operations on the continent. The coming together of reshaping metals demand, technological innovation, disruption, climate change, and demographic and geopolitical issues in Africa make the mining industry unique both in terms of its challenges and its potential.”

He said that organisation must look at the energy transition as a new way forward and not an anchor on operations.

“The recent COP28 summit formalised an international agreement to transition away from fossil fuels and to accelerate renewables. The mining industry will play a crucial role in this, and mining companies are now both incentivised and burdened.”

The valuable metals and minerals unearthed by JVChantete in Zambia are

JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS

VUCA MANAGEMENT JVChantete has compliance at its core and Luitingh is fixated on ensuring quality, safety, and environmental standards are upheld. At the company’s disposal is equipment from world leaders including Volvo, Liebherr, Bell, Atlas Copco, john Deere, Hitachi, Komatsu, CAT, Kobelco, Ford, Toyota, and a range of others. The senior leadership team in the business have deliberately opted for the world’s best to ensure efficiency. Less downtime, easily available spares, modern engines that use less fuel, reduced emissions, and reduced maintenance improves efficiency across the board which helps mining companies to demonstrate a commitment to environmental preservation.

“The mining industry may be at crossroads. By focusing on the fundamentals as well as zooming out to understand the implications of megatrends, strategies can prime mining enterprises for a prosperous decade,” claims Luitingh.

Our business is helping your business succeed.

Celebrating our

Strong reliable machines • Strong reliable support

Bell1673

vital in the energy transition. Copper cables and wires will carry green electricity, they will be used in solar PV systems, and they will be essential in decarbonising transportation. Luitingh quotes S&P Global when highlighting the importance of copper in the electrification drive: “Unprecedented quantities of copper will be demanded over the next 25 years.”

“The bottom line,” he adds, “is that transitioning from fossil fuels means more electrification – on a huge scale – and copper is critical to this. Whether for modernising and expanding existing generation and transmission grids, growing the network of hydro-, solar- or wind-power generation infrastructure, or the conversion to EVs, copper is top of the list of required materials.”

The burden for miners is that they must decarbonise their own operations – easier said than done in an industry that produces between 4 and 7% of emissions globally.

Contact Bell Equipment Zambia Plot 4095 and 4096 Along Kitwe Chingola Road Kitwe, Zambia Email: Samson.Chingozho@bellequipment.com • Mobile: +260 975 637 037 • Tel: +260 962 249 900

www.bellequipment.com

“The long view is that mining remains a rewarding sector – for the value it brings to the world’s economies, its contribution to countries’ revenues, in the creation of jobs and secondary industries or spin-off services. And financial returns: dips have always been experienced, but the global top-40 mining enterprises’ profits have soared in the last three years, and their aggregated market capitalisation has more than tripled in the past 20 years.”

Ultimately, the decisions on the best way to run a mine, especially in Zambia where the outcomes are more important than the operation itself, come back to collaborating with the best. Whether that is JVChantete with more than 250 successfully complete projects, or others in the highly skilled sector, for Luitingh everything comes back to managing VUCA. An informal

Strong Reliable Machines Strong Reliable Support

term used throughout southern Africa’s mining industry, VUCA or volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, has always been around in mining and the only way to manage the phenomenon is to invest in experience – in those that have proven their ability to expect the unexpected, and pivot quickly, being nimble in challenging conditions.

Here, JVChantete is unrivalled.

“Mining companies have handled VUCA well in the past. But this is no time for complacency or conventional thinking. For growth, profitability and societal contribution, strategise smartly for the decade ahead,” he says.

WWW.JVCHANTETE.COM

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MTC NAMIBIA

Connecting a Nation PRODUCTION: Sam Hendricks

For almost three decades, MTC Namibia has been connecting the nation. Delivering the most comprehensive communication coverage possible, this forward thinking and innovative technology business is doing what others cannot to digitise in Namibia.

//

Leading Namibian communications business, MTC Namibia, is showing the competition, and other operators around sub-Saharan Africa, how to maintain business in extraordinarily tough macro-economic conditions.

