Case studies

R6 million distributed to beneficiaries through Tongaat Hulett and Ubizo Communal Property Association (CPA) agreement

Tongaat Hulett believes that land reform is one of the major drivers in advancing the empowerment of historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Well-managed land reform projects create value for the poor, balance relationships between private sector organisations and communities, and promote sustainable rural development. They also provide enterprising individuals within the community with various business opportunities that emanate from the land reform process.

Tongaat Hulett partnership with The Jobs Fund continues to deliver significant benefits to rural communities

Tongaat Hulett has for many years invested in surrounding communities to help address pressing socio-economic challenges. A partnership between Tongaat Hulett and The Jobs Fund, managed by the Department of National Treasury of South Africa, to accelerate socio-economic transformation in rural communities, which began in 2014, has proven its worth with more than 5 800 people still benefitting from the project. It also demonstrates the importance of developing strategic partnerships that result in innovative solutions to our country’s unemployment crisis.

TONGAAT HULETT’S COVID-19 RESPONSE

The World Health Organization (WHO) first declared COVID-19 a world health emergency in January 2020 and the pandemic rapidly evolved into a global public health crisis. Around the world, governments adopted policies to lock down economic and social activities to contain the spread of the virus. The effect on industry was severe due to the impact of import and export controls, border closures that prevented the movement of people, disruption of supply chains, production halts, reduced consumer spending arising from large-scale job cuts and business closures and the subsequent decline in revenue generation.

INNOVATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

Many people hospitalised with COVID-19 need breathing support and at the start of the pandemic there was a global shortage of ventilators as patient numbers spiked. These devices are also very expensive and very few were available in Tongaat Hulett’s countries of operation, particularly Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

REDEPLOYMENT OF CRITICAL INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Tongaat Hulett’s restructuring and rightsizing during 2019 reduced the workforce by 10 220 employees through the non-renewal of contracts, voluntary severance packages (VSPs), retrenchments, early retirements and natural attrition. While the process resulted in significant cost savings and enabled a refresh of business leadership, it also heightened the need to ensure that institutional knowledge is retained in the organisation and passed on to the next level of leadership. While formal structured training is an important aspect of skills development, practical on the job learning from an interested and experienced mentor will play an important role in skills transfer and knowledge retention.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE MOBILE DATA

Njabulo Maphumulo is a budding entrepreneur who has worked hard to expand his information and communications technology business, Mobit. His ambition is to transform people’s lives by building a network that allows people to access information affordably.

VOERMOL BRAND REFRESH: BEEFING UP OUR BULL

For nearly 60 years, Voermol® Feeds has been at the forefront of scientific success in the animal feeds sector and is the market leader in the molasses and pith-based animal feeds industry in South Africa. The company is a proud part of the Tongaat Hulett family and recently undertook to evolve and refresh its corporate brand and packaging to better reflect our high-quality brand.

OPERATION SAKHINZUZO: PROPELLING SMALL-SCALE FARMERS TO SUCCESS

Operation Sakhinzuzo is a R74 million development partnership co-funded by the EDTEA and Tongaat Hulett. The partnership was established in 2017 and is being implemented and supported over six years to 2023 to support small-scale sugarcane farmers in the province by developing 3 000 hectares of land in freehold and communal areas.