Kagiso Media is rated as a Level 2 BBBEE contributor in terms of the DTI’s scorecard.

Kagiso Media has a fully documented and constituted BEE and workplace skills plan committee that is charged with the responsibility of managing the statutory requirements of the legislation. A new ratings process is currently under way.

The fact that the company’s ultimate shareholders are Kagiso Trust Investments at year-end, and KTH post balance sheet, roots it firmly in philanthropy and social transformation. The company recognises that as a corporate citizen it has a duty to play an active role in empowering previously disenfranchised South Africans through employment equity and management diversity, training and contributing to social investment programmes, human capital management and affirmative procurement policies.

The Broadcasting division continues its enterprise development partnership with The University of the Witwatersrand which established a new radio training facility at the university. This facility houses the Wits Radio Academy and the campus station, Voice of Wits (VoW). The objective is to contribute to deepening the skills base in the radio industry, which is faced with rapid technological developments. In addition to financial assistance, the Broadcasting executive team provide pro bono lecturing to the students on a number of topics.

Over and above various CSI initiatives located at subsidiary level in the period under review, Kagiso Trust Investments paid dividends totalling R25 million, inclusive of Kagiso Media’s dividend payments to Kagiso Trust. In the year under review the trust’s disbursements to its education and rural enterprise development programmes totalled R27,8 million (2010: R23,4 million).

The trust continues to focus its attention on education, especially in rural areas where schools are plagued by poverty and a shortage of facilities and resources. The focus of the Kagiso Trust is on three specific and customised programmes, namely:

Beyers Naudé Schools Development Programme (BNSDP)
The BNSDP is specifically targeted at rural schools with the aim of building leadership capacity and value-adding relationships, as well as instituting training interventions. Currently, BNSDP comprises more than 90 (2010: more than 50) secondary schools that are located in remote rural areas in Limpopo, Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. In the period under review, significant infrastructure including fully equipped computer and science laboratories, libraries and media centres, were provided to various schools within the BNSDP, rewarding schools for marked improvement in matric results.

In association with government, poorly performing schools are identified and assistance is provided by the BNSDP to address issues facing the schools, over a four to five-year period. These include infrastructure upgrading, development of curriculum and class management interventions, development of leadership skills and sport and cultural programmes.

More than 50 000 (2010: 32 500) learners currently benefit from the programme while more than 3 000 educators (2010: 2 000) are employed in BNSDP schools. All the beneficiaries are black rural youth, the majority of whom are women.

Eric Molobi Scholarship Programme (EMSP)
The EMSP is targeted at learners in the BNSDP who show an aptitude for science and maths and who meet additional stringent criteria. Funding is provided for the duration of their studies in engineering and commerce for tuition, books and educational equipment, accommodation, transport and personal expenses.

There are currently 53 (2010: 37) students in the programme, all of whom are black rural youth, from KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.

In addition to the funding, the aim of the programme is that as these students graduate, they develop into tomorrow’s business and science leaders by providing them with academic, social and professional support.

Kagiso Enterprises Rural Private Equity Fund (KERPEF) Through a partnership with W.K. Kellog Foundation, this fund of the Kagiso Trust seeks to provide financial support to sustainable high growth rural enterprises and facilitates economic participation of previously disadvantaged individuals in rural areas.

Kagiso Media is extremely proud of its meaningful association with these initiatives as they extend our mission of “Building Communities for Good”