Company Announcement - The Coega Development Corporation’s winning streak continues as it scooped the Top Empowered: Public Service Award at the 14th Annual Oliver Empowerment Awards at Emperors’ Palace in Johannesburg on 23 April 2015. “The organisation is thrilled to have been awarded an Oliver Empowerment Award for a second year running as the Top Empowered public service organisation. It shows CDC’s consistency in delivering top class services and efficiency. This award speaks to the hard work and inputs by everyone in the organisation,” said the CDC’s Executive Manager for Business Development, Christopher Mashigo.

The Oliver Empowerment Awards are regarded as South Africa’s premier awards for leadership and innovation in empowerment and transformation. They are hosted in association with publication Impumelelo, South Africa’s Top Empowered Companies. The award is given to companies with a strong performance in socio-economic development programmes, with policies and initiatives that advance underprivileged communities and individuals affected by income inequality.

The CDC was one of five finalists in the category along with the Automotive Industry Development Centre , the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation and Mango Airlines (Flymango.com).
The competition was adjudicated by esteemed panel of judges, i.e. Xolani Qubeka: Secretary General Black Business Council, CEO: Small Business Development Institute; Duduzile Maseko: Executive Director for Community Development City of Joburg; Allon Rai: CEO of Raizcorp; Johanna Mukoki: Group CEO of Travel with Flair; Leigh Gunkel-Keuler: Public Affairs, Policy and Communications Director of Pfizer; Siphiwe Ngwenya: CEO of Gauteng Growth Development Agency; and Molebatsi Moagi: Managing Director of Centre of Supplier Development

Last year, the CDC won the Job Creation Award at the Oliver Empowerment Awards and was also one of four recipients of a RAIZCORP bursary valued at R250 000. “We remain committed to improving conditions for the people of the Eastern Cape, and further afield throughout the country where we are present,” said Dr. Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC head of Marketing and Communications.
The CDC, which manages South Africa’s largest and most successful Industrial Development Zone, continues to excel and has manifested a number of strong growth and development coups in the last financial year ended 31 March 2015.

Some of the company’s big achievements include:
• Securing 19 new investors for the Coega IDZ and investments valued at R1.8-billion for the South African economy.
• Delivering 75 construction and refurbishment projects, including emergency schools and early childhood centres, for the Department of Basic Education and the Eastern Cape Department of Education.
• Creating 7000 jobs from new investors secured during 2014 and 2015.
• Empowering 500 small, micro and medium-sized enterprises which took part in the CDC Black Economic Empowerment Competitiveness Improvement Programme in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal.