BENEFITS PROFILE a

MAGAZINE for thE EMployEEs of thE AltroN Groupissue 3/2012

Madelise Grobler: DMA winner and multi-faceted achiever

IN THIS ISSUE

PROFiLe is printed on NEO STAR matt paper, supplied and partly sponsored by NOR Paper, a Bytes Document Solutions subsidiary. NEO STAR is a coated art and wood-free stock.

Swisttech feature14

2012 DMA winner6 New look annual report4 Shandukani opens its doors30

Altron Annual Awards16 Top changes at Powertech10 ICT learners graduate32

Collaboration at Altron YPC28 Beyond 2012 is launched11 Bytes hockey sponsorship32

Miles for Smiles33

Regulars

Editorial 1

News in brief 3

On a high note 5

Wellness profile 27

Growth & Development 28

Feature Business CSI

2830

25

1BUSINESS PROFILE

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@Altrongroup

Direct all queries to:Tel: 011 645-3600Email: grogerson@altron.com/lkruger@altron.com

Design and production:Words’worth (www.words-worth.co.za)

Editorial informationProfile is co-edited by Grant Rogerson and Liezl Kruger of the Altron Group Corporate Communications Department.

The Profile editorial committee members are:Michelle Doyle – AltronRegula Niehus – PowertechMarius Venter – BytesChris Van Zyl – Altech

Profile is also available on the Altron internal website (Alix): www.altronprofile.com

launch of our Beyond 2012 transformation programme at the group’s annual awards event. Spearheaded by group corporate affairs executive, Seara Mkhabela, this game-changing strategic initiative is showcased on pages 11-13 of this edition of Profile.

The undisputed highlight of the last quarter was the Altron Awards. New ground was broken this year when an independent panel of adjudicators decided unanimously to name Dr Madelise Grobler of Bytes People Solutions the first female recipient of the Altron Chairman’s Distinguished Merit Award (the DMA) in the 47-year history of the group. We extend our heartiest congratulations to Madelise. Not only did she take the top

As we eagerly prepare to celebrate the official arrival of Spring on 1 September, we thought it would be interesting to reflect briefly on some remarkable achievements by our group since the previous edition of Profile.

The first is the biggest spend by Altron on a CSI project in its history – the R28 million Shandukani maternal and child healthcare centre in the heart of Hillbrow. Altron, Altech and Vodacom each contributed to the clinic which was officially opened by the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, at a special ceremony in July. Turn to pages 30-31 for coverage of the opening.

The next milestone on our calendar was the simul-taneous public and in-house

Achievements abound

honour but, with her team, also received the trophy for the Most Empowered Company in the Group.

This is our annual awards issue and we trust you will enjoy reading about how our theme, collaboration, was placed under the microscope during a successful event. We are delighted to mention that Bytes Managed Solutions won the Altron Chief Executive’s

Award for the best company in the group for 2012. Our very best wishes and most heartfelt congratulations go to Deidre Le Hanie and her exceptional team for their achievement in the face of stiff competition from Altech and Powertech.

Sincerely,Grant and Liezl

FROM OUR EDITORSFROM OUR EDITORS

On the cover Dr Madelise Grobler, 2012 DMA winner and MD of Bytes People Solutions.

Grant Rogerson and Liezl Kruger

1

2 BUSINESS PROFILE

Bytes acquires Alliance Business Solutions

NEWS IN BRIEF

Bytes Systems Integration (Bytes

SI) recently acquired Alliance

Business Solutions. As a result,

Bytes SI is now the partner of

choice for Oracle end-to-end

offerings and cloud-based solu-

tions to customers. The com-

pany will also become one of

the select few Platinum partners

within the Oracle PartnerNet-

work Ecosystem in South Africa

that are able to sell and deliver

specialised services across the

entire Oracle “Red Stack”, se-

curing its goal of becoming a

R1 billion plus revenue business.

Alliance has a staff compli-

ment of 50 highly qualified

business and IT specialists. It

has been a leader in the South

African ERP space for the past

12 years and an Oracle Platinum

Partner for the past four years.

Sealing the Bytes SI/Alliance deal are (from left) Rob Griggs, MD of Bytes SI; Peter Bensch, VP and MD of Oracle South Africa; and Brian Edy, MD of Alliance.

Powertech Batteries has ap-

pointed its first branded agent

in Mozambique. M & D Rep-

resentaçôes Lda., founded in

2009, is a Mozambican company

that sells oils and lubricants,

filters, batteries and tyres. The

business’ well-established local

network was one of the reasons

why Powertech Batteries took

an interest. Manager Derito

Carimo’s 10 years of experience

in the batteries business and the

store’s excellent location sealed

Powertech Batteries makes its mark in Mozambique

Africa Utility Week 2012 took place at Nasrec in Johannesburg earlier this year. More than 4 900 visitors, from 53 countries, interacted with more than 200 exhibiting companies and listened to 120 speakers. The Powertech stand, however, was the jewel in the AUW crown. It dominated Hall 6 and the passage from the registration area to the hall. The organisers awarded Powertech the “Best in Show Award for Large Stands”.

Stars of the show

Its extensive local client list

of large corporations and its

vast experience in the ERP and

Primavera space, makes Alliance

a highly complementary addition

to the Bytes SI stable.

According to Rob Griggs,

Print services perfection

The Bytes UK team celebrates winning the inaugural CRN award for the Best Managed Print Services Sales Team in the UK. The Bytes UK award was part of the Sales and Marketing Excellence awards.

the deal. As a Powertech Bat-

teries agent, M&D’s services will

include battery charging,

fitment, diagnostics and free

battery testing. The initial focus

will be on the Hi Fase brand

which is the export brand of

choice for many customers

throughout Africa.

Powertech Batteries is cur-

rently active in Zambia, Zimba-

bwe, Malawi, Angola, the DRC

and Tanzania, and plans to add

three new markets this year.

managing director of Bytes SI,

the acquisition will extend the

company’s offering compre-

hensively, grow its customer

base and enable Bytes SI to

bring more value to its existing

customers.

2

3BUSINESS PROFILE

Robin Marsden and Richard

Wingfield are the new executives

in the Altech Group. Robin

holds the position of executive:

corporate finance and Richard

is the group’s chief information

officer.

Robin has more than 15 years’

board level experience and his

previous positions include partner

and head of M&A and Corporate

Finance Advisory at Deloitte, CEO

of Sage Life USA & Bermuda,

CFO and chief investment officer

at Sage Life, and management

consulting partner at Deloitte.

Robin reports to Peter Curle,

director: corporate finance at

Altech and his duties include

acquisitions, joint ventures,

financing, restructurings and

Altech appoints new executives

Richard Wingfield Robin Marsden

Bytes Document Solutions recently

awarded the XGS Environmental

Award to the FNB Print Room in

Johannesburg. The competition

started in September 2011 with

contenders being evaluated on

neatness, safety, environmental

awareness, recycling techniques

and staff enthusiasm.

