Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies is expected to address the upcoming Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Commission’s annual conference that will place the spotlight on improving state procurement.
Joined by his Deputy Bulelani Magwanishe and the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, Joan Fubbs, Minister Davies is expected to reflect on the commission’s progress in accelerating B-BBEE at the conference on Thursday.
“The Minister is expected to reflect on the commission’s progress in accelerating B-BBEE so far through its investigations and findings, and compliance work aimed at assisting entities to implement B-BBEE correctly and more effectively.
“Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Magwanishe will cover the extent to which the state has progressed in giving effect to B-BBEE, including the statistics on compliance reports submitted by state entities and departments as required by the B-BBEE Act,” said the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) on Monday.
Accounting officers, procurement officers and chief operating officers from all spheres of government, state-owned entities and the private sector are expected to exchange views on what is expected of them. This is in relation to the implementation of the B-BBEE Act.
Commissioner of the B-BBEE Commission, Zodwa Ntuli, said the conference will focus on state procurement, grants, incentives, licensing and concessions as a means to achieve real economic transformation to provide black people with access to opportunities.
It will provide a cordial platform to engage with a view to improve delivery against the objectives of the B-BBEE Act.
“The B-BBEE can be utilised to bring about economic transformation and access to opportunities and markets by black people through procurement, grants, incentives, licensing and other concessions, and processes within the state must align fully with this purpose. One of the main threats to the success of B-BBEE in addition to fronting is that most state entities and departments are far from integrating B-BBEE in these processes, creating a fertile ground for fronting practices,” said Ntuli.
The B-BBEE Commission was established in terms of Section 13B of the amended B-BBEE Act No 46 of 2013. The Commission’s mandate, amongst others, is to supervise and encourage adherence to the B-BBEE Act in the interest of the public, to promote good governance and accountability by creating an effective and efficient environment for the promotion and implementation of the objectives of broad-based black economic
The Commission, which is an agency of the dti, effectively commenced with its operations on 1 April 2016.
The conference will take place at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, under the theme: “Improving State Procurement for Real Empowerment”.
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