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Antonie Beukes says although the university is involved in a number of projects that add to its BBBEE rating, considerable attention is given to initiatives to better the lives of some of its suppliers.

For the past two years, the University of the Free State (UFS) has had one of the best Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) ratings among universities in South Africa. The university recently received confirmation that its Level-4 rating has been approved for another year. 

According to Antonie Beukes, Assistant Director in the UFS Department of Finance, this rating enables the university to compete with the advantage of a 100% procurement level regarding tenders. “It will also help with our third-stream income, and more importantly, this level assures everyone that we are on the right track regarding BBBEE,” says Beukes. 

Opportunity to better the lives of others

The university had to work hard to maintain their Level-4 BBBEE status. Beukes says one of the initiatives they focused on was the development of suppliers and enterprises that are not associated with the UFS. 

“Many people think of BBBEE initiatives as a project where money is paid, and that is where the buck stops. Although this may get you some points, it is important for the university to better the lives of others.”

“We mostly focus on Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) and Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs), because they are the small, start-up companies that need help to be sustainable. Even though assistance can take various forms, such as spending time with suppliers and offering services at a lower cost or free of charge, the university gives considerable attention to providing training to these service providers,” says Beukes.

Always strive for a better rating

The UFS Department of Finance strives to achieve a better rating each year. “The aim for next year will obviously be to be rated as a Level 3 but maintaining the Level 4 will be a big achievement.”

Beukes, however, points out that one needs to be realistic and must keep track of what is going on in the economy, as well as the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He continues: “Strict new rules regarding BBBEE scoring also came into play last year and we see that most businesses are rating lower scores (higher levels), which directly impact the UFS.”

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Profiling of small businesses discussed
2010-06-03

From the left are: Mr Christoff van der Merwe, businessman from Pretoria, Ms Jackie Ntshingila, Provincial Manager of SEDA in the Free State, Prof. Tienie Crous, Dean: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the UFS, Mr Barry Chang from Mijona International in Bloemfontein and Mr Hendrik van der Merwe, businessman from Pretoria.
Photo: Stephen Collett


“We need some kind of innovation to help small businesses in the Free State grow to their full potential.” These were the words of Ms Jackie Ntshingila, Provincial Manager of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) in the Free State at a breakfast presented by the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.

The faculty and SEDA presented the breakfast after identifying the need to profile small business development agencies and to get the role-players in the province together to discuss the development of small business enterprises.

“It is important that we start to profile small agencies in the province and a university is a good neutral ground to start an initiative like this,” said Prof. Tienie Crous, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the UFS.

“Small business development agencies are working in silos, there are fragmented reporting lines, a duplication of services and the service is rotated among the same group of small, medium and micro enterprises,” said Ms Ntshingila.

“Students do not see themselves as job creators and entrepreneurs are not contributing optimally to the gross domestic product of the province. Job creation opportunities are also not efficiently reported and there is a competitive approach amongst different business associations,” she said.

Ms Ntshingila proposed a couple solutions: “Establish an electronic database, do government reporting through a systems or database administrator and make a presentation to government for adequate funding for these projects,” she said.

At the breakfast it was proposed that the small business development agencies will now be identified and follow-up meetings will be arranged by the faculty and SEDA.


Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
2 June 2010

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