The FNB Print Room best

fulfilled the requirements and

scooped the unique floating

trophy made from used Xerox

printer parts, plus a gift

voucher and a certificate of

accomplishment.

FNB runs the greenest print roomArrow Altech Distribution

(AAD) recently received the

Conlog Supplier of the Year

Award for the second con-

secutive year. The annual

award is presented by Conlog,

the world’s leading electricity

pre-payment company. Conlog

operates in more than 50

countries, spanning four

continents and provides over

70 utilities worldwide with

prepaid electricity solutions.

Adjudication criteria for the

award include product quality,

service standards, on-time

delivery and the associated

cost savings year-on-year.

Conlog recognises AAD

Celebrating the Conlog Supplier of the Year award are (from left) Sithembiso Mbhele, industrial operations VP of Schneider; André du Preez: GM supplier marketing & business development at AAD; Stephanie Podmore, group purchasing manager of Schneider; Riaan van Kooten, AAD branch manager; and Dion Landman, Conlog’s operations director.

disposals for the Altech Group.

Richard’s 25 years of

experience in the IT industry

includes global technology

strategies/innovations, complex

system design through to global

system implementation and

support. He joined Altech from

JP Morgan where he was a chief

technology officer for the past

ten years.

Richard reports to Dr Willie

Oosthuysen, chief technology

officer and chief strategic officer.

at Altech. He is responsible

for the development and

implementation of information

technology initiatives to optimise

and improve cost effectiveness,

service quality and group

business development.

3

Over the last few years, the international focus of annual reports has changed from being purely statutory.

Following this philosophy, Jannette Horn, group sustainability manager at Altron, headed up an extensive six-month engagement process, requesting feedback from key stakeholder groups. This included workshops with internal stakeholders such as employees and senior management, and communicating with external stakeholders, such as the investor community, non-executive board members, suppliers and customers. “The process helped us identify the group’s material issues, in other words the biggest risks and opportunities faced by Altron in the short, medium and long-term. The entire report was based on these identified themes which provided us with focus and enabled us to convey strong messages,” says Jannette.

Besides changing the format and writing style of the report, the team also wanted a fresh new look and feel. “Jannette and I had wanted a magazine-style look for this year’s annual report. We believed that including more pictures, diagrams and pull quotes would make it more user-friendly,” says Michelle Doyle, group executive: corporate communications.

Altron’s annual report has already caused a stir in the industry with many calling it the new benchmark for integrated reports. This is as a result of its good integration

and readability but also because of its extensive use of multi-media and technology. “Altron is a technology company, and we wanted to portray this strongly in the report. We included aspects such as YouTube links for videos, QR codes which can be scanned by a cellphone, Twitter and Facebook, and our very own Altron app,” says Michelle. The app, which is available in both Android and Apple format, will in future also be used for sharing other publications.

Despite the glossy look and technology innovations, this year’s report was produced at a large discount. “Many of these savings are thanks to the use of our own NOR Paper,” says the team. “In the spirit of collaboration, we encouraged use of internal resources wherever possible.”

From next year, Altron will no longer be required to publish its full financial statements and other statutory documents in hard copy. The team says this will give them even more scope to use exciting tools. All we can say is “Watch this space!”

Did you notice a change in the annual report this year? This is just a preview of exciting things to come, say Jannette Horn and Michelle Doyle, new members of the team who compiled the 2012 report.

Finally!

to download the Altron app, go to www.altron.com and click on the link on the home page.

A report everybody can read

4 BUSINESS PROFILE

5BUSINESS PROFILE

Robert VenterChief Executive

ON A HIGH NOTE

The theme for this year’s Awards function was collaboration, and I want to share a few thoughts on the subject with all Profile’s readers.

Collaboration simply means to work together. Recently, however, the word has acquired an expanded meaning that includes new business models, interactive communication platforms and innovative technologies that help people connect.

One of the secrets behind successful collaboration is fusing different talents and points of view. One of the world’s greatest examples of collaboration in action was the late Steve Jobs.

Steve was a creative marketer with an eye for design. He wanted to make computers that everyone could have on their desk, but equally importantly they had to be easy to use and pleasing to look at. However, despite his vision, Steve would never have successfully

built Apple if it wasn’t for Steve Wosniak, the other founding partner at Apple who is a technical wizard.

Collaborating with others by adding his ideas to theirs became Jobs’ career modus operandi. As a result he literally reinvented industries: computers, movies, music, mobile phones and applications.

Most major technology companies have succeeded by partnering appropriately – it is very rare for one person to be a great businessman and a technology guru – and Altron is no exception. Partnerships with the likes of Xerox, NCR and Microsoft are the very foundation that our business was built on over the course of 47 years and remain crucial to our sustainability.

As valuable as external partnerships are, one of the most powerful forms of collaboration is between co-workers. In large companies like ours, internal collaboration is essential to effectively

converge different focus areas and to give customers a holistic solution delivered through a seamless service experience.

Collaboration is also a way for us to share information in order to innovate.

While the drivers that make collaboration vital are technical, the solutions are not. Collaboration is, at its root, a social activity. It is founded on transparency, sharing and openness. As such collaboration demands a shift in our organisational culture – a new, exciting challenge for us all, but one that I believe will have extraordinary benefits.

The time has come to integrate

our services and share our

intellectual power in order to show

the market that we are a progressive,

unified group.

5

BENEFITS PROFILE6 PEOPLE PROFILE6

BENEFITS PROFILE 7

A woman who heads up a training company sounds like pretty standard fare. Except that neither Madelise Grobler nor Bytes People

Solutions conform to stereotypes.

PEOPLE PROFILE 7

BENEFITS PROFILE8

on just before I was called to the stage. It came as a great surprise – afterwards I apologised to my team for not thanking them in my unprepared speech!”

With 150 employees, Bytes People Solutions is one of the smallest companies in the Bytes stable. Scooping two of the biggest Altron-wide awards was therefore no mean feat. But competing against others is not what gets Madelise out of bed every morning. “I am highly competitive,” she says. “But first and foremost against myself. Which is why I run.” At least five days a week her day starts with a run, long before most of us are even awake. “I have been running since school and it’s a lifestyle for me. I do sometimes question my own sanity when I try to run a race on a Saturday after a brutal week at the office, but I also know that running balances me. If you want to be good at your job, you have to do something else as well – running is that something for me.”

Building a businessMental strength and a quick and restless mind are the cornerstones on which Madelise has built her career.

She grew up on a farm near Thabazimbi in the Limpopo Province, where her parents still stay. After school she completed two degrees at the University of Pretoria (UP). “My father wanted me to do computer science, but I wasn’t sure that I would pass.” Instead of dropping B Com Informatics, she added B Com Accounting.

