The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with several non-profit organisations, has launched a black economic empowerment (BEE) company database, giving information on BEE companies in the IT, telecommunications and electronics sectors.
The company database lists 250 BEE companies and was compiled to address the lack of sufficient knowledge at industry and government level about the players within the industry.
Eileen Leopold, executive director of the SA Electrotechnical Export Council (SAEEC), one of the partners in the project, says the database also holds significant benefits for government, industry associations, education and training organisations.
"It provides a support tool for donor-funded match-making programmes, as well as an overview of export companies and their products and services. Ultimately, this will assist in the development of support strategies and programmes to support export marketing initiatives."
Leopold says Forge Ahead BMI-T was contracted for the first phase of the project, which began in August last year and was completed in April. The total cost of the first phase was approximately R350 000, which was funded jointly by the DTI, SAEEC and the Electronic Industries Federation.
"During the compiling of the database, each company`s information and BEE status was verified to prevent company fronting. It will now be updated once, a process which will end in August. From there it is hoped the project will be funded with the help of the private sector and government."
Jane Mosebi, a director at Forge Ahead BMI-T, says the Web site subdivides BEE companies further into black companies (+50% black-owned), black empowered companies (+25% black-owned), black-influenced companies (5% to 25% black-owned) and engendered companies, which have at least 30% representation of black women within the black equity and management portion.
These categories, along with the company`s annual turnover, export capabilities, products and services, business focus and key client information can be used to search the database for companies matching the chosen search criteria. A list of all the companies on the database is also available.
Mosebi says a search of the database will provide the user with a summary of the company including its contacts details, general information, empowerment profile, partners and clients, financial information and details about the company`s export activity.
"Once the data base has been updated again, it will then be updated on a quarterly basis, taking into account company mergers, changes in the company`s client base, their contact details and so on," Mosebi says.
Sar'e Grobler, a project manager at Trade and Investment SA, says the database is a valuable tool to equip players in the sector to identify BEE partners, and develop new value chains.
"It provides BEE companies with a powerful marketing platform to showcase their companies to both local and international players."
Israel Noko, business development officer at the Canadian High Commission, says the BEE database will be of great value to Canadian companies.
"The BEE database will be a key tool in providing market intelligence and contacts that we can then pass onto Canadian companies looking for BEE partners."
Leopold says that while the database will retain a BEE focus, the focus will be expanded to include all small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) within SA.
"While we acknowledge that this sample is not a complete reflection of the status of all BEE companies, what has been achieved is a firm foundation for developing a comprehensive and sustainable framework.
"The second phase of the project will concentrate on updating and further expanding the database to eventually include all SA SMME companies," she says.
The database can be found at http://www2.dti.gov.za/BEECompanies/ and will be expanded in the update of the database to include as many BEE companies as possible along with their Web site and e-mail addresses.
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