TONGAAT HULETT DOES NOT OFFER JOBS IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY

We follow sound and fair recruitment processes, and any offer of employment would never be contingent on a candidate making any form of payment.

Please be aware that if you are approached and offered a position in exchange for money, this is fraudulent. We encourage you to report it anonymously on our 365/24/7 FreeCall Tip-offs Anonymous service – 0800 21 21 87 or tongaat@tip-offs.com.

If you would like to work at Tongaat Hulett, our career vacancies are advertised on the following website portals:

• Careers24
• PNet

BANKING DETAILS SCAM ALERT

The pandemic and introduction of lockdowns globally saw a surge of cybercrime, and there has been a noticeable increase in incidents in Southern Africa. Please remain extremely vigilant to unusual emails to ensure that  you are protected.

One recent method adopted by fraudsters is to pose as a company representative and request a customer to change the company’s bank details. These requests are often accompanied by a fair amount of knowledge of the amounts owed, when payment is due, purchase order numbers, valid ID numbers etc. These requests are almost certainly accompanied by a forged letter from the “bank” confirming the details. All of these are specifically intended to make the request appear genuine.

We have been made aware of fraudsters attempting to contact our customers using a similar tactic. Please note that our banking details have not changed, and should you receive such a request, please do not action it.

Should you receive a request to change banking details please notify us on Tongaat@tip-offs.com

PROFILING PHUMZILE NTULI – INTERNATIONAL DAY OF RURAL WOMEN

Rural women play a central role in supporting their households by generating income, ensuring there is food on the table for their families and improving the overall well-being of their communities.  They create and contribute to agriculture and rural enterprises and participate in a wide range of grassroots activities.  They also tend to spend far more time than urban women and men in agricultural activities ranging from establishing home food gardens to their participation in agricultural cooperatives. 

Mrs Phumzile Ntuli is based at Izindophi Reserve under the Mpungose Tribal Council and is one of the many rural women committed to extending the benefits of development to all the people in her community.  Izindophi is also one of the sugarcane growing communities that works in partnership with Tongaat Hulett. Ntuli grew up like all other young girls in the area.  She attended Khayalodumo primary school and Zwelithini high school in the area.  

Ntuli says: “Izindophi, like many rural communities, has always been negatively affected by high levels of unemployment, poverty, alcohol and drug abuse. I felt compelled to do something in order to change the circumstances of my community.”

In 2005, she founded Qalekhaya Primary Cooperative with four other community members.  The primary objective of the Cooperative was to create employment for the youth and women in and around Izindophi.  Ntuli says she had seen that most of the women in rural communities were involved in raising chickens and felt something different was needed.

“During our assessment of the local environment, we saw and heard through media that learning in certain schools was being impacted by a lack of school infrastructure.  This is how the idea of establishing a Cooperative to manufacture school furniture was born,” she says. 

The Cooperative manufactures school furniture for the majority of schools throughout KwaZulu-Natal. The Cooperative has grown to an extent that it now has 13 permanent employees and 7 temporary employees. Most of the employees are local youth who are now able to support themselves and their families.  The Cooperative continues to grow, and it is currently generating R1.5 million in revenue annually. 

Ntuli says: “As a Cooperative we noticed that the business of providing school furniture was seasonal.  However, we also saw that the demand for food was constant.  This was how the idea for the establishment of a food garden initiative was born.  The food garden initiative has enabled food insecure households to grow food and feed themselves. The highlight of this project is that it is not only feeding vulnerable households, it has grown to a point where the project selling its produce to the local businesses in and around Eshowe including the local Spar.” 

The lockdown period has been when the Cooperative has been at its busiest – the demand for food was at its highest when most family members were at home. “Local businesses and communities wanted our produce and we had to ensure that we opened more areas in order to plant the various food crops,” she says.

While Ntuli has continued to succeed against the odds, the Cooperative still struggles to access infrastructure.  Due to the lack of agricultural equipment, the Cooperative spends a lot of its financial resources hiring tractors from local farmers.  Going forward, they would like to own their own tractor so that they can plant more area and also generate an income through assisting local farmers in the area.

In addition, during the lockdown period, 20 volunteers from Shining Star Community Development, a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) that was formed by the Cooperative, worked with government to raise awareness about COVID-19.  The NPO is also assisting socially vulnerable children by buying them school uniforms and supporting the local youth to participate in sports and recreation by encouraging sports in the community. 