In a relatively small country, with a relatively small population,

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against a backdrop of high inflation, high interest rates, global economic uncertainty, and the lingering Covid-19 impact, MTC Namibia posted results for the 2023 financial year showing growth in existing and new revenue, increase in EBITDA, improved profits, and increased capital expenditure to ensure ongoing future growth.

MTC Namibia was established in 1995 and was the only cellular provider in the country. Ownership was split between the Namibian government and two Swedish shareholders, Telia and Swedfund. The company grew quickly, showing a strong ambition for growth and an innovative nature, alongside the global digital revolution.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: COMMUNICATIONS

Southern Industrial Area – is the priority at MTC. Chairperson Theofelus Mberirua made this clear, saying: “High inflation and rising interest rates increased the costs of essential items, further eroding consumers’ disposable income and compounding the hardship experienced by the most vulnerable in our society. Impacted by cost inflation and intense competition, MTC maintained its empathy for customers by keeping prices constant and focusing instead on new value-adding products, services, and solutions.”

By 2004, the Swedish shareholders sold to Namibia Post Telecom Holdings (NPTH), bringing full control back to Windhoek. In 2006, Portugal Telecom acquired a 34% stake and since then the company has boomed. Initially focused on cellular operations for mobile connectivity, the service portfolio has expanded dramatically to include fixedline, broadband, ecommerce, internet, mobile applications, cloud services, and much more. By 2020, MTC was the most admired brand in the country and became laser focused on its mission

to provide 100% coverage across Namibia, even in remote and rural regions, through delivery of innovative digital solutions. Today, MTC’s mobile network covers 97% of Namibia’s population and 87.4% of Namibians have access to mobile broadband.

The local economy grew at 4.6% in 2022 but slowed to just under 3% in 2023. Growth potential has been hampered by numerous factors, but delivery for clients – whether individual in the Ohangwena region, or multinational business in Windhoek’s

// OUR ASPIRATION AS MTC NAMIBIA IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON ACROSS NAMIBIA HAS ACCESS AND ENJOYS THE BENEFITS OF A MODERN CONNECTED WORLD // 76 / www.enterprise-africa.net

FASTEST OPERATORS Displaying the company’s desire to continue rolling out for clients, in May 2023 MTC Namibia was named as the Fastest Mobile Network Operator in the country by global speed test company Ookla®.

Comparing a major data sample from across the country, Ookla® found MTC Namibia to be the fastest provider for mobile and fixed network speed across a half year period. With the highest download speeds of 73.96mbps and upload speeds of 53.67mbps in Windhoek during the period under review, the team was happy that the strategy is working.

“Our aspiration as MTC Namibia,” said MD Licky Erastus, “is to ensure that every person across Namibia has access and enjoys the benefits of a modern connected world and therefore we continue to invest in our network with the latest technologies to ensure that we provide these services to our customers at a quality experience, MTC Namibia since 2017 has invested N$1.2 billion with the hope to expand its geographical network coverage to at least 90% countrywide.”

With 1014 network towers, 1187km of fibre, and a large data hub in Windhoek (and further investment planned for 2024), the gap between MTC Namibia and competitors looks set to widen.

“This award amplifies the ethos of MTC and speaks to our route to

MTC NAMIBIA

creating sustainable value for all our stakeholders through innovative digital solutions and a high-performance culture,” furthered Chief Technical and Information Officer, Monica Nehemia.

“If anything, it only says that we are on the right path and our work here continues to be recognised. We are dedicated to ensuring that our network is constantly meeting the expectations of our customers, to provide them with an exceptional experience when they choose MTC as their service provider.

“Our network is designed to deliver unparalleled speed and reliability.

Whether you’re streaming or browsing, you can expect fast speeds and crystal-clear connections. We’re proud to offer this service to our customers and are confident that it will meet or exceed their expectations,” she said.

PARTNERSHIP POWER To deliver beyond then normal, MTC Namibia must embrace strong, mutually-beneficial partnerships. Even with around 850 employees, delivery of modern, word-class standards requires outside input. Whether it’s technology, legal, data, infrastructure, thoughtleadership, marketing, or any other area of expertise, MTC Namibia boasts a robust supply chain and a partnership network that reflects its own vision.