With a Master’s degree in informatics against her wall she started lecturing at UP. Then, one day, a burst of frustration prompted her to investigate PhD scholarship opportunities abroad. She applied for three and was accepted, initially at the University of Limburg in Maastricht and then also spent time at the University of Delft in the Netherlands on a scholarship from the Netherlands South Africa Institute. “Two weeks

In the run-up to the 2012 Altron Awards, Madelise hoped for Bytes People Solutions to be named the most empowered company in

the group. With that in the bag, she celebrated with a glass of wine over lunch with her team, not quite realising that courtesy of her Bytes CEO’s Award she was in the running for the Altron chairman’s Distinguished Merit Award (DMA). “Fortunately I had put my jacket

PEOPLE PROFILE8

BENEFITS PROFILE 9

“I always tell my people: if you are not happy here, you come to me and I’ll find you

a job – life is too short to do something you

don’t love.”

after I arrived in Delft, Chris Hani was murdered. Those were tumultuous times, but I was amazed at Europeans’ perceptions. People struggled with the fact that I had left my husband at home and that I was from Africa but not a black African!”

Back in South Africa Madelise decided that seven years of lecturing had been enough. For the sake of her professional development she had to move on. “University had become too slow for me. They do fantastic development work, but then it can take years to deliver. Here at People Solutions, if I think of something today, I can deliver it on Monday – it makes me happy and keeps me busy.”

EUC (end-user computing) Academy was the business Madelise founded in 1996. Three years later it was acquired by CS Holdings. Bytes acquired the latter in 2004 and Bytes People Solutions was born.

More than trainingMadelise is adamant that Bytes People Solutions is not a training company. “Sure, if you want me to present an Excel course I will, but that is not how and where we add value.” The way in which Bytes People Solutions distinguishes itself from the competition, is territory Madelise had started to chart in the EUC Academy days. “I built the business by going in at the top and either understanding a client’s business strategy or helping them to develop it. The next step is to align the people strategy to the business strategy. Then we look at the profile of people needed in the business and the required competencies. Only then do we assess the incumbent against the profile. For this reason, our training and development is an outcome, not an end in itself. Price-wise we cannot compete with someone who presents MS Word courses as an individual. Likewise, they

cannot compete with us when it comes to delivering value.”

Madelise’s technical background and business analysis skills enabled her to position Bytes People Solutions first and foremost as an advisor to its customers. Her point of departure is to build a relationship of trust. “Once you have done that, customers come back to buy and then we can charge the premium our services are worth.” The success of this approach is attested to by the fact that Bytes People Solutions mostly do repeat business and word of mouth referrals.

A glance behind the scenesAsked about her management philosophy, Madelise says she believes in long-term relationships and likes to create a culture where people can flourish. “Most of my core team has been with me for at least a decade. One or two of them worked with me at the university, so we’ve been together for more than 20 years.”

Madelise has a hand in every new appointment at People Solutions. Once a candidate has been for a final interview, she spends a few minutes with the person before the final decision is made. “I have a good feel for people, and when I bring people in I want to make them successful – provided they are here for the right reasons.”

Madelise enjoys analysis and creating the big picture. Detail is not for her. “I can do the meticulous implementation if I have to, but I get bored. That is why I am so dependent on my team – we make each other strong.”

The MD of Bytes People Solutions believes women can have it all – but it takes planning and a supportive environment. In her life, her architect husband and two daughters, aged seven and 14, are her anchors. Along with her housekeeper Mart who has been with the family for 18 years: “I told you I’m a long relationship type of person!”

PEOPLE PROFILE 9

When Norbert Claussen announced his resigna-tion from Powertech, the group took the op-

portunity to reorganise its management structure by introducing the position of chief operating officer (COO). It was also decided to appoint Norbert’s successor from within, rather than making an external appointment.

The new CEO, Neil Kayton, has been Powertech’s chief financial officer since he joined the company in 2004. He started his career with accounting firm Ernst & Young where he completed his articles, before being employed as financial manager at Universal Recy-cling Company – a member of the Cape Gate group of companies. Prior to joining Powertech, Neil was the finan-cial director at international pharma-ceuticals company, AstraZeneca.

Leon Viljoen vacated the CEO seat at Powertech Transformers to take up his new position as Powertech COO. Leon is an electrical and electronic engineer by training and has been with Powertech for twelve years in various management capacities.

Commenting on the new appoint-ments, Robert Venter, Altron’s CE, said that the Altron board believed that Neil and Leon had excellent attributes and that they would complement each other in leading the Powertech group. “They have both been with the group for some time and understand the intri-cacies of the power electronics sector. We look forward to seeing them take the group to new heights.”

The next edition of Profile will feature an in-depth interview with Neil about his vision for Powertech.

Powertech’s recently appointed chief executive officer and chief operating officer are no strangers to the company, but they certainly have their work cut out for them in their new roles.

New top team for Powertech

Bernard Meyer has been appointed as CEo of powertech transformers. following a 20-year career with Eskom Distribution, Bernard joined powertech in 2007 as engineering manager. he was promoted to chief operating officer for powertech transformers’ power Division in 2009.

Neil Kayton Leon Viljoen

“They both understand the intricacies of the power electronics sector”.

Robert Venter, CE Altron

BUSINESS PROFILE10

Bernard leads transformers

What does the ideal Altron environment of sharing and learning for all employees

look like? We no longer answer this question in terms of demographics only,

says Seara Mkhabela, group executive: corporate affairs. A place where the

best skills, talent and, above all, attitude are nurtured, irrespective of gender or

race, is where we are headed Beyond 2012.

BUSINESS PROFILE 11

Beyond 2012 branding at the Altron Awards where the programme was officially launched.

This year’s Altron Annual Awards witnessed the launch of the group’s people strategy. With the title Beyond 2012

– Driving the next wave of transfor-mation, the document describes the organisation’s vision for empowering and developing its people.

The marked departure from demo-graphically determined targets is not ac-cidental. “Having met the dti scorecard goals, we can now move into an exciting new era that goes beyond compliance.” Unpacking the new strategy is Seara Mkhabela, group executive: corporate affairs, and the driving force behind Altron’s transformation programme since 2010.

“The new strategy asks us to shift our understanding of terms such as ‘transformation’ and ‘diversity’. A work-force comprising specific percentages of people from different races, age groups and genders does not necessarily guar-antee a transformed company.”

True transformation, says Seara, goes to the very heart of an organisation’s culture. It is evident in the respect that characterises every interaction between people, be they colleagues, suppliers or customers. “This form of respect grows from an understanding of the unique value that other people bring to the ta-ble, and exists in an environment where no form of prejudice is tolerated.”

Employees for a new eraThis then is the reason why Beyond 2012 is more about what is on people’s insides than on their outsides. Seara confirms: “Our new transformation strategy seeks to create a place where the value of all people will be recog-nised, based on the quality of work they deliver and their willingness to embrace the Altron values.” However, if they cannot deliver due to a lack of empow-erment and development, we cannot talk of a transformed company.