Nkonzo Mhlongo, Tongaat Hulett Sugar Corporate Affairs Executive, says the empowerment of rural women continues to be a major focus of Tongaat Hulett’s sustainable rural development approach. 

“Tongaat has invested resources in building the capacity of women in agricultural cooperatives and has implemented socio-economic development initiatives aimed at improving the social wellbeing of rural children, youth and communities. Our interventions have also stimulated local economies through the sugarcane development initiatives in and around the areas where the company operates,” she says. 

TONGAAT PARTNERS WITH ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY TO COMMEMORATE WORLD FOOD DAY

Tongaat Hulett and the eThekwini Municipality have formed a partnership to donate food hampers to child headed households in and around the Tongaat area in commemoration of World Food Day 2020.

As many countries and communities around the world struggle to deal with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers of World Food Day launched a call for all social partners and governments to support the most vulnerable communities and make the food systems more sustainable.

In response to this call, eThekwini Municipality and Tongaat Hulett took a decision to partner and focus their support on mainly child headed households.

Nkonzo Mhlongo, Corporate Affairs Executive of Tongaat Hulett Sugar, said the company was committed to creating value for all its stakeholders.

“Our decision to partner with eThekwini Municipality was to ensure there was no duplication of effort and that our interventions targeted the poorest of the poor. This partnership will enable Tongaat Hulett to respond effectively to the significant social challenges in the eThekwini area.

“It has also enabled us to create awareness programmes and support initiatives centered around the prevention of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the local communities and our employees,” she said

A hands-on approach was adopted during the identification of the child headed households and other vulnerable community members, with community-based development workers being central to this process. The majority of the selected children and youth were from challenging environments and had limited access to adequate sanitation and water. Many of the children and youth were dependent on the State grant as well as money sent by their family members or relatives working outside their communities.

Commemorating World Food Day, Sam Maphumulo, Regional Coordinator, Community Participation and Action Support Unit of eThekwini Municipality, said that in the second quarter in South Africa, a total of 2.2 million lost their jobs. “COVID-19 has imposed a huge burden on communities, particularly child headed households and low-income families, making them vulnerable to household food insecurity.

“World Food Day has given the Municipality the opportunity to partner with companies such as Tongaat Hulett in order to support vulnerable children and households,” he said

One of the beneficiaries of the food hampers was a youngster named Sipho (not his real name). He is the eldest child and is responsible for five children ranging from the ages of 15 to the age of 4 years. In 2018, his life changed forever when his mother passed away after a short illness.

Sipho said: “While my extended family is around, they also have their own struggles. They are all unemployed and certainly could not afford an additional six mouths to feed. I therefore took the decision to leave school in Grade 10 to support my siblings, which I do through fishing and piecemeal jobs. The support from Tongaat Hulett and eThekwini Municipality will take away the stress of wondering where our next meal is going to come from.”

Tongaat Hulett also partnered with the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on World Food Day. The company donated 300, 2.5kg bags of sugar which will be included as part of the food parcel to be distributed by the Minister of Agriculture, Thoko Didiza. The Department is a strategic partner of Tongaat Hulett on issues relating to sustainable agriculture, farmer development and sustainability, and the social and economic wellbeing of rural communities in the areas where the company operates.

 

SADC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TONGAAT HULETT AND SOUTHERN LODESTAR FOUNDATION

The Southern Lodestar Foundation has donated 60 tons of instant porridge to support vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and eSwatini.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Tongaat Hulett partnered with the Southern Lodestar Foundation to donate high energy porridge to communities associated with Tongaat Hulett in South Africa and other countries. Research shows that with improved nutrition, children are able to develop mentally and physically, which boosts their ability to learn and absorb new information. 

Andre Redinger from the Foundation says that Tongaat Hulett in South Africa and the Foundation started working more closely together in early April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to further their reach.

“Our commitment to Tongaat Hulett is to extend beyond this period to ensure we deliver a sustainable breakfast programme in the countries we are operating in. We have benefitted from Tongaat’s significant support – from logistics; to human resources; to reaching those who need nutritional intervention as a matter of life and death.

“To many of the children in Africa, we pledge nourishment, education, and love so that we can help to uplift; to inspire and to be of service.”

Tongaat Hulett’s mission is to build its future by creating sustainable value for all its stakeholders by investing in those communities within which the company operates.  Tongaat supports a wide range of sustainable development initiatives aimed at improving the wellbeing of communities and families. The company uses its existing infrastructure, logistic network and stakeholder relationships to accelerate the distribution of the instant porridge in the three countries.  

