Closing Remarks CEO Speech

Productivity SA CEO, Mothunye Mothiba’s, speech at the occasion of productivity SA National Productivity awards on 21 October 2022 at the Gallagher Conference Centre, Midrand

Good evening, ladies, and gentlemen.

After a good evening of powerful speeches in recognition of well deserving winners and finalists at this 43rd Anniversary of the Annual National Productivity Awards, it is not my call to spoil the evening with long closing remarks.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to, on behalf of Productivity SA and the entire community of Productivity Ambassadors to express our appreciation to all the speakers for their valuable contribution at this important event on the calendar of Productivity SA.

My deepest gratitude goes to all of you (attending physically and virtually) for taking time out of your busy schedule and stayed the night in joining us to acknowledge and reward excellence where it matters. Congratulations once again to all the winners and the finalists.

We simply appreciate you all for making this ceremony such a successful event.

Programme Director, it is hard to believe it is only two years ago, March 2020 to be exact, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis resulted in various cycles of hard lockdowns which disrupted our livelihoods and business activities (with SMMEs the most affected). We lost loved ones and many businesses scaled down operations and some closed, retrenching workers, and adding to our challenges of unemployment, poverty, inequality and exclusion.

Despite all the challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis and advancements in technology that are reshaping the socio-economic landscape and business models, and the Future of Work, here we are today, celebrating SMMEs that have shown resilience and continued to “Weather the storms”.

It paid off for these companies to rely amongst other on the Enterprise Development and Support Programmes that we offer in collaboration with the dtic, the Department of Small Business Development and SEDA, and key strategic partners at provincial and local level.

Without these interventions by government (including Joined-Up Government) in collaboration with stakeholders, we would not be celebrating as a country.
Ladies and Gentlemen, going forward towards the 44th Annual National Productivity Awards in October 2023 (which will be the 22nd Anniversary of Productivity Month), I urge all of us to do more in creating an enabling environment conducive for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises. The solution to our socio-economic challenges lies in productivity growth (which is a driver of long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth). Government has a duty as funder of first resort, and that funding should be linked to productivity outcomes.

As Productivity SA, we take pride in the fact that most companies that we are showcasing here tonight are not just award finalists, but beneficiaries of the programmes we offer. We invite more entrepreneurs and SMMEs to join and participate in these programmes. We also invite all South Africans to embrace productivity as a way of life, thus creating a sustained productivity culture in the country.

Hearing and learning from speakers, as well as the audience, I have noted how critical partnerships are. All of us here, can all use our partnerships in learning new skills and using technology as a development tool to grow our productivity rate and essentially creating jobs.
It is important to regularly hear the views from industry, academic experts, and government representatives, on how policies can affect enterprises and our Economy at large. I am certain that the takeaways from tonight’s ceremony will further deepen our thinking and stimulate our work at Productivity SA for the future.

Throughout the evening (if I were to summarise), the issues of productivity growth, sustainable economic growth, job creation and job preservation were reflected upon by several speakers. This to me confirms our resolve as a nation to implement the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan towards the realisation of the National Development Plan. This shows our commitment to creating over 11 million jobs by 2030, most of which should be by SMMEs. We have eight more years to reach the South African dream.

Programme Director, as I thank you for the sterling work in directing the proceeding, allow me before ending my closing remarks, to convey a special thanks to the Deputy Minister on Employment and Labour, Mme Boitumelo Moloi, Colleagues from the dtic (with whom we jointly implement the WPC Programme), The Chairman of the board, Prof Mthunzi Mdwaba and all board members, Vice President of the LOE and Vice Chairperson of the ILO Renate Hornung-Draus, our business partners, Sasol, Transnet, Arena holdings, all service providers and finally, Productivity SA staff members for their continued hard work in making tonight a success.

I thank you all.