2022 Sasol Sustainability Report - Book - Page 41
INTRODUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS
DATA AND ASSURANCE
GROWING SHARED VALUE (CONTINUED)
Economic inclusion (continued)
FOCUS AREAS
SMME MARKET
ACCESS
To create market
access opportunities
through participation
in industry events and
improving visibility.
South Africa
Mozambique
With the lifting of the lockdown restrictions, we increased support for SME participation in various roadshows
and exhibitions in an effort to provide much-needed market access opportunities for our SMEs. We sponsored
and supported SME participation in the following events: Annual Smart Procurement World Indaba virtual expo
(September 2021); African Petrochemicals Show in Sasolburg and Secunda (October 2021); SEDA SMME Popup
Markets in Secunda (November 2021) and Sasolburg (March 2022); and Big 5 Construct Southern Africa 2022
(June 2022).
We launched the five-year local content plan in Maxixe,
Inhambane to make SMMEs aware of the business
opportunities Sasol offers in Mozambique as well as our
capacity-building programmes. During roadshows in
Govuru, Inhassoro and Vilanculos, we presented business
opportunities, our economic development fund and our
workforce development plan. This provided SMMEs with an
opportunity to showcase their company profiles, skills and
competencies to Sasol.
Other expo participation included the Northern Cape’s Mining and Technical Exhibitions (MTE) events in Hotazel
and Kathu in September 2021 where the Energy Sales and Marketing team co-hosted the Sasol stand with Sasol’s
Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) team at both expos. The ESD team used the platform to proactively
capture and assess the capabilities of small businesses and introduce Sasol’s business aspirations in the region
and the potential opportunities that may arise as a result of Sasol extending its footprint to the Northern Cape.
We hosted Supplier Days across our fenceline regions with the primary objective of sharing the prescribed
governance and processes for accessing Sasol opportunities with SMEs. The events also served to address
queries about using the Linkage platform to register businesses, accessing franchising opportunities and
providing insights to help simplify the Sasol Procurement, Funding and Applications and Accreditation processes.
SUPPLY CHAIN
CAPABILITY
BUILIDING
To offer business
and technical
support aligned
with procurement
needs and, promote
Economic Inclusion,
and Equity for
women in business.
SMME FUNDING
To broaden the
funding options
for beneficiaries
at different
development levels.
We kicked off the Women in Engineering Incubation programme in partnership with female-focused STEM business
accelerator, WomHub. This two-year-long in-person and virtual programme seeks to provide leadership
development and intensive entrepreneurial support for the growth of women-owned SMEs in the engineering and
technology industries.
Various initiatives have been introduced in the Ekandustria region to provide SME development, including support
to five SMEs identified to operate a newly established laundry facility.
Five SMEs in the textile and recycling industries have been provided with used Sasol PPE overalls that were due to
be discarded. They use these to create new products as part of the Sasol PPE Upcycling Pilot programme. The SMEs,
selected from Secunda, Sasolburg, Soweto and Ekandustria, have up-cycled the used overalls into products such
as bucket hats, lunch bags, pencil cases, chair backs and tool bags. As part of the programme, technical support,
mentorship and coaching were provided to the SMEs through a clothing manufacturing consultancy. The SMEs are
also receiving marketing assistance to enable effective product marketing, as well as assistance in creating an
online presence through digital and social media enablement and the implementation of e-commerce sites. This
assistance enables the SMEs to lower market access costs, increase their reach and better respond to customer and
market demands, facilitating their independence and reducing reliance on Sasol opportunities to sustain growth.
The Siyakha loan book R639,5 million remains under significant pressure due to lack lustre economic conditions
impacting SMEs, with some of the funded SMEs still struggling to meet repayment obligations on their loans.
Sasol continues to provide post-investment support and to explore relief measures.
To address the funding challenges experienced by SMEs, we are working on an initiative to expand on the funding
solutions offered by Siyakha Trust. This is in the discovery phase and will be launched in the new financial year.
Grant funding continues to be disbursed as a key support mechanism for assisting SMEs with the purchase of
equipment, raw materials, systems and accreditation.
SASOL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2022
40
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have an online capacity
building programme. The first cycle of the online training has
been successfully implemented. The sessions took place from
July 2021 to April 2022 and nine modules were delivered to
around 90 companies across the country. Some 156 company
representatives were trained. Overall positive feedback has
been provided on the quality of training and applicability of
the content.
The Classroom Training and Mentoring Programme restarted
in April 2022. Twenty companies from Inhambane are attending
the first cycle: almost 70% of the registered SMMEs are from
Vilankulo; most are in civil construction; and 40% have shares
that belong to women.
The SMME Fund aims to provide qualified local Mozambicanowned companies with a viable business plan and access to
affordable funding to deliver on their contractual commitments
and grow their business. BCI is the implementing partner
responsible for the risk and credit assessment and managing
the line since mid-February 2021.
The Fund is progressing well. To date, more than US$550 000
has been disbursed to 18 companies from Inhambane (eight
from Vilankulo, two from Inhassoro, three from Inhambane
City, three from Maxixe, one from Govuro and one from
Zavala). In 2022, the value of the fund was increased to
US$750 000. From a sector point of view, out of the total
amount disbursed, 36% went to businesses within the Goods
and Services sector, 30% to the Construction sector and 22%
to Tourism and Restaurant sector.
Funding
solutions for
sustainable
funding
solutions.
The Siyakha Fund
grants commercial
loans on highly
favourable terms
to Sasol suppliers
to help them service
their contracts
and grow their
businesses.
Fund
offering
Working
capital
Asset
financing
Debt
consolidation