Nkonzo Mhlongo, Corporate Affairs at Tongaat Hulett Sugar, says that the partnership between the company and the Foundation has highlighted the importance of collaboration.

“The donation has enabled both parties to share their specific competencies and capabilities to help achieve a common goal of improved nutrition in the three countries. The donated 60 tons will translate into 1,2 million meals and will therefore go a long way in supporting individuals and families that are at a breaking point.”

Sonia Matsinhe, Covid-19 Team Leader for Tongaat Hulett Mozambique says that Tongaat Hulett’s partnership with the Southern Lodestar Foundation presented a perfect opportunity for the company to intensify its corporate social responsibility interventions related to nutrition and food security. 

“This donation has ensured that children, senior citizens and recovering Covid-19 patients benefit from a nutritious and high energy meal in the morning.  The porridge has been allocated to the local hospitals of Xinavane, Magude, Manhiça, Moamba, Mafambisse, Dondo and Nhamatanda, local schools, student homes, nursing homes/old age homes, orphanages, vulnerable families in the surrounding communities, and employees affected by the pandemic. 

“As Tongaat Hulett-Mozambique we are also arming our employees with information and the tools that they need to operate safely,” says Matsinhe.

Gugu Mthimkhulu, head of Human Resources in Tongaat Hulett eSwatini, says that Tongaat Hulett has taken extraordinary steps to promote safe and healthy communities in the areas where the company operates. 

“The company has procured masks for its employees, provided sanitizers and put measures in place to minimise social contact. Through the partnership with the Southern Lodestar Foundation, we have also been able to assist children access the high energy instant porridge in the morning.  This assistance will contribute to increased school attendance and improved learning amongst children. 

“In addition to that, destitute elderly people from the nearby surrounding communities have been supported. The porridge was distributed to the following feeding kitchens/care points Vuvulane Farm, Mafucula, Maphiveni, Shewula, and Lomahasha communities,” says Mthimkhulu.

Adelaide Chikunguru Corporate Affairs and Communication Executive in Tongaat Hulett-Zimbabwe, says that Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe has made use of the company resources and the existing network of partners to have a meaningful response to the COVID-19 crisis.  

“Through the partnership with the Southern Lodestar Foundation, we will be able to make 400 000 meals available to children and individuals that have experienced undue hardship because of the pandemic.

“By supporting these communities and individuals, Tongaat Hulett is not only addressing the challenge of food insecurity and malnutrition, but also helping to ensure the sustainability of local institutions amid such a crisis.  The instant porridge will be distributed to 39 primary schools and 4 hospitals in Chiredzi. 

TONGAAT WELCOMES DECISION ON STARCH SALE

Tongaat Hulett has welcomed the decision by independent third-party Rothschild & Co that a material adverse change (MAC) has not occurred with relation to the R5.35 billion sale of its starch business to Barloworld.

Tongaat CEO Gavin Hudson said was pleased that the decision by the independent expert had confirmed Tongaat’s belief that a MAC event had not occurred, and that the transaction would now go ahead.

“Throughout this process we have continued to work to close out workstreams to meet our other obligations under the agreement reached with Barloworld in February this year, so that we can conclude the sale and move forward. It is expected that we will be able to finalise this process by the end of October with the Starch business transferring to Barloworld from 1 November 2020.

“Starch is a great business and Barloworld is fortunate to be buying such a valuable asset with excellent people. However, the rationale for the sale remains unchanged – it will help us to continue meeting our debt reduction targets. Tongaat is a high potential business with a significant asset base, and this decision will ensure that our focus remains on bedding down the turnaround of our organisation,” he said.

Hudson said Tongaat would work with Barloworld in a collaborative manner to close the starch transaction as soon as possible now that the issue of the MAC dispute was behind the two companies.

“The sale of starch will position the group for longer-term sustainability as we deliver on our strategic business partnerships that will step-change our transformation initiatives, protect employee jobs and help support the economies of the countries in which we operate,” he said.

TONGAAT HULETT TURNAROUND STRATEGY PAYS OFF IN FY20 RESULTS

 Tongaat Hulett today released its results for the year to end March 2020, which showed the group had posted an operating profit of R3.3 billion against R551 million the previous year. If the Zimbabwe operations are excluded, operating profit improved by just over R1 billion, increasing to R375 million against a loss of R650 million the previous year.

