Leading BEE company gains recognition from world leader Cisco Systems

Sourcecom Technology Solutions has been an industry-leading example of BEE initiatives for several years and now, with the award of Best 2-Tier Partner of the year at the recent Cisco Systems Partner Summit, has demonstrated that empowerment and business excellence can be achieved simultaneously.

Lithalelanga Technologies, a wholly black-owned enterprise, acquired Sourcecom approximately six months ago, with the objective of extending Lithalelanga's reach in the ICT industry. It was also seen as an endorsement of Sourcecom's positive and successful approach to empowerment.

"Our company has always realised that a BEE strategy involves more than just representational shareholding," says Jaco du Toit, managing executive for business development at Sourcecom.

"Our goal has always been to achieve diversity and empowerment among our own workforce, with the simultaneous transfer and upgrading of skills.

"In this, we have had great success in implementing rapid change. Just between 2000 and now, we have increased the BEE component of our technical staff from 15% to more than 50%, reduced our reliance on white management from 75% to less than 50% and have an overall BEE participation of better than 66%. This process was well established prior to our acquisition by Lithalelanga Technologies."

As a business unit, Sourcecom has proved the viability of an assertive, holistic approach to BEE while maintaining well-established service delivery and improving business performance.

"We have achieved year-on-year growth in the midst of a difficult market," says Du Toit. "This is wholly attributable to the work of a dedicated, skilled team and the excellent support we have had from our suppliers, Westcon, plus Cisco Systems' commitment to its channel partners. This was certainly highlighted with the recent award."

As a 2-Tier Partner, Sourcecom obtains Cisco equipment from Westcon, one of the local distributors.

"We are a Cisco Systems Premier Select Partner at present and anticipate that we will become a Silver Partner - the second-highest category - in the near future," says Du Toit.

"Our success is a result of our careful focus on developing engineering skills, with a definite BEE emphasis, which was further stimulated by acquiring valuable personnel in a deal we negotiated last year with multinational technology innovator, Spescom. We have also put a lot of effort into expanding our capabilities in other areas of core business.

"Consequently, we are able to offer customers better solutions delivered via improved business practices.

"Our ongoing commitment to BEE is emphasised through the involvement of Lithalelanga, and the activities of our chairman, Mthunzi Mdwaba, who has been prominent in the part he has played in assisting with the formulation of the ICT BEE charter. All of this combines to guarantee that we can maintain a leadership role in this area, while still achieving the excellent service delivery for which we have been recognised," concludes Du Toit.