Greetings and welcome to the Sanlam Transformation Gauge Series, where we will be digging deeper into the insights derived from the 2023 instalment of the Sanlam Transformation Gauge research.

My name is Andile Khumalo and thank you for joining me as we engage with experts, role players and thought leaders in Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment on various elements of the BBBEE scorecard and issues that came up in the 2023 research study.

Now in its third year, the Sanlam Transformation Gauge – in partnership with Sunday Times Business Times – is the only consolidated, sector-focused research report that takes a holistic measurement of economic transformation in South Africa, accounting for all elements of Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment.

The 2023 Sanlam Transformation Gauge series unpacks what is working, what is NOT working, and how can we drive innovative solutions to reinvigorate our collective efforts to actively and deliberately include all South Africans in our economy.

Episode 1 – Management control

Welcome to Episode 1 where we will be discussing the Management Control element of the BBBEE Codes, which has consistently been the lowest scoring element since the establishment of the Sanlam Transformation Gauge, and to join me in this discussion we have:

• Ray-Ann Sedres, the Chief Transformation Officer, Sanlam
• Norah Sehunoe, the Executive Head of Human Resources, Santam
• Dr. Sibongile Vilakazi, the President of the Black Management Forum

Episode 2 – Ownership

Welcome to Episode 2. Today we discuss the OWNERSHIP element of the BBBEE Codes.

Joining me in studio today to dig into the detail of these findings is:

• Ray-Ann Sedres, the Chief Transformation Officer, Sanlam
• Hale Matsipa, the CEO at Kleoss Capital, “a Black Owned and Managed, South African mid-capital private equity investment manager that targets medium-sized businesses across the landscape”
• Zola Malinga, CEO of Jade Capital Partners, a Black women owned and managed investment holding company founded in 2013 by my guest and her partner, Bukelwa Bulo, that focuses on investments in the property sector.

Episode 3 – Youth

Welcome to Episode 3. Today we discuss how the BBBEE Codes serve one of the most vulnerable groups of our society, the YOUTH.

Quarterly data released by Statistics South Africa in May 2023 shows that the total number of unemployed youth stands at 4.9 million, which is 46.5% in comparison to the country’s overall official unemployment rate which stands at 32.9%.

Delving deeper into the data, this shows that “youth aged 15-24 years and 25-34 years recorded the highest unemployment rates of 62.1% and 40.7% respectively”. Furthermore, approximately 3.7 million (36.1%) out of 10.2 million young people aged 15-24 years were not in employment, education, or training.

Joining me in studio today to dig into the detail of these findings is:

• Ray-Ann Sedres, the Chief Transformation Officer, Sanlam
• Ravi Naidoo, the CEO of Yes4Youth

Episode 4 – Enterprise supplier development

Welcome to Episode 4. Today we discuss the Enterprise & Supplier Development element of the BBBEE Codes

Enterprise Development (ED) and Supplier Development (SD) is one of the three priority elements of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Scorecard. The aim is to strengthen local procurement, enhance local supplier development programmes and increase financial support towards black entities. Touted as one of the most effective levers of BEE, the big question is: Does ESD have the desired impact on black owned SMEs in South Africa?

Joining me in studio today to dig into the detail of these findings is:

• Ray-Ann Sedres, the Chief Transformation Officer, Sanlam
• Litha Kutta, the Co-chairperson of the ESD Community of Practice