The group recorded an 18% increase in revenue to R15.4 billion from R13.1 billion previously, while the headline earnings per share improved 111% to 90c from a loss of 823c in the previous year. Cash flow from operations increased 62% to R2.1 billion from R1.3 billion previously.

Tongaat Hulett’s improved results reflect the steps taken to stabilise and restructure its business to become more profitable and sustainable. The performance was achieved in a market characterised by weak economic growth, significant business uncertainty and volatility. Hyperinflation accounting was used for the first time in the 2020 financial year for the operations in Zimbabwe, which contributed to increased revenue in Zimbabwe.

Strategic highlights for the year Included:
• Worked to improve the safety of workplaces, and deepened relationships with stakeholders: Improved communication both internally and externally and worked closely with governments across geographies in which we operate;
• Improved operational performance: Significant improvement in all sugar operations, solid performance in starch and glucose and continued land sales;
• Enhanced cash position and entered into transactions to pay down debt: Improved cash flow and working capital management, paid down 60% of a loan in Zimbabwe; moved creditors from 30 to 60 days and signed transactions of more than R6 billion to meet debt reduction milestones;
• Managed and bought down our cost base: Rightsized our structures and reduced our headcount, deepened strategic sourcing, reduced our office footprint, optimised our route to market in sugar;
• Improved sugar production: Crushed one of the largest South African sugar crops in years and ramped up production in Mozambique’s Xinavane refinery;
• Grown market share: Local sales in Mozambique increased by 22% and we increased sales and market share in South Africa, white sugar market share over 35% and overall share of >27%. We relaunched our packaging in South Africa and became a member of Proudly South African;
• Appointed a strong leadership team and a new Board;
• Strengthened governance and financial controls: Adopted zero based budgeting, increased oversight and financial control, new three-year business strategy and implementation of new systems and improved management reporting;
• Repositioned and revitalised assets: Turned Mozambique’s Mafambisse mill from loss-making to break-even, reduced loss in SA sugar operation and optimised our farming operations in South Africa;
• Progressed transformation and empowerment: Created the largest empowerment cane farming enterprise in SA and began the biggest farming initiative in Zimbabwe since independence; and
• Optimally improved and better positioned human capital: Employed specific skills to improve our bench strength, Implemented performance management across our business and brought in capability in sales, logistics and route to market.

Commenting on the results, Tongaat Hulett CEO Gavin Hudson said:

“After a significant amount of hard work, we are pleased to report that our strategy to turn Tongaat Hulett into a low-cost sugar producer and a leading agri-business in Africa is starting to manifest in our financial results. More remains to be done and we are fully committed to achieving our goals.

“The financial mismanagement uncovered in early 2019 was devastating for Tongaat, and affected every aspect of our business. To get Tongaat back to operating efficiently, strategically and profitably required nothing short of a fundamental restructuring of our business. We executed this swiftly and also undertook a sweeping review of our policies, procedures and processes as well as every aspect of our governance.

“The work that we have done to restructure Tongaat Hulett has allowed us to enter COVID-19 as a leaner, fit-for-purpose organisation better able to weather the pandemic and other challenges as well as lay the groundwork for a return to sustainable value creation for shareholders.

“Given the challenges we have faced, I am exceptionally proud of these results for the 2020 financial year. We have emerged as a better managed, better controlled and more resilient business with a much healthier culture.”

TONGAAT HULETT AND PARTNERS DRIVE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON COVID-19

Durban, 20th July 2020: Tongaat Hulett this weekend launched a targeted campaign to drive awareness amongst key communities on COVID-19, including the importance of practicing good hygiene to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

A total of 400 hand sanitizers, soaps as well as 1 000 cloth masks were distributed to children and adults in the areas of Magwaveni, Hambanathi and Tongaat Central in KwaZulu-Natal during the drive.

Tongaat Hulett Sugar Corporate Affairs Executive Nkonzo Mhlongo said that in the past few weeks, Tongaat Hulett had noted a significant increase in the number of company employees that were testing positive for COVID-19.

“We have also received an increased number of requests from the neighbouring schools including Nkosibomvu and Mbonisweni requesting Tongaat Hulett to sponsor the fumigation of their schools. To ensure an integrated approach in the company’s response to COVID, Tongaat Hulett took a decision to form a COVID-19 Think Tank with stakeholders in and around the Tongaat area,” said Mhlongo.