In early 2023, this network was expanded further as the company partnered with Ondangwa Town Council in the country’s north. The working arrangement sees both parties collaborating on the potential for smart city technology to help advance the area. Utilising MTC technology could help Ondangwa to

embrace sustainable development and become increasingly digital.

“We are extremely happy that Ondangwa Town Council have taken the time to engage us, and we stand ready to listen and where possible put synergies in place aimed towards collaborative efforts to reach some of its goals, there is definitely areas of interest and interrogation between our two institutions for further engagement,” said Erastus, adding that all organisations require effective partnership if they are to achieve their vision. Currently, the country is busy working towards its Vision 2030, which aims for an industrialised nation, based on peace, with strong HR capabilities.

In 2020, MTC Namibia partnered with CSG to assist with technology transformation. An overhaul of the

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: COMMUNICATIONS

customer journey was the goal, and CSG delivered innovative upgrades to the experience including customer management, billing, product catalogue, order management, inventory, resource management, enterprise service bus (ESB), activation, roaming and document management. Importantly, MTC now has the ability to respond to queries quicker, deliver services faster, and monetise activations more efficiently.

However, business in Namibia is not easy. The company has faced micro-economic challenges, some that have been extremely damaging from an infrastructural technology point of view. The leadership team has framed the problems around destruction of company property as part of a wider issue with lacking

economic opportunity in some areas, and is taking steps to protect infrastructure in the future.

In November, vandalism to a comms mast in the Omusati Kunene region was lamented by Communications Manager, John Ekongo.

“Connectivity is one of the key drivers of economic activities, and when infrastructure is wickedly vandalised, and equipment is stolen, it disrupts economic activities. On this specific crime incident, the perpetrators threw rocks/bricks at elevated solar panels, damaging them and inherently leaving the site in short supply of power.

We are now forced to go back and re-invest in replacing the damaged sites, causing a delay in our drive to put up new sites in underserved areas.”

// WE ARE IMPLEMENTING NEW SYSTEMS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE THE SPEED AND COST EFFICIENCY OF OUR OPERATIONS //

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He added: “Sites erected in areas where there is no power supply are running strictly on deep cycle batteries and solar panels, and stealing those leave communities unable to make calls to contact the police or ambulance in cases of emergency. We are therefore advising, sternly, that whoever is going to be found guilty of this will face the full wrath of the law.” Further protection of assets is now being implemented, and various authorities have been engaged to ensure technology is protected. The company is also keenly driving an educational campaign to ensure the public is aware of the importance of the digital economy in modern life, and the opportunities it can offer.

MARKET LEADING OPTIMISM Namibia is home to a young population, with an average age of 22, and various industries are finding Namibia to be a strong base because of political stability and transparent regulations. Combined with the natural beauty and unrivalled

MTC NAMIBIA

open spaces, the country is home to endless opportunity for business.

With MTC Namibia backing communications, those who invest in taking advantage of the opportunity will benefit. The company is ambitious and forward-thinking, helping the country to grow.

“MTC remained resilient in 2023, responding to customer demand for quality service and product innovation, and continuing to extend and improve telecommunications to urban and rural communities throughout Namibia,” said Erastus.

He highlights obvious growth with 4G and 5G to come soon, as well as continued digital transformation throughout the business as key strategies going forward.

“Our investments in the expansion and upgrade of MTC’s existing network will maintain service quality and availability to meet the growing demand for digital services. In parallel, we are implementing new systems and emerging technologies to improve the speed and cost efficiency of our operations. In line with our commitment to remain at the forefront of technology we continue to invest in fibre infrastructure and equipment to strengthen our self-sufficiency and prepare our network for the roll-out of 5G technology. Our acquisition of premium spectrum in August 2023 will further enhance our digital transformation by enabling new services for enterprises and consumers.

“We successfully expanded our existing network coverage to maintain quality and availability of service as customer demand for data increased,” he added. “Simultaneously, we invested in emerging technologies to improve the speed and cost efficiency of our products and services. Our network grew to 1014 active sites, 70% of which are 4G capable and account for 50% of mobile data traffic… During 2023, we upgraded 97 rural sites, 67 with refarmed spectrum to enable 4G/ LTE technology. Our ongoing fibre

deployments throughout Namibia supplement our existing and future network capacity requirements.”

