Limpopo Business 2018-19 edition

INTERVIEW Dr John Mudau

INTERVIEW Dr John Mudau Advancing socio-economic transformation Chairperson John Mudau outlines the achievements and goals of the Black Management Forum Limpopo. The Black Management Forum aims to be the thought leadership organisation in South Africa and to provide managerial leadership among Africans and blacks in particular. Vision: To be the foremost organisation in the development and empowerment of organisational leadership in the advancement of socio-economic transformation in South Africa and beyond. Values: Ubuntu; Creativity; Integrity; Effectiveness and Respect. What is your current focus? Corporate transformation and supporting struggling local municipalities. We have established a task team focusing on Section 25 of the Constitution which deals with expropriation of land without compensation. The team, led by lawyer members, will make a presentation to the relevant parliamentary portfolio committee. BIOGRAPHY Dr John Mudau is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Univen Innovation Growth Company. He obtained his PhD from the University of Venda and is reading towards an MBA at the Tshwane University of Technology. He has lectured at Fort Hare University and the University of Venda. He was Deputy Director at Univen Centre for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation and serves on several boards, including the Vhembe TVET College Council, of which he is Chairman. What are some of the challenges facing business in Limpopo? The most critical challenge facing business is failure of government to pay service providers within the legislated 30 days. BMF intends to meet with the provincial departments before it destroys small businesses. Are there sectors where there is good growth? Despite the national challenges and decline in the economy, our agricultural sector remains the critical component of our economy and has registered growth. There is a need to introduce the youth in this sector. What are some of your recent achievements? The hosting of a land dialogue seminar attended by academics, government officials, members of the BMF and members of the Black Lawyers Association in Limpopo. BMF also hosted the Masterplan workshop. How is your relationship with other stakeholders? BMF is very vibrant in the province. There is a lot of respect given to the organisation by both government and other civil society organisations. This is seen in the high attendance figures for BMF events in the province. The organisation is also very proud of its student wing, the BMF student chapter, which is very active at the universities of Limpopo and Venda. LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2018/19 88

Busineswomen’s Association of South Africa Limpopo FOCUS The voice of women in business. Speaker, Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe (sixth from right) and BWASA Limpopo coordinator, Bella Msiza (seventh from right), pictured with guests at the 2018 Limpopo Businesswomen of the Year Awards. The Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA) is the largest and most prominent association of business and professional women in South Africa, and the voice of women in business. Through strategic partnerships with sponsors, non-profit organisations, leading companies, business schools and international associations, it provides on-going opportunities to advance the interests of women in business. It is a national association with seven branches countrywide. Honouring the achievers A keynote event in the BWASA calendar is the hosting of the annual Limpopo Businesswomen of the Year Awards (LBWOYA). Previously known as the Regional Business Achiever Awards, the event has been held since 2001. The Awards honour entrepreneurial and professional women at each of the BWASA branches around the country and acknowledge a winner in each of six categories, including Professional, Corporate, Entrepreneur, Emerging Entrepreneur and Social Entrepreneur. In the Entrepreneur category, awards are given to women as emerging entrepreneurs, established entrepreneurs as well as those who are involved in the social entrepreneurship. The purpose of the function is to give recognition to women who are in service to society, have been working hard and have succeeded INFORMATION AND CONTACT DETAILS: Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa Limpopo, 42A Grobler Street, Polokwane 0700 Contact person: Elizabeth Modiba Email: limpopo@bwasa.co.za Tel: +27 15 297 8876 or +27 83 278 2040 in making their mark. Furthermore, the event aims to empower women with tips for success. The speaker at the 2018 event was Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe. Previous addresses have been presented by the Executive Mayor of Polokwane Thembi Nkadimeng, MEC of Health Phophi Ramathuba, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the Chairperson of Mbekani Investment Holdings Limited Dr Judy Dlamini. The event celebrates and LBWOYA 2017 showcases the achievements of women in the business arena in a country where women are still under-represented, it recognises and rewards individuals who have excelled in their chosen careers and the evening provides a platform for the motivation of women by others who have excelled. The event also provides several partnership opportunities and a further chance to give opportunity to women-owned businesses. These include providing sound and lighting effects and videography (recording and editing of video of the event). Partners receive exposure through branding on rotation on visual media at the event, acknowledgment in the Vote of Thanks on the evening and acknowledgment on all BWA social media platforms, print media and radio as one of the LBWOYA sponsors. 89 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2018/19