The Ditikeni Trust and Vunani Capital Partners are pleased to announce the Ditikeni Vunani EXPO 2024 to be held at The Wanderers Club, Johannesburg, on Thursday morning. This is the first such venture aimed at promoting synergies within the broader Ditikeni and Vunani network of companies. The sponsors are two of South Africa’s leading BEE enterprises with a long record of successful investing with a purpose. Today, they are working together to expand their asset base while promoting sustainable development goals. The EXPO on Thursday showcases many of the companies in which they have invested, as well as Ditikeni’s beneficiaries which uniquely are all community-service NGOs. On show also will be the significant intellectual capital within the Ditikeni and Vunani networks. The Expo will feature five insightful TED talks delivered by company heads from Ovations, AnaDigi Systems, Phakamani, Ozow and Pineapple respectively. The talks will focus on cutting-edge issues in the business services space and will provide valuable insights and knowledge on their specific sector and business focus areas, as well as their respective operations and business environments. Exhibitors cover high-level IT, financial services, automation and energy saving, renewable energy, and procurement and financial operations. Mark Anderson, CEO of Vunani Capital Partners said: “The Ditikeni Vunani partnership marks a pivotal milestone in our journey towards sustainability and shareholder value enhancement. We believe that ESG stewardship necessitates a shared commitment
and accountability and our partnership with the Ditikeni Trust is the perfect example of this. The way that all the investee companies operate and prioritise objectives is essential for us as it drives, positive, measurable social and environmental impacts while sustainably generating financial returns”. In pursuit of these goals, Ditikeni and Vunani have jointly launched the Transformation Fund, a partnership which has already made two investments in renewable energy – a 10% shareholding in Upgrade Energy and a 25% shareholding in Specialized Solar Systems based in George. Both companies are exhibiting at the EXPO. An encouraging pipeline of potential investments is being pursued to achieve the equally weighted goals of competitive returns and social impact.
Gordon Young, Investment Advisor to Ditikeni, said “There will be many cross- business conversations on Thursday. Exploring areas of common interest and knowledge of sector specificities can only produce useful insights.
This interactive engagement platform will enable some business ideas to convert into reality for those willing to embrace and advance them.” It is also an opportunity for the businesses in the Ditikeni network to engage with the
ultimate beneficiaries of these investments. Larger NGOs in the Ditikeni fold exhibiting at the EXPO include the Social Change Assistance Trust, the Labour Research Service and the Trust for Community Outreach and Education. Sahra Ryklief, Ditikeni chairperson, said “We are constantly astonished at the achievements, the innovations and the resilience of our fourteen NGOs. They have survived tough times but continue to provide valuable social development services to hundreds of communities, many in rural areas.” Ditikeni’s beneficiaries are all nonprofit organizations working in poor communities.
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For further information, please contact:
Sibusiso Madonsela Email: smadonsela@singular.co.za
Notes to editors:
• Ditikeni was formed in 1999 by a number of non-profit organisations seeking financial sustainability and has made more than 30 investments in the past 20 years. Those that have been retained pay healthy dividends to Ditikeni for onward distribution to its NGO beneficiaries. See www.ditikeni.co.za
• Vunani Capital Partners Limited is a member of the broader Vunani Group and is listed on the integrated Exchange (I-Ex) and holds investments in resources and energy, gaming, financial services, fintech, BEE investments, commodity trading, and property. See www.vunanicapitalpartners.co.za
• Vunani and Ditikeni have committed R20 million and R55 million to the Ditikeni Vunani Transformation Fund Partnership respectively. This Fund invests in assets contributing to impact and transformation while aiming to achieve market-related investment returns. The Transformation Fund has selected 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals as its impact targets.
See
www.ditikenivunanitransformationfund.co