The Human Capital Council has

We seek to create a welcoming and empowering home for talented,

experienced high performers of any race, gender or age. All people who meet this description should be enthusiastic about their career prospects at Altron – their

knowledge, skills, talent and experience are essential for our success.

Seara Mkhabela, group executive: corporate affairs, launches the Beyond 2012 programme at the Altron Annual Awards.

set itself the task of developing clear targets for attracting the best talent from all demographics, retaining them and growing them for our future leader-ship. The targets shall address recruit-ment, retention, reward and recognition, succession planning, development of a leadership pipeline, performance management, human capital systems and support.

Seara concludes on a confident note: “The first phase of our transforma-tion journey has proven our ability to achieve the economic empowerment of black people through ownership of shares in the Altron companies, support of businesses, creation of small enter-prises and social economic support. However, workplace diversity has only been successful at lower levels due to internal and external challenges. Based on these experiences, we know the key drivers of success in the transformation arena and will apply them during this next phase.”

BUSINESS PROFILE12

If Altron is serious about transformation, we have to empower and develop our employees for a levelled playing field. We have to ask ourselves

difficult questions about the profile of an Altron employee matched against the new customer portrait. We can only have a diverse leadership pipeline if we empower our junior managers so that each one of them, irrespective of their advantaged or disadvantaged backgrounds, can raise their hands

when opportunities arise in senior and top management.

The Altron Transformation Committee members are (from left) Joe Makhafola, Seara Mkhabela, Rhona Wolmarans, Adam Rabie, Ian Millar, Skip Franzsen, Vinesh Reddy, Michelle Doyle and Douglas Ramaphosa.

BUSINESS PROFILE 13

COMPANY PROFILE14

In 1997, a small software development company opened its doors in Stel-lenbosch in the Western Cape. Called Swist Group Technologies it initially

provided infrastructure services to the mo-bile telecommunications industry. In 2000, the company’s research and development division developed a massive multiplayer mobile game named Alaya. The game was SMS based and way ahead of its time due to the high cost of text messaging at the time. Three years later, the game was reas-sessed and turned into an instant messag-ing (IM) system – today the largest social network in Africa.

In 2006, the owners decided to split the business in the interest of customer focus. The IM system was aimed at consum-ers while Swisttech’s core business was corporates. The IM system has since been sold to deep-pocket investors such as Naspers and subsequently the World of Avatar.

Swisttech, under the leadership of Yanesh Ramiah, carved a niche for itself in the software development market. This was done so successfully that the Altech Group acquired Swisttech in 2011.

The company remains largely based

in Stellenbosch, but Pieter Reinhardt, business development manager, recently relocated to Johannesburg to build the Altech Swisttech brand and market in the north.

What we do best“R&D is still our strong suit,” says Yanesh. “We don’t limit our innovators but encourage them to open their minds. As long as an idea makes business sense and is above board, we will look at it.” Yanesh allows her staff to explore, within the broad boundaries of job descriptions and performance specifications. “We let people branch out and move around in the company because we believe in expo-sure and career choices.”

Swisttech’s team of 44 employees is a unique blend of youthful innovation and conventional values. Yanesh describes the team as propeller-heads who are fairly conservative and loyal to the com-pany, yet they are good at making quick decisions and coming up with some of the brightest concepts in the industry.

One such concept is revolutionising the mobile application space. Yanesh says it all came about at the begin-

ning of 2011. “We were creating a client proposal when we realised we can offer the market a unique mobile application development platform. Our architecture allows clients to build a generic code and then customise it for all other mobile operating systems and devices. It is much simpler than other developments and reduces total cost of ownership signifi-cantly.”

The beauty of CrossCurve, as the ar-chitecture is called, is that it caters for all generations of mobile devices, from the older feature phones to the latest tablets and smartphones. One of its unique fea-tures is when the user clicks on the URL to download the app, it automatically detects the device and directs the user to the applicable app store.

The CrossCurve architecture has sprouted a number of value-add services:l CrossCurve Notify is a push notifica-

tion service that allows a company to send messages to its consumers and they can respond. It is similar to or-dinary text messaging, but at a much lower cost.

l CrossCurve Spatial is a geolocation service. A company can pinpoint

The blue-sky thinkers who gave the world one of the first South African-developed instant messaging systems, are still the backbone of Altech Swisttech. And they continue to push the boundaries.

The app is their oyster

“Swisttech has much to offer our sister companies. Conversely, partnering with the likes of Altech Eyenza is an excellent

showcase for our capabilities.”

where a device is and send the con-sumer information relevant to their location at that moment.

l CrossCurve Social integrates with instant messaging platforms and social media. It allows companies to create an instant messaging platform for a select group of people.

l CrossCurve Volt deals with security, allowing users to download anti-spam, anti-virus and anti-malware software onto their mobile devices, and to store and retrieve the data on their mobile devices in the cloud.

l CrossCurve Wallet integrates with Altech’s Eyenza platform to perform mobile payments via the eWallet. This is an example of collaboration within the group instead of reinvent-ing solutions.

Yanesh is excited about the collabora-tion opportunities within the Altron group. ”We have much to offer our sister companies. Conversely, partnering with the likes of Altech Eyenza is an excel-lent enhancement to the capabilities of CrossCurve.”

In addition to mobile applications, the Altech Swisttech portfolio consists of two other lines of business. The first is role as preferred local professional services part-ner for Ab Initio, an American product that enables users to store and retrieve large volumes of data quickly. South African clients include Vodacom, Absa, Telkom and Nedbank. Altech Swisttech provides development, support and pro-fessional services to some of these local clients.

The third leg of the Altech Swisttech business is Microsoft front-end develop-ment, which involves bespoke devel-opment across a variety of databases. In addition, Altech Swisttech provides around-the-clock support for applications developed by Altech Swisttech and other vendors.

COMPANY PROFILE 15

16

Collaboration is Altron’s group-wide theme for

2012. It is collaboration between our businesses

that will allow us to use, benefit and prosper

from the opportunities in our markets.

Collaboration was also the theme when, on

18 July 2012, we celebrated the achievements

throughout the group that are laying the

foundation for an even more successful future.

17

the Altron Group company that showed the most improvement in its transformation programme

Nominees:

l Altech uEC

l the powertech Battery Group

Winner:

the powertech Battery Group won this award for improving its

BEE rating from a level six to a level three, mostly on preferential

procurement and enterprise development. the Battery Group assisted

no fewer than seven different micro-enterprises both financially and

through management support, largely through the efforts of peter

hodgkinson, the group procurement manager. this was the second

consecutive year that powertech Battery Group won the award.

[Visual]

IMG_0226.jpg

powertech Batteries CEo, Glenn Geldenhuis (second from left), and Ed

Mahobe, powertech Batteries hr executive, receive the award from

Altron group executive for corporate affairs, seara Mkhabela, and

Altron CE, robbie Venter.

Most empowered company in the Altron Group

Nominees:

l Altech swisttech

l Battery technologies

l Bytes people solutions

Winner:

Bytes people solutions has increased its scores on all the elements of the

BEE scorecard. In addition, transformation has become an integral part

of the DNA of the company largely motivated by Madelise who attracts,

develops and retains people from diverse backgrounds. the company is

a true ambassador of Altron’s transformation programme, creating an

exciting and productive working experience for everyone in its employ.

[Visual]

IMG_0228.jpg

Bytes people solutions MD, Dr Madelise Grobler and Altech Multimedia

CEo peter Balchin, receive their awards from Altron group executive for

corporate affairs, seara Mkhabela.

Best talent management and leadership development initiative for transformation in the Altron Group.

Nominees:

l the Aberdare Cables Ecole project

l the Altech uEC human resources strategy

l Bytes people solutions harrismith and pretoria learnership programme

Winner:

the Altech uEC human resources strategy, which has enabled Altech

uEC to increase its scores on employment equity, skills development and

management control. the adjudicators have all praised Altech uEC for

its outstanding human resources recruitment and skills development

strategy, which is brilliantly tied into its overall business strategy.

Towards transformationthe three Altron transformation Awards were adjudicated by an independent panel consisting of polo radebe, a pioneer of drafting the B-BBEE Codes of Good practice, lerato ratsoma, MD of south Africa’s first BEE rating agency, and sanjay Bhikha, director of one of the oldest empowerment companies in the country.

18

On the shoulders of giantsthe individuals who contended the Chairman’s Distinguished Merit Award (DMA), and the companies that were in the race for the best in the group, are the inspiring leaders on whose shoulders the successful Altron group is built.

Winners: Bytes Managed Solutions

Bytes Managed solutions has enjoyed two outstanding years of growth

that have resulted in it achieving r1 billion of revenue and r100 million

of operating profit in the last financial year.

operating in a fiercely competitive market they have managed

to achieve nearly 20% revenue growth in the last year, while closely

controlling costs and achieving one of the lowest sAG ratios in the

whole Altron Group.

this resulted in a 30% uplift in operating profit on top of the

significant increase achieved last year and a three-fold increase in profit

over the last two years.

securing the 5-year, r800-million order for an AtM refresh at Absa last

year was a particular success and has positioned the company to sustain its

superior returns.

Other nominees:

l Willard Batteries

l Altech Netstar

Altron Chief Executive’s Award for Excellence

the Bytes Managed solutions team celebrates their award.

19

Dr Madelise Grobler, founder and managing director of Bytes people

solutions, is this year’s winner of the DMA. under her passionate and

hands-on direction, Bps has become a leader in its field in south Africa’s

education industry, providing outstanding service to many of the

country’s blue chip companies.

Turn to pages 6-9 to read more about this remarkable woman.

The other contenders for the DMA were:

l peter riley and Craig Clark of powertech switchgear, joint winners

of the powertech CEo’s Award.

l harry louw, MD of Altech Netstar, and winner of the Altech CEo’s

Award.

l Jannette horn, Altron group sustainability manager, and winner

of the AMs Executive Award.

Chairman’s Distinguished Merit Award

Jannette horn successfully established a much-needed sustainability

function at Altron. Collaborating closely with the Altron Corporate

Communications team, she has rolled out programmes such as Green

office Week, Earth hour and numerous environmental workshops.

she has made a valuable contribution to the group’s new look

annual report, Altron’s water submission and JsE srI Index submission

programmes, and was instrumental in launching the group’s first

sustainability manual – also a first in the industry.

Other nominees:

l Dingy Makwelo, head waiter and ambassador extraordinaire

for the parktown corporate office

l Chris potgieter, group legal manager

l parvesh Chetty, group internal auditor

l Earl James, group internal auditor

Altron Management services (AMs) Executive Award

Altron Cfo, Alex smith, presents the AMs

Executive Award to Jannette horn.

Dr Venter presents Madelise Grobler with the DMA certificate, gold

diamond pin and her air tickets to Europe.

20

the Group Company that has Achieved Environmental Excellence

Nominees:

l Bytes Document solutions for its Go Green Awareness Campaign.

l powertech Aberdare Cables for improving energy efficiency in its

production processes.

l Altech uEC for its comprehensive waste management and recycling

programme.

l powertech Ist otokon for the development of products that help

clients to monitor their energy consumption.

Winner:

Altech uEC’s environmental journey started more than four years

ago, resulting in various green initiatives being implemented in the

manufacturing of their products as well as the day-to-day running of the

business.

this journey has led to major costs savings, new revenue streams,

community upliftment programmes, improved awareness and reduced

environmental impacts.

the group’s comprehensive waste management strategy is particularly

successful. this has not only made Altech uEC a more profitable and

environmentally friendly place to work in, but also addresses the ever

increasing needs of their clients and major customers.

[Visual]

IMG_0232.jpg

CEo peter Balchin receives his company’s award from

Altron group company secretary, Andrew Johnston.

Our eye on the environmentAltron group company secretary, Andrew Johnston, presented the certificates and trophies for the Environmental Awards. Introduced three years ago, awareness of and interest in this category have grown exponentially, as reflected in the number of entries received this year.

Individual environmental passion and initiative

this award, that recognises an individual’s initiative and personal

involvement to improve the environmental awareness in his or her

company or group, made its debut this year.

Nominees:

l Marina schuster of powertech for the introduction of the pula water-

saving device

l lynette Calitz of Altech swisttech for the introduction of

environmental best practices and initiatives within the company

l ralph Govender of Altech Netstar for his efforts to improve his

company’s environmental awareness

Winner:

Marina schuster of powertech is the dedicated and passionate person

behind the introduction of the pula water-saving device into her group.

After hearing about the pula, Marina used her own time and resources

to acquire 500 devices, and package and distribute them to the various

powertech operations. she even went as far as installing the devices and

training staff at powertech head office, Aberdare and Ist on how to use

them. thanks to Marina’s efforts, hundreds of pulas are saving thousands

of litres of water throughout the powertech group.

[Visual]

IMG_0234.jpg

Altron group company secretary, Andrew Johnston,

congratulates Marina schuster.

21

Best Company in powertech

Nominees:

l powertech transformers

l Willard Batteries

l powertech Ist

Winner: Willard Batteries

Although the company’s revenue dropped by 15%, Willard increased

its operating income by 3%. At the same time, Willard improved its

operating margin by 21% and, during the period under review, cash in

hand grew from r19 million to an impressive r140 million.

[Visual]

IMG_0293.jpg

powertech Batteries CEo, Glenn Geldenhuis,

with the Best Company trophy.

Most Improved Company in powertech

Nominees:

l strike technologies

l tridonic

l powertech transformers

Winner: Strike Technologies

Although revenue growth of 8% was achieved by strike, its operating

income grew by a staggering 164% from r4 million to r10 million –

resulting in a headline earnings growth of 173%. return on operating

assets, in turn, improved by 106% from 19% to 38%.

