SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS DEAL TO BENEFIT BLACK-BUSINESS

Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Mzwandile Masina.

The Black Business Council has welcomed South African Airways’ pledge to make half of its R20 billion procurement budget available to empowerment enterprises by the end of 2018, saying this should lead to more opportunities for the successful businesses.

Secretary-general Xolani Qubeka hailed as “bold and decisive” the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Trade and Industry and South African Airways on Monday, and said the Black Business Council was looking forward to collaborating with all parties to ensure that everyone in the black business community, not just its membership, could access these opportunities.

At the signing of the MoU, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Mzwandile Masina said: “This is not a patronage scheme for people who are not qualified to do things. We are speaking about millions of South Africans who are qualified and capable to provide many goods and services required by the SAA.

Qubeka said it was important that black-owned companies were ready to step up and “meet world standards when they supplied SAA”, which would open other doors. “The most important thing now is for our black companies to be ready and make sure that they are competent and are able to respond appropriately to these opportunities.”

Masina added that the DTI would be assisting black entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the opportunities at SAA and was already engaged in consultations with developmental finance institutions to establish partnerships to support black-owned companies.

The Citizen, SA