Of course, the company is not blind to the problem that plague all business. Erastus added that MTC Namibia was expecting continued high inflation, currency fluctuation, and reduce market growth through 2024.

“Against this backdrop,” he continued, “MTC remains committed to its strategy to ensure sustainable growth and adaptability. To mitigate current economic impacts on our financial performance and retain customers, we will continue to optimise costs, improve operational efficiency and enhance customer service.

Our revenue growth opportunities lie in further diversification of our service offerings. Underpinning these

opportunities are our investments to enhance connectivity and network quality, expand our digital services and financial solutions, strengthen our strategic partnerships and make MTC fit for purpose for the future.”

But thanks to robust processes, a culture of excellence, secure financial decision-making, and a market willing to embrace a digital future, MTC Namibia remains the industry leader.

Its market share is estimated at 84%, covering 98% of the population. When tackling the modern challenges in the economy, this is the perfect position to be in. Now, the company’s future is well and truly in its own hands.

WWW.MTC.COM.NA

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BESTMED

Enabling You to Live Your Best Life PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

With a proven track record of offering unequalled value for money, access to an extensive network of healthcare providers and a host of preventative and wellness benefits, South Africans are turning in their droves to Bestmed, South Africa’s largest self-administered medical scheme and its award-winning healthcare cover.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: MEDICAL

//

National and global health pandemics have brought into stark focus the critical importance of healthcare that is personalised, provides exceptional value for value, and is backed by a wealth of experience and quality. With a track record of success approaching 60 years in 2024, Bestmed is South Africa’s largest self-administered medical scheme with over 200,000 lives under its care, and one of the top four

open medical schemes in the country.

“Bestmed owes its success and continued growth to its members,” the non-profit, mutual medical scheme registered with the Council of Medical Schemes outlines. “Bestmed is by members, for members and this philosophy inspires ownership, trust and high levels of quality - externally and internally.

“We are proud to have stayed true to our brand essence during these challenging and uncertain times.”

// BESTMED’S PHILOSOPHY INSPIRES OWNERSHIP, TRUST, AND HIGH LEVELS OF QUALITY - EXTERNALLY AND INTERNALLY //

AWARD-WINNING COVER Across its suite of Beat, Pace and Rhythm options which span hospital, network, savings, and comprehensive plans, Bestmed is passionate about enhancing the quality of healthcare for its members. “We recognise that people’s healthcare needs are different, depending on their age, marital status,

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family size, general health, priorities and budget,” Bestmed summarises, with its range of offerings each boasting their own unique benefit options.

The Beat range offers flexible hospital benefits with savings on some options to pay for out-ofhospital expenses, while the Pace range offers more comprehensive in-hospital and out-of-hospital benefits.

“These options all have additional savings accounts to cover extensive out-of-hospital expenses,” Bestmed furthers. “The Rhythm range consists of our Network only options that offer in-hospital and GP benefits.

“We remain committed,” Bestmed reinforces, “to ensuring that we are large enough to create value for our beneficiaries, that we are personal enough to provide care for each one of them, and that we are humble enough to listen and respond with agility

BESTMED

to realign our service to our mutual vision of helping people live their best life today, tomorrow and beyond.”

Over what has been an enduring and outstanding contribution to the medical aid and healthcare industry, Bestmed has frequently been recognised with the highest available honours. In both 2021 and 2022 the company received the highest rating for perceived quality and value, customer service and customer loyalty in the Medical Scheme Industry Category in the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-csi), backed by the highest rating for customer expectations and the lowest in the industry for beneficiary complaints.

In the Medical Aid Industry performance category of the 2022 Ask Afrika Orange Index Bestmed was also given the top ranking and was awarded the Excellence in Creating Access to Quality Healthcare (Organisations) award at the 2022 annual Titanium Awards presented by the Board for Healthcare Fundraisers (BHF).

HEALTHY VALUE Bestmed is also working tirelessly to shatter the perception that the pinnacle of healthcare must, surely, come at a prohibitive cost. “We are hard at work to contain increases in member contributions,” Bestmed underlines, at a time when such considerations have perhaps never been more paramount.