[Visual]

IMG_0295.jpg

strike MD, James Calmeyer, with Neil Kayton.

powertech CEo’s Award

Nominees:

l Colin Wong of powertech Asia

l James Calmeyer of strike technologies

l peter riley and Craig Clark of powertech switchgear

Winners: Peter Riley and Craig Clark

the path to success for powertech switchgear started in 2008 when peter

riley identified potential manufacturers in China and set up contacts.

the chosen partner was Dong yuan. peter was joined by Craig Clark as

general manager in 2010. powertech switchgear officially launched in

2010, and has showed amazing growth in sales in a highly competitive

market.

to start a business from scratch and make it highly profitable in just

three years is a feat deserving of the highest recognition.

[Visual]

IMG_0299

Craig Clark, Neil Kayton and peter riley celebrate the powertech CEo’s Award.

Powertech Group awardsthe first official duty of newly appointed CEo of powertech, Neil Kayton, was to honour the group’s top performers.

22

Best Company in Bytes

Nominees:

l Bytes systems Integration

l Bytes Managed solutions

l Bytes healthcare solutions

Winner: Bytes Managed Solutions

Bytes Managed solutions produced operating profit in excess of r100

million to become the newest member of the Bytes Billion rand revenue

Club.

Apart from receiving an Award of Distinction from NCr Corporation for

excellence, the company secured a 5-year, r800-million AtM order from

Absa and successfully rolled out a vast country-wide technology refresh

programme for pick n pay.

[Visual]

IMG_0346.jpg

rob Abraham congratulates Deidre le hanie on winning

the Best Company in Bytes Award.

Most Improved Company

Nominees:

l Bytes Document solutions uK

l Bytes people solutions

l Bytes Connect

Winner: Bytes Connect

having faced the challenges of amalgamating three different cultures

and sets of disciplines, Bytes Connect has emerged as a focused and fully

rationalised business unit. the company is now a cornerstone of the Bytes

Group, having increased its operating profit by 43%, improved its BEE

rating and secured a number of very lucrative contracts going forward.

[Visual]

IMG_0348.jpg

Andrew holden receives the Most Improved Company

Award from rob Abraham.

Bytes CEo’s Award

Nominees:

l Darren spence of Bytes Document solutions uK

l tim runnalls of Bytes Corporate office

l Dr Madelise Grobler of Bytes people solutions

Winner: Dr Madelise Grobler

Madelise is the founder and managing director of Bytes people solutions.

under her passionate and hands-on direction, Bps has become a leader

in its field in south Africa’s education industry, providing outstanding

service to many of the country’s blue chip companies.

During the past year alone, Bps has trained over 1 500 people

enhancing their skills and capability; created a cloud-based, online

learning portal enabling staff to educate and train themselves, supported

the government’s leadership initiative by training 3 500 disadvantaged

and unemployed young south Africans, and received numerous awards

from international corporations.

[Visual]

IMG_0351.jpg

rob Abraham presents Madelise Grobler with her CEo’s Award.

Bytes Group AwardsWomen set the tone at the Bytes Awards when women-led companies took home two of the three top awards.

23

Best Company in Altech

Nominees:

l Arrow Altech Distribution

l Altech Card solutions

l Altech Netstar

l Altech uEC

Winner: Altech Netstar

Altech Netstar is the largest contributor to the Altech results and has

proudly been so for the past two years. Its compounded annual growth

rates for the past 10 years have been exemplary with operating income

growth of 27% and profit before tax growth of 26%. the company

continues to be a world leader in all areas of its activities, has a level

three BBEE rating and has expanded into 15 countries throughout

Africa and Malaysia.

Altech CEo’s Award

Nominees:

l harry louw, the managing director of Altech Netstar

l Boyd Chislett, the managing director of Altech Autopage Cellular

l russell futter, the country manager for Altech uEC in Australia

Winner: Harry Louw

since his appointment as MD of Altech Netstar in 2009, harry has

recorded many remarkable achievements. under his leadership

Altech Netstar was the Altech Group’s star performer, wining two out of three awards.

Altech Group awards

Most Improved Company in Altech

Nominees:

l Altech uEC

l Altech Card solutions

l Arrow Altech Distribution

Winner: Altech UEC

After two years of negative profit before tax, Altech uEC has delivered

a profit before tax of r39 million. the company opened a world-class

facility at its KwaZulu-Natal factory, launched the Altech Multimedia

technology Centre for learning in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal.

the company has achieved solid financial growth and received the

technology top 100 Minister’s Award for Excellence in the management

of systems. harry commands the highest respect from his customers and

peers and from the management at Altech Netstar and the Altech and

Altron groups.

harry louw, MD of Altech Netstar, received both the Best Company and

CEo’s Awards from Craig Venter.

Craig Venter presents peter Balchin with Altech uEC’s Most

Improved Company Award.

24

Comedienne and actress Krijay Govender

both directed the programme and kept

the audience entertained with her wit.

Many talents collaborated on the day to deliver another memorable Altron Annual Awards event.

The electronic Pops Orchestra formed the backbone

of the afternoon’s entertainment to celebrate Altron’s

47th anniversary.

Vocalist Nianell (left) and the romanz

quartet (above) delighted the audience.

25

Vocalist Tracy-Lee Oliver

is one of south Africa’s

most sought-after live

performers.

The guest speaker at the Altron Awards was adventurer David

Grier, who interrupted his epic run through the united Kingdom to

attend the event. David’s talk centered on lessons from his journeys,

ranging from running the length of the Great Wall of China to more

than 3 300km around the coast of south Africa and a run through

Madagascar – all in aid of the smile Foundation (see page 33).

The entire cast was on stage for the finale and sang Proud.

Lindiwe Bungane is a budding vocalist who has already

won a Naledi Theatre Award. Altron has long supported the

arts and especially young artists in south Africa.

The soweto Gospel Choir was a

feast for the eyes and the ears.

26

Johan Klein, ramani Naidoo and tony Dixon

enjoy a cup of tea.

the Altron chairman, Dr Venter, with his wife

penny and seara Mkhabela.

the Altech Netstar team was eye-catching in their orange ties:

(from left) Derick Deyzel, shaun Brashaw, Guy Addison, Jenita

suknunun, Wynand schultz, harry louw, lee Mcfadyen, David

shipton and Charles Morgan.

the registration process was managed by (from left) teboho

Mankga, Altron; Ethy Kieser, Altech Netstar; Myra Abreu, Altron;

Wilma van der Merwe, Altron; Andrea riem, Altech Autopage;

Anne van Zyl, Altron; rené Abrahams, powertech; and tanya

Gruhn, strike technologies.

the powertech guests included Andrew Matseke, Bruce

Nicholson, Nomakha Nsibande and silas Moloko.

yanesh ramiah, pieter reinhardt, Johan van der Westhuizen,

Dr Willie oosthuysen, richard Wingfield and Craig Venter.

