Johannesburg, South Africa – Sasol is proud to be a sponsor of the 5th Annual Proudly SA Buy Local Summit and Expo. Taking place tomorrow at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Sasol will use the platform to showcase 10 of start-up SMMEs it is developing at its Sasol Business Incubator in Sasolburg, Free State.

A proudly South African company, Sasol has for more than 60 years played an important role in the industrialisation growth and socio-economic development of South Africa. Our locally-produced products have and continue to play an important role in the birth of new industries and the growth of established ones, creating jobs and contributing to social and economic development.

“Sasol understands that as a large corporation, we serve a higher purpose than just running our business profitably,” said Justice Magagula, Vice President: Enterprise and Supplier Development at Sasol Limited.

“We are aware of the vital role a growing small, medium and micro-sized enterprise (SMME) sector plays in broadening economic participation and delivering on our country's economic development objectives, which include job creation. This is why enterprise and supplier development is such a strong focus of our Corporate Social Investment strategy.”

The 10 Sasol-supported SMMEs that will be at the Buy Local Summit and Expo are Majotech Filtech, a majority black woman-owned business that manufactures air pollution control products and solutions; DermaHerb, an environmentally conscious manufacturer of skin care products based on the indigenous Aloe plant species; and TharoAfrica, a black woman-owned company  that makes heavy duty cleaning chemicals.  
 
The others are: Anchor Pallets, which manufactures pallets; Reunko Steel, a black-owned underground mining roof bolt manufacturer; Penuel Nathi Trading, a specialist in the construction of underground ventilation structures; KSM Chemical Solutions which manufactures environmentally friendly cleaning products for household and industrial use; and Khewija Engineering and Construction. There’s also innovation company Afrikozi that designs light weight, mobile education products for learners in disadvantage communities, and Kira Valves & Engineering, which focuses on general engineering, refurbishment, manufacturing and modification, as well as valve trading and welding.

Through the Sasol Siyakha Enterprise and Supplier Development Fund, Sasol is also assisting its black suppliers to become sustainable. The aim is to create viable enterprises that can play meaningful economic roles in the communities Sasol operates in, such as create jobs and develop particularly scarce skills.

“It is important for Sasol to ensure that our economic and social development contribution is effective,” said Magagula.

“Hence, we have adopted a focused multi-pronged approach to supporting existing and potential SMME suppliers that comprises giving financial and non-financial solutions. We want to diversity of our supplier pool, enable access to market opportunities within our value chain and those of other large corporations, and enhance community development and contribute more meaningfully to the development of thriving local economies,” said Magagula.

An estimated 500 delegates are expected to take part in this year’s Proudly SA Buy Local Summit and Expo. Supporting this event is one of the ways Sasol is demonstrating its support for local businesses and the call to help stimulate economic growth.