Local Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industry demands changes in Sasol
The Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries marched to Sasol in Secunda to demand business opportunities.
SECUNDA – The Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries called on Sasol to make the process of vendor registration and procuring of goods and services easier.
members of the organisation marched to Sasol on Friday, 2 October to raise their grievances against Sasol.
The marchers braved the cold to demonstrate to Sasol that they are not happy with the current system of vendor registration and procuring of goods and described it as onerous and time consuming.
Mr Njabulo Hlophe, president for The Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said these processes place unnecessary financial constraints on small businesses.
“For too long we have been subjected to exclusion from the mainstream economy and economic opportunities by big national and multi-national companies such as Sasol which refuse to transform its procurement patterns many years into our new democracy.
“We demand an immediate remedial action to end all exclusionary practices and non-transformation in the procurement processes of Sasol so that all youth-owned enterprises may be afforded an equal opportunity to access economic opportunities available in Sasol.
“We demand the establishment of a transparent and fair emerging supplier and enterprise development program which will compel big contractors at Sasol to partner with emerging black-owned enterprises in order to encourage skills transfer and development.”
The marchers also demanded that the youth, women and people with disabilities must be included and helped to access economic opportunities at Sasol.
They demanded a real and immediate appointment of youth-owned businesses as preferred suppliers and service providers and that they should receive preferential procurement.
“We are frustrated by the persistent failure of Sasol to attend to pressing matters of incorporating youth-owned and managed enterprises of Mpumalanga into their supplier value-chain further and their refusal to subcontract work to youth-, women- and persons with disabilities black-owned enterprises.
“It is important to remind you that youth unemployment rate is well above 60 per cent and that as a corporate citizen you (Sasol) have a responsibility to play a leading role in eradicating the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequalities within our communities from which you are conducting your operations.”
Their memorandum was received by Ms Mashudu Ndou, vice president in the Cooperate Affairs at Sasol. She promised that Sasol will respond within seven days.