Statistically, people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with their routine. Morning

exercisers also burn more kilojoules, eat less junk, and feel more energised throughout the day. Here’s how to get started and keep going.

1. Move up your bedtimeNumerous studies have linked a lack of sleep to weight gain, increased diabetes risk, low energy and fatigue. Trying to wake up early if you aren’t fully rested is even more difficult. Your strategy: Decide at what time you need to wake up to make your workout happen, and then calculate your new ideal bedtime.

You don’t have to change your habit at once. Start going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night until you reach your ideal bedtime. In the meantime, start with a shorter, targeted workout in the morning.

2. Determine your strategy for success

The prospect of dragging yourself, work clothes, shoes, hair dryer and

makeup bag all the way to the gym at 06:00 might convince you to rather stay in bed. Isn’t there something easier you could do instead? A great workout DVD, or a walk or jog around the neighbourhood are all options to consider.

3. Plan to failBeing prepared to fail is the best planning you can do. Create more than one alternative so that when your workout partner cancels or that thunderstorm hits, you won’t have to miss your excercise session.

4. Psych (or bribe) yourself upEven if you have had eight hours of sleep, it can still be a struggle to get up before the sun does. That’s why we highly recommend bribery. If you love to start your day with a coffee, make a deal with yourself that you’ll only be allowed to stop on your way to work if you fit in your workout first.

5. Move to a motivating mixNever underestimate the power of great music to inspire you to get moving.

Create a playlist of your favourite tracks – the ones that really get your heart racing – and hit the play button as soon as you get up. Keep adding songs to your mix and change it often so it always sounds fresh and inspiring.

6. share on social mediaGetting feedback and support from your social network can help you stay on track towards reaching your fitness goals. Post your workout plans the night before, for example: “Trying out a new kickboxing class in the morning!” You might be more motivated to get out of bed after announcing your intention on your Twitter feed.

7. Preparation is the secretZap morning workout excuses by making your pre and post-workout routine as simple as possible. Put your workout gear right next to your bed so you don’t have to fumble around for your shoes and socks. Also keep it simple afterwards. For example, try dry shampoo or a polished ponytail in cold weather.

Did someone say beach?! If your first response is to book a fast flight to Siberia where you can happily hide the sins of winter under layers of clothing, then we challenge you to try first-mover status on for size.

Rise, sweat and shine, baby

Information courtesy of Shape magazine

WELLNESS PROFILE 27

Working together is not a new concept, but the Al-

tron Young Presidents Club (YPC) is making collabora-

tion its own, says Altron YPC exco mem-ber, Arno Geldenhuys. “Our goal is to help build a unified Altron group through the interaction and input of talented young leaders from across the group.”

The curse of silosTurf battles happen everywhere – in hospitals, government departments,

A silo mentality is one of the biggest destroyers of corporate value. Altron’s young leaders have decided to play a different game.

Connecting people tofacilitate collaboration

Identify, promote and protect the future leaders of Altron

Be a platform for leadership development and personal growth opportunities

Facilitate a leadership development strategy with measurable ROI

The Altron YPC aims to:

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT PROFILE28

associations, schools and private indus-try. Silos can be created around an indi-vidual, a group, a division, a function, or even a product line. Wherever it’s found, silo mentality becomes synonymous with power struggles, lack of cooperation and loss of productivity. And always, the cli-ent is the ultimate loser.

Silos cause teams to disintegrate into a collection of isolated camps, with little incentive to collaborate, share informa-tion or join forces to pursue critical outcomes. Local leaders focus on serving their individual agendas - often at the expense of the goals of the greater group.

The resulting internal battles over au-thority, finances and resources destroy productivity, and jeopardise the achieve-ment of corporate objectives. Talented (and frustrated) employees walk out the door – or worse yet, stay and simply stop caring.

Not on our watchArno says the Altron YPC members asked themselves how they could

Connecting people tofacilitate collaboration

contribute to tear down silos, reduce conflicts, promote innovation and increase collaboration. “We realised that the Club gives us a unique opportunity to make a difference. Through the Altron YPC we can connect the businesses we represent and use our young leaders to change our group culture to one of collaboration. At the Altron YPC we connect people to facilitate collaboration. When these talented young leaders come together they bring different perspectives and expertise from their different backgrounds and industries. The Altron YPC provides these bright minds with a platform to network and learn.”

Why collaborateThe benefits of collaboration are numer-ous. It accelerates the rate of innova-tion in organisations, leads to higher productivity and better use of resources, and it leads to employees who are more engaged and effective.

Collaboration seldom requires inventions. It is often just a matter

the Altron ypC executive committee decided at its strategic planning session earlier this year that the time had come to re-launch the Club. “We realised that we needed a fresh approach to create broad spectrum awareness of the Club’s objectives and its value proposition,” says Wayne Munilall, Altron ypC chairman.

Believing that a new Club has to look like a new Club, the committee initiated the process to create a new brand for the

A brand new look

None of us are as smart as all of usJapanese proverb

of combining and recombining capabilities across disciplines, organisations and sectors. Innovation is triggered when the “right” people meet at the right time and discover that each has information needed by the other. A crosspollination of ideas can lead to creative breakthroughs.

Collaborative relationships thrive in an environment of personal trust. Well-placed trust grows out of experience and interaction over time. But it is also built by getting to know people as individuals.

The Altron YPC encourages collabora-tion through formal and informal net-works. Formal networks such as groups, forums, workshops and training acceler-ate the flow of knowledge and informa-tion. Informal networks on the other hand build personal relationships and trust. The Altron YPC builds informal networks through events, social media and networking.

View the Altron YPC collaboration video at bit.ly/ODJGsh.

Altron ypC. the first step was to find a new look.the new branding was officially launched at the

Altron Awards on 18 July, in conjunction with a revitalised membership drive.

“We are excited about our new brand and believe it represents the fresh, dynamic and professional nature of the Club,” concludes Wayne.

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT PROFILE 29

Shandukani is the proud winner of this

year’s Colosseum Award for Conserving

Johannesburg. The award recognised the

preservation of one of the city’s important

architectural heritage assets and the trans-

formation of a derelict building into

a R30-million contemporary clinic.

The Van Niekerk Operating Theatre

was built in 1927 on the grounds of the

old Hillbrow Hospital. When it was decided to

restore and transform it into a modern health-

care facility, the architects were tasked with

preserving the building’s architectural integrity

in recognition of its significant heritage value

and historical importance. A professional team,

led by specialist conservation architects, Henry

Paine and Partners and represented by Kylie

Richards, worked tirelessly to make this vision

a reality. Henry Paine describes the work as

one of his “favourite projects ever”. The Pro-

vincial Heritage Resources Authority Gauteng

(PHRAG) was on hand to make sure all altera-

tions were done sensitively and in harmony

Conservation

KuDOswith the surroundings.

