A light bulb has suddenly gone on within Eskom. They placed an ad in Sunday's Sunday Times. I can't find this on google - and I'm not going to sift through Eskom's website to try and find it, so I'll type it out.
REQUEST FOR VALID B-BBEE CERTIFICATES
Dear valued supplier
Eskom is migrating from narrow based black economic empowerment to broad-based black economic empowerment. In order to do business with Eskom, we request you, our valid supplier to provide us with your current and valid BEE certificate. Eskom will will only accept certificates from verification agencies that are members of ABVA and other self-regulated bodies.
The deadline is is the 15th of May, 2008. And if you want any more information you can phone Marina Venter on (011) 800-4092 or Lindi Maphumulo on (011) 800-3107
And as a parting shot they say (in bold too)
N.B Eskom reserves the right to conduct its own assessment.
I wonder what took them so long. Was it because of the inexcusable mess they made with their coal procurement?
I also don't know what "other self-regulated bodies" are but it seems as though they might accept a self-rated certificate.
This is going to be an eye-opening excercise. There is no doubt that Eskom has created a lot of sustainable black businesses, but will these and other smaller suppliers be able to get to an ABVA accredited verification agency at all, or in time.
Obed - it looks like BEE Matrix has got its work cut out it for the next few weeks.
OK - I'll say it. Well done Eskom, it's about bloody time but at least you've done it. I hope that you are at least informing your procurement officers about BROAD-BASED BEE. Give me a call if you need my help.
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