“With our extensive experience and exceptional expertise, we negotiate with service providers to offer members benefits and services that are Rand-for-Rand the best value compared to other larger open medical schemes. We also maintain a strong operational focus, as we continuously strive to drive down costs.

“We have managed to keep increases to single digits over six consecutive years and have structured plans designed to suit every life stage and pocket.”

The challenges within the healthcare industry are widely noted

and wide-ranging: intense competition, new legislation, increasing compliance requirements, rising costs and waste, among the most oft-cited. “Continued economic challenges and subdued growth results in intense competition for a share of a household’s disposable income, and the cost of medical cover will remain a very important consideration for schemes and members alike,” Bestmed recognises.

In 2021, Bestmed demonstrated its resilience in the face of such adversity and signalled its clear ability to maintain its burgeoning growth with the welcoming of its 100,000th principal member, which equated to more than 209,000 individuals. That this came during possibly the healthcare industry’s sternest ever test, and, conversely, at a point when its importance was vividly and inarguably highlighted, only serves

to underscore the perceived value of Bestmed’s offering and the trust placed in its expertise and experience.

“We remain committed to continue delivering the excellent service that our members have become accustomed to,” Bestmed says of its intentions to support, care for and ameliorate lives across South Africa. “Our sustainable growth is only possible with the support of our members, our advisors, our healthcare providers and our employees and we are sincerely grateful.””

WWW.BESTMED.CO.ZA

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EXHIBITION CALENDAR

KEY UPCOMING EVENTS ACROSS THE REGION IMPORTANT EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS TAKING PLACE ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, GIVING BRANDS A PLATFORM TO TELL THEIR STORY.

MAR

5

MAR

26

APR

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AFRICA ENERGY INDABA MAR 5-7 | CAPE TOWN Modern, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is critical for economic growth and the provision of access to modern energy contributes tremendously to improved health care, better education and opens up economic opportunities in both urban and rural areas in Africa. The Africa Energy Indaba is the definitive energy conference for Africa providing an annual programme that shapes energy policy for the African continent. The Africa Energy Indaba Conference will discuss, debate and seek solutions wto enable adequate energy generation across the continent.

Delegates, drawn from all continents, represent an unrivalled combination of industry experts, project developers, financiers, energy users, government officials and manufacturers.

NIGERIA PLASTPRINTPACK 2024 MAR 26-28 | LAGOS The plastprintpack Nigeria is an international trade fair for plastics, printing and packaging technology and will take place in Lagos, Nigeria at the Landmark Convention Centre. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and ranks with 179 million inhabitants, ranked 7th in the world. An attractive and fast-growing consumer market with an abundance of natural resources such as oil, gas and agricultural land. The Nigerian market for plastic, printing and packaging technology attracts massive private and public investment. Numerous international exhibitors present their latest products and take the opportunity here to develop new business.

As an international trade fair of its industry plastprintpack Nigeria in Lagos is open to trade visitors only.

INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET 2024 APR 7-9 | CAPE TOWN Whether you’re looking to break into the African market, or you’ve been working in the region for some time now, ILTM Africa is an essential sales and marketing opportunity for travel specialists.

At its heart, the show is highly curated meetings between the region’s most exclusive and sought after travel experiences and the world’s leading travel agents and advisors. Whatever your strategy or needs - this is the place to be for meeting new clients, generating new leads and forging lasting relationships.

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MAR

HOSTEX 2024 JOHANNESBURG | MAR 3-5

MAR

5

AFRICA ENERGY INDABA CAPE TOWN | MAR 5-7

MAR

PROPAK EAST AFRICA 2024

MAR

NIGERIA PLASTPRINTPACK 2024

APR

RAND SHOW JOHANNESBURG | APR 6-10

APR

7

INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA 2024 CAPE TOWN | APR 7-9

APR

MMEC - MOZAMBIQUE

3

12 NAIROBI | MAR 12-14 26 LAGOS | MAR 26-28 6

24 MINING, OIL & GAS AND

ENERGY CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION 2024 MAPUTO | APR 24-25

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