Commenting on the Colosseum Award, Seara

Mkhabela, Altron group executive: corporate af-

fairs, praises the meaningful involvement of the

whole Altron group: “We contributed more than

money, electronic equipment and project man-

agement skills. Thanks to our support, Shandu-

kani will not only benefit thousands of women

and children living in the inner city; the building

itself will remain a piece of living history.”

The Colosseum Award came about in 1982

during the struggle to save the Colosseum

building from demolition, and continues to

promote the conservation of heritage buildings

Ghandi once said “you have to be the change you want to see”. Nowhere is this more evident than in the wards and halls of the Shandukani Maternal and Child Health Centre that recently opened in Hillbrow.

The change for all to see

After two years of hard work, Shandukani, which means “change” in Venda, was of-ficially opened during July.

Located in Hillbrow in Johannesburg’s inner city, the facility is notable for its state-of-the-art technology and integrat-ed approach to healthcare. Shandukani brings high-tech health and research facilities to a community marked by above-average rates of HIV and infec-tious diseases, and ensures that vulner-able women and children have access to expert medical care and treatment on their doorstep.

In addition to its role as a working la-bour ward and maternal health facility, Shandukani will be used to train health-care providers, community workers and researchers. It is also home to a world-class research team working on a range of health-related topics of national and regional significance, including HIV/

Celebrating the official handover of the Shandukani facility were, among others, Ntombi Megwe (in red), the Gauteng MEC for Health; next to her Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health; and Helen Reese (in the grey dress and black jacket), executive director of the WRHI. Back row, far left, Robbie Venter, Altron CE; next to him Craig Venter, CEO of Altech; front row, second from left, Seara Mkhabela, Altron group executive corporate affairs. Joe Makhafola, Altech group executive corporate affairs, marketing, government liaison & regulatory affairs is in the back row, second from right.

CSI PROFILE30

The Van Niekerk Operating Theatre Building two years ago.

The specialised services centre after the R30-million upgrade.

Aids, TB, maternal and child healthcare, infectious diseases, reproductive health and social science.

Shandukani is a pioneering public/private partnership between the Gau-teng Department of Health, the Voda-com Foundation, Altron, Altech and the Wits Reproductive Health & HIV Institute (WRHI). It is hoped that Shan-dukani’s example will pave the way for similar projects that will transform service delivery to South Africans.

“Altron’s corporate social investments form an integral part of its commit-ment to broad-based black economic empowerment. Shandukani is the first group-wide flagship project involving all 150 operations in the group,” says Seara Mkhabela, Altron group executive: cor-porate affairs. “We believe in the value of public/private partnerships of which this project is an example.”

Joe Makhafola, group executive: corporate affairs at Altech, says Shandu-kani reflects Altech’s CSI philosophy: “It represents our support for community clinics, community health programmes and HIV/Aids awareness in a truly integrated manner. Altech believes that people are its prime asset and is com-mitted to sustainable investments in their wellbeing.”

in the inner city. To be eligible for the award,

projects must fulfil the renovation criteria set out

in the national and provincial heritage policies.

The Colosseum Award is a key feature of

the Halala Joburg Awards, which encourages

efforts to build sustainable and inclusive renewal

projects that recognise the roles of, and relation-

ships between, the private and public sectors.

The Halala Joburg Awards were established

in 2008 to promote the City’s goal of regenerat-

ing the inner city. Nominees undergo a rigorous

process before making it onto the short list. Each

project is thoroughly assessed by an industry-

related adjudication panel.

31CSI PROFILE

The first 30 women to have completed an end-

user computer training programme under the

auspices of the Progressive Women’s Movement

of South Africa (PWMSA), recently celebrated

their success at a graduation ceremony at

the Tshwane Academy for Leadership and

Management.

The ICT training project was launched in July

last year. The partnership between PWMSA and

Bytes People Solutions is funded by the Media,

Advertising, Information and Communication

Technologies Training Authority (MICT Seta),

and is aimed at training young women in ICT

in six Gauteng municipalities.

Bytes People Solutions delivers the training.

The company’s MD, Dr Madelise Grobler,

regards the first graduates as a significant

equipped for the future

Photographed at the awards ceremony are (from left) Dr Madelise Grobler, MD Bytes People Solutions; Ida Diale, PWMSA learner; and Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister of Health.

Hockey unlocks new horizons

Bytes Connect recently spon-sored 20 underprivileged chil-dren to participate in a hockey skills programme arranged

by non-profit organisation, Future Families. The 18-week programme will ultimately touch 100 children, and is presented at the Old Albanian Hockey Club which had started a junior hockey club in partnership with St Albans Col-lege. Bytes Connect is sponsoring the junior club for a year.

Future Families is an NGO that cares for orphans and vulnerable children who have been affected by HIV/Aids in the greater Tshwane area. The 6 500 children it works with are visited by a trained care worker once a week. The organisation ensures that the children attend school, receive assistance with their homework, participate in holiday programmes, and acquire life skills

through peer education. It also runs groups for single parents, including grannies who raise their grandchildren. Future Familes has established 220 veg-etable gardens in the community.

The hockey programme has several objectives, says Andrew Holden, MD of Bytes Connect. “The children are taught the technical skills of playing hockey on Astroturf, but almost more importantly they learn about team work and how to have fun. And who knows – a love of the game from an early age could result in future Ol-ympic team members!”

Penny Learmonth, executive director of Future Families, says that opportuni-ties such as this allow the children to see a life beyond the circumstances in which they find themselves. “It builds their self-esteem when they master new skills and see their talents emerge.”

milestone: “These women now have a real

chance of succeeding in the workplace and

we have every confidence that they will add

value to any of the companies to which they

are assigned.”

CSI PROFILE32

BENEFITS PROFILE 33

the guest speaker at the Altron Awards was adventurer David Grier, who travels the world in aid of the Cipla Miles for smiles foundation.

the foundation was formed to help operation smile create awareness for the plight of children born with cleft lips and palates, and to raise funds to perform corrective surgery on them.

people who attended the Awards were so inspired by David’s presentation that requests to support his work have been pouring in. Dr Venter and his wife penny have pledged to add to monies raised by Altron employees with a donation of their own.

enquiries: Paul or Wendy

Tel (011) 205-7152 Fax (011) 205-7009 www.bytes.co.za

if you want to add your contribution to the Altron donation, contact Grant Rogerson: Tel +27 (0)11 645 3643 email grogerson@altron.com

Bytes Conference Centre offers special rates to Altron Group

The 4-star Bytes Conference Centre in Midrand is offering Altron Group companies special discounted rates as part of its marketing programme to attract new business. Conveniently situated off the New Road off-ramp in Midrand, the centre boasts excellent meeting facilities and professional service.

Newly appointed general manager, Paul Campbell, invites all group companies to consider the facilities when choosing a conference venue in the area. Full day conference package, inclusive of a three course lunch: R295 per person, Cocktail event: R195 per person

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