Finalists for the 13th Annual Oliver Empowerment Awards announced

Hosted by Topco Media's Impumelelo publication, the Oliver Empowerment Awards distinguishes the nation's most inspirational leaders who exemplify outstanding levels of initiative through Black Economic Empowerment in the workplace.

"Overall, I found the quality of entrants to be incredibly strong, especially in the Top Black Entrepreneur Award category as it was almost impossible to pinpoint a clear winner," says Managing Editor Nick Krige.

Previous winners have reentered this year's Awards, creating an even more heated competitive atmosphere throughout the categories. Discovery's Kate Moodley, who won the Top Business Women of the Year and also Top Women Executive for South Africa in 2011, is a returning competitor with her sights set on the Future Black Leader Award for 2014.

Judges saw the Skills Development Award category as one of the most competitive, with top corporate companies, like KPMG and Allied Technologies, demonstrating with great depth how their organisations have impacted social development, both internally and externally.

"As a country, we can be proud of the part private organisations play in assisting the government through poverty alleviation and education," says Topco Media's CEO Ralf Fletcher. "The level of commitment shown by this year's entrants have made it more difficult for the judges to evaluate the final outcomes."

The Oliver Empowerment Awards will be taking place on 25 April 2014 at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg where the winners of each category will be revealed.

For more information, please contact Sheri Morgan on 086 000 9590 or email az.oc.ocpot@nagrom.irehs.

2014 FINALISTS

ORGANISATION AWARDS

ENTERPRISE & SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Coega Development Corporation
Eskom Holdings SOC Limited
Gijima Holdings (Pty) Ltd
KPMG
Musa Capital
Total Facilities Management Company
Tsogo Sun Holdings
T-Systems South Africa
Volkswagen Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd

DIVERSITY AWARD

DAV Professional Placement Group
KPMG
Netcare Limited
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Quest Staffing Solutions
Umsinsi Health Care
JOB CREATION AWARD
Coega Development Corporation
DHL Express
EOH Holdings
Netcare Limited
Persaf Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Umsinsi Health Care

FAST GROWTH BLACK-OWNED SMME AWARD

Alcari 392 t/a Rubber Engineering
Boniswa Corporate Solutions
Indigo Kulani Group
MMQS
Praxis Computing (Pty) Ltd
Ratehang Projects cc
SED (SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT) AWARD
Bytes People Solutions
Eskom Holdings SOC Limited
Gijima Holdings (Pty) Ltd
McKinsey & Company
Pareto Limited
Persaf Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Sekunjalo Investment Holdings
Ulwazi Protection Services
Vodacom
Volkswagen Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AWARD (> R1 billion)

Allied Technologies LTD (Altech)
EOH Holdings
Imperial Logistics
KPMG
Kumba Iron Ore
Mckinsey & Company
Netcare Limited
Renault SA
Travel with Flair
T-Systems South Africa
Volkswagen Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AWARD (< R1 billion)

Bytes People Solutions
Coega Development Corporation
Dormac Marine & Engineering
Mhlathuze Water
Mint Management Technologies

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

FUTURE BLACK LEADER AWARD (<40 YEARS)

Collins Rudzani Makhado (Executive Head: Centre for Strategy, Risk & Performance) - SAMSA
Kate Moodley (Franchise Director) - Discovery Consulting Services
Mzoxolo Jojwana (Programming Manager, Talk Radio 702) - Primedia Broadcasting
Sandi Mbutuma (Executive Director) - Pentad Quantity Surveyors
Simphiwe Xulu (Operations Manager) - Mhlathuze Water

TOP BLACK ENTREPRENEUR OF 2014 AWARD

Anda Maqanda (Managing Director) - AM Group (Pty) Ltd
Bongani Mabizela (Executive Chairman) - Ulwazi Protection Services
Gift Mpho Mogodi (Managing Director) - Ratehang Projects cc
Lynette Magasa (Chief Executive Officer) - Boniswa Corporate Solutions
Mandla Mlangeni (Chief Executive Officer) - MMQS
Matome E.Modipa (Group CEO & Founder) - Sebata Group of Companies
Nandha Moodley (Director) - Alcari 392 t/a Rubber Engineering
Sibongile Manganyi (Managing Director) - Indigo Kulani Group
Theo P Wilcox (Managing Member) - Lesedi Consulting Engineers
Tim Tebeila (Chairman) - Sekoko Resources (Pty) Ltd

TOP BLACK FEMALE LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Kay Vittee (Chief Executive Officer) - Quest Staffing Solutions
Lynette Magasa (Chief Executive Officer) - Boniswa Corporate Solutions
Priakumari Hassan (Chief Executive Officer) - WOA Fuels and Oils
Shirley Machaba (Executive Chairman of the Governing Board) - PricewaterhouseCoopers

TOP BLACK MALE LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Bongani Mabizela (Executive Chairman) - Ulwazi Protection Services
Matome E. Modipa (Group Chief Executive & Founder) - Sebata Group of Companies
Sizwe Nxasana (Chief Executive Officer) - FirstRand Limited
William Mzimba (Chief Executive Officer) - Accenture SA

PUBLIC SECTOR AWARDS

MOST TRANSFORMED PUBLIC SECTOR AWARD (MUNICIPALITY/PARASTATAL/SOE) sponsored by South African Weather Services

Mhlathuze Water
Moses Kotane Institute
South African Maritime Safety Authority
South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
Supplier Park Development Company SOC t/a AIDC