The members of the Think Tank included eThekwini Municipality – Health Unit; Dube Tradeport, ACSA, SAPS, Tongaat clinic and the Councillors for Wards 58, 61 & 62 in KwaZulu-Natal.

A key objective of the Think Tank was to create a platform for all stakeholders to share information regarding COVID-19. In addition, the Think Tank sought to identify sustainable interventions and programmes that will ensure that community members in and around Tongaat and Stanger remain healthy and safe during this time of COVID-19.

Mhlongo said: “It was against this background that Tongaat Hulett and its partners took a decision to organize an Awareness Campaign on 17 July 2020. All the stakeholders also took the decision to invest 67 minutes of their time and commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day.

The campaign focused on five key messages:

1) Act as if you have the CORONA virus – keep your distance – wash and sanitize your hands – and wear your mask
2) Limit your movement – stay at home
3) The CORONA virus is spread through reckless human conduct and behavior
4) Wearing a mask is mandatory – the mask protects the people around you
5) Practice social distancing and washing of hands regularly

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is more than a health crisis as it has pushed communities and economies to a breaking point. It is rapidly exacerbating an ongoing food security and nutrition crisis. The disruptions have resulted in many businesses shutting down and people losing jobs.

Government has continued to put measures in place to limit the spread of the virus and provides statistical information for the various provinces. This statistical information shows that KZN continues to see a spike in COVID cases with eThekwini being one of the metros recording increased numbers over the last few weeks. The KZN Department of Health had reported that the province contributed 31% (last week) of the new cases reported nationally and was listed as the fourth highest countrywide.

The Nelson Mandela International Day is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July Mandela’s birthday. South Africans including corporates are called to devote 67 minutes of their time helping others. For 67 years, Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to the service of humanity.

In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly also decided to extend the scope of the Nelson Mandela International Day to be utilised to promote humane conditions of imprisonment, to raise awareness about prisoners being a continuous part of society and to value the work of prison staff as a social service of particular importance. The General Assembly also approved the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and approved that they should be known as Nelson Mandela Rules.

TONGAAT HULETT ANNOUNCES SALE OF ESWATINI BUSINESS

[Durban, 17 June 2020]: Tongaat Hulett today announced it had entered into an agreement with Eswatini’s Public Service Pensions Fund (the PSPF) to sell Tambankulu Estates, its Eswatini agri-business, for R375 million.

Tongaat Hulett CEO Gavin Hudson said the sale of Tambankulu was fully aligned with the company’s turnaround plan, and would allow Tongaat to pay down further debt.

“Our number one priority is to ensure the long-term sustainability of Tongaat, and a key element of this is paying down our debt as quickly as possible. Tambankulu is a quality, well-run business that is not core to our larger sugar business. This was a reasonable offer based on a thorough due diligence and independent valuation input that supported the price, and after due consideration the board decided it would be in the best interests of the company and its shareholders to dispose of this asset”, he said.

“PSPF is also considered a strong strategic shareholder of this business going forward, which was a key consideration for the board.” said Hudson.

Tambankulu is the largest independent sugarcane estate in Eswatini, located on two agricultural estates near the Black Umbuluzi River in north eastern Eswatini. The estate has more than 3 700 hectares of land under sugarcane, and is producing 62 000 tons of sucrose a year. Tambankulu’s farms are modern, using high tech irrigation systems, fertigation, artificial ripeners and herbicides. The estate delivers its sugarcane to the nearby Simunye and Mhlume sugar mills.

The PSPF is a public organisation that was established in 1993 for the management and administration of pensions for public sector employees in Eswatini. The scheme is run as a defined benefit pension fund and provides retirement annuities, and death disability benefits for its members and their dependents.

“We are confident about the future of Tongaat, and that the disposal of Tambankulu will help to further position the group for longer-term sustainability and value creation for Tongaat shareholders.” said Hudson.

BACKGROUND

In terms of Tongaat’s turnaround plan, apart from implementing greater operational efficiencies to improve the group’s cash flow and other initiatives, the company has put in place a number of strategic business partnerships to raise cash, step-change the company’s transformation initiatives and build strong partnerships.

These include:
• Within the SA farming operations an initiative was launched through which Tongaat is optimising its direct sugarcane farming activities in SA. As part of this initiative, Uzinzo Sugar Farming, a large-scale black-owned sugarcane farming enterprise was created to farm some of this land.
• Within its SA milling operations, Tongaat is creating an initiative aimed at establishing a well-structured competitive sugar business on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast that mills, refines and sells sugar and associated products, with equity held by, amongst others, farmers.
• In the property and land portfolio, a special purpose vehicle is being created to facilitate diverse investment partnership opportunities to deliver a stable and sustainable long-term earnings platform.
• Tongaat officially launched project Kilimanjaro with the Zimbabwe government in November 2019. The project aims to increase productivity of land through the development of 4 000 hectares of new land for sugarcane farming for the benefit of 200 farmers.

TONGAAT HULETT PARTNERSHIP WITH JOBS FUND CONTINUES TO DELIVER SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

A partnership between Tongaat Hulett and The Jobs Fund 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.

The initiative, which created more than 3 000 jobs in Northern KwaZulu-Natal – an area of significant unemployment and poverty – has delivered significant on-going benefits to thousands of people who would otherwise have limited sources of income. About R82-million has been distributed directly to beneficiaries in the past four production seasons – a significant amount given that it excludes the wage earnings generated by the project.

Tongaat Hulett CEO Gavin Hudson said: “Tongaat has for many years invested in surrounding communities to help address pressing socio-economic challenges. This initiative is a clear example of how business can work together with government in a sustainable manner to not only address unemployment, but to deliver ongoing benefits to communities.

“We are delighted that more than two years after the completion of the project, it continues to make a significant impact by providing incomes to thousands of people while at the same time productively farming sugarcane. For us, it was money well spent and that is most gratifying.”

Najwah Allie-Edries, The Jobs Fund Deputy Director General: Employment Facilitation commented: “The Jobs Fund recognises the importance of developing strategic partnerships that result in innovative solutions to our country’s unemployment crisis. It is inspiring to know that our partnership with Tongaat Hulett has yielded a sustainable income source to communities most in need. The Jobs Fund is also deeply appreciative of the communities’ willingness to partner with us, too often they have been let down, without their co-operation we would not have had a viable project.”

Tongaat and The Jobs Fund partnership together invested a total of R305 million in the initiative. It resulted in almost 11 000 hectares of sugarcane being planted over four years, with education, training and food security forming critical elements of the project.

Hudson said Tongaat was committed to making an ongoing contribution to social upliftment, rural development and job creation, particularly at this challenging time with the Covid-19 pandemic which was having a devastating impact on the economy.

“It is now more important than ever that companies such as ours step up and play their part. We are doing so in a variety of ways and the sustainability of the initiative with the Jobs Fund is an important element of how we believe business can support communities,” he said.

Project Background

The project ran from 2014 to 2018. Key highlights of the initiative included:
• A total of 10 972 hectares of sugarcane was planted, made up of 10 082 and 890 hectares of dryland and irrigated sugarcane, respectively;
• The creation of 3,019 new jobs in less than four years, against an initial commitment to create 2,874 jobs;
• Jointly funded by Tongaat Hulett, which contributed R155 million, and The Jobs Fund with R150 million.
• Tongaat Hulett spent a further R103.2 million on additional contributions, which included community social facilitation work, overall project management and Socio-economic Development (SED) initiatives.
• Working in multiple land tenure arrangements and traditional authority structures, including both primary cooperatives and community trusts, with a total of some 5 897 member beneficiaries;
• Supported by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, the KZN Provincial Planning Commission and the Ingonyama Trust Board
• A total of 1,286 local community members were trained in a range of qualifications, from multi-year tertiary qualifications and certificate courses in farm management to on-the-job training.
• SED initiatives included food security, education and training, access to water for communities and livestock and cattle management, implemented through a range of partnerships with multiple stakeholders, including community members, Municipalities, Traditional Councils, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
• Partnerships to address skills upliftment and training included the Owen Sitole College of Agriculture, the South African Sugar Research Institute and the Mfolozi Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College.

Dr Jeff McCarthy, the project’s independent monitoring and evaluation specialist, said the rural development and business process lessons of the project were particularly important, and the project could be regarded as best practice.

“Despite an extraordinarily difficult local land and political environment, project managers have been supported by stable partners with a long-term outlook. The local managers, in turn, have used a style that is sensitive to the community and they have implemented bespoke solutions to the unique characteristics of the area.

“Overall, communities have been pleased with the use of local labour, particularly with the unusually high proportion of women workers that have been engaged.”