The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) has opened entries for the Black Industrialists and Exporters Awards, the ceremony for which will take place at the Sandton International Convention Centre, on March 20, as part of the second Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference.
The dtic will be hosting the conference in partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation, the National Empowerment Fund and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation.
All black Industrialist-owned companies that have been approved and benefited from financial schemes offered by government and its entities over the past 18 months are eligible to enter for the various categories by completing entry forms obtainable from the Black Industrialists Awards website by March 10.
Categories include young industrialist, exporter, woman industrialist, job creation and best innovator awards.
The awards recognise business excellence and honour enterprises which promote innovation, job creation and sound business ethics.
More than 1 500 delegates, including black-owned firms, panellists and speakers, exhibitors and several Ministers are expected to attend the conference and the awards ceremony. There will also be an exhibition that will showcase proudly South African products manufactured by black Industrialists.
As previously reported in Engineering News, the day-long conference will provide a platform for an exchange of ideas, knowledge and information on the achievements of the Black Industrialists Programme since its inception in 2015, as well as challenges and opportunities presented by the programme.