Page 13 - Energize March 2021

NEWS

Authentically empowered for growth and training process, which facilitated
skills empowerment and development of
these candidates. As a result, six additional
unemployed young people were trained in
ekra Industrial in South Africa has recently attained a Level 3 B-BBEE (Broad-Based NDT at Koeberg and an additional two at
Black Economic Empowerment) accreditation, with 51% black woman ownership Dekra Industrial in Middelburg.”
Dfollowing an 18-month transformation process. The agreement with the new majority Singh explains that she will not be
share option holder, established B-BBEE ownership consultancy Transformation Shared involved in the daily operations of the
Services (TSS), became effective from February 2021. company, focusing more on strategic
Johan Gerber, the company’s managing director, says “Transformation is something we oversight and input at board level. She
take very seriously at Dekra Industrial. We regard our B-BBEE level upgrade as an extremely has other business interests, she says,
important and positive change. We believe it represents an authentic collaboration with a well- including a long-standing partnership in
respected, value-adding B-BBEE partner – with which we share many synergies. Level 3 B-BBEE the law firm SST (Stroebel Singh Theunissen
accreditation, a vital gateway, is now open to many new tenders and projects – particularly given Incorporated) and several independent
our new black woman ownership status. In addition, this collaboration will support us in the trusteeships.
empowerment and transformation of many areas of the business.” Singh says that in addition to providing
Ashmini Singh, a director of TSS and the new majority share option holder, and now an legal support, she and her team at TSS
incoming non-executive director of Dekra Industrial RSA, agrees, saying “Collaboration and will add value by networking and opening
trust are at the centre of our partnership with Dekra Industrial. There is a strong mutual up opportunities for Dekra Industrial via
accord and synergy between our two companies. Our respective ethos and approach is their client portfolio, many of which could
convergent in so many ways: always seeking to add value, in terms of skills and people potentially benefit from Dekra Industrial’s
empowerment, client service and enterprise development. We are therefore confident that NDT and inspection services. Some could
we can continue to grow trust both internally and externally, as a dynamic and mutually also utilise the safety, welding and other
beneficial partnership.” training courses offered by the Dekra
According to Gerber, this transformation process has helped the company improve its Institute of Learning (IOL).
skills and enterprise development initiatives. The firm is excited about the prospect of making a Previously, Dekra Industrial in South
difference for previously disadvantaged South Africans, he says. Africa was entirely owned by the parent
Gerber explains: “On our Koeberg project, for example, many of the general workers or brush company Dekra SE, headquartered
hands – all of whom are sourced from local communities – did not have experience working in in Germany. “Our parent company’s
the non-destructive testing (NDT) or nuclear sector. We undertook a comprehensive mentoring willingness to embrace transformation in
South Africa is a great demonstration of
its faith in the future of our company. This
vote of confidence from our international
shareholders proves that they had
the foresight to see transformation
as a pivotal development and growth
opportunity for Dekra Industrial locally,”
Gerber comments.
TSS has been involved with Dekra
Industrial since 2016, when it became a 30%
shareholder in the company.
“Our revised B-BBEE status – supported
by the strong value-adding partnership with
TSS – is an important step in proving our
commitment to doing business the right way
in South Africa,” Gerber concludes. n

Contact Johan Gerber, Dekra Industrial,
Tel 082 652-1163, johan.gerber@dekra.com

energize | March 2021 | 11