ABOUT USEconomic Development Solutions (Pty) Ltd ( ) offers a unique combination of economic development services designed to provide customised solutions to the Renewable Energy, Mining, Government and Corporate sectors. Our experience within B-BBEE consulting, organizational transformation, economic development and strategic facilitation, enables e d s to provide a personalised solution to our clients.

OUR EXPERIENCEOur experience includes National and International Business Development, Project Management, BBBEE and Economic Development Consulting, Mentorship, Stakeholder and Community Engagement.

As consultants to various industries we have gained experience in Organisational Transformation, Strategy Facilitation, Change Management, Diversity Management, as well as Training and Workshop Facilitation.

e d s has presented as key note speakers at a number of workshops and conferences focusing on Disability Integration and BBBEE implementation as well as Economic Development throughout South Africa. This includes members of our team serving as panellists and / or facilitators of community-based work groups nationally.

We have advised on various Socio-Economic Integration strategies aligned to the Economic Development growth path identified by the South African Government across the different sectors. This has in many instances led to e d s being responsible for the Project Development and Management of Socio-Economic Development and Enterprise Development projects around the country.

Janine Espin

UgeshreeThakurpersad

WaldoAdams

WHAT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?In broad terms, economic development involves the development of human capital, increasing the literacy ratio, improving important infrastructure, improvement of health and safety and other initiatives which aim to improve the general welfare of citizens.

e d s views economic development as a holistic approach to transformation and uses all the elements of BBBEE together with the Employment Equity Act and Skills Development Act to provide the legislative context. In addition, the creation of job opportunities, the development of a skilled workforce and the establishment of a local supply chain (localization), all feed into the successful implementation of economic development within South Africa.

Our passion is to enable transformation across all levels from the community to the boardroom.

SERVICES Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment

e d s Offers strategic consulting and training services in relation to the following BBBEE elements:

• Ownership (including Employee Share Scheme Facilitation)• Management Control (including Employment Equity)• Skills Development• Supplier Development (including Preferential Procurement and Enterprise Development)• Socio-Economic Development In addition to the above, we offer Verification Preparation, Compliance Assessment, Risk Assessment and Strategy Facilitation. e d s is proficient and experienced in numerous Sector Charters.

Community Needs Assessments

e d s has conducted numerous community needs assessments throughout South Africa. We provide the following services to our Clients:

• Desktop research;• Conduct site visits in order to gain on-the-ground knowledge relating to the socio-

economic circumstances of the pre-determined community/ies;• Identification of beneficiary community/ies; • Identification of key local community stakeholders;• Initial engagement with the key stakeholders in order to introduce the project and to

create limited awareness and managed expectations regarding the planned project (if applicable);

• Identify the literacy and skills levels within the communities;

• Conduct a broad-based industry and entrepreneurial analysis;

• Identify enterprise development and supplier opportunities for future development;

• Identify risks and challenges which may impact the clients’ project; and

• The development and submission of a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment report.

Stakeholder EngagementStakeholder Engagement facilitates the link between businesses and the communities in which they operate. e d s acknowledges that each community is unique and takes every measure to observe all community / cultural related protocols. Our services include: • Identification of Stakeholders• Facilitation of the Community or Stakeholder Forum establishment • Liaison services• Public Participation facilitation services• Compilation of minutes and distribution to key Stakeholders• Media facilitation services (in accordance with the community’s needs)• Project Management and Implementation• Financial Management services• Report development to ensure that a track-record of all engagements are available as

substantiating evidence

Where necessary we utilize the services of translators to avoid any language barriers.

Social & Labour PlansIn line with the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, e d s offers services to the Mining Sector to develop and implement Social and Labour Plans to obtain and maintain their mining license.

Our service extends itself to:

• Stakeholder Engagement• Community Participation and Facilitation • Community Needs Assessments• Project Management services

Programme implementation, including;

• Socio-Economic Development Programmes• Skills Development and Transfer• Supplier Development• Localness Integration

Strategic Management & Decision Making Consulting Servicese d s engages with our clients’ strategic decision- makers in order to facilitate and guide their thought processes to enable them to achieve their predefined business objectives and goals.

Our methodology includes one-on-one sessions, coaching, workshops, work-flow process analysis as well as company policy and procedure analysis.

Our service offering extends to Policy Development, practical Work-Flow Process Development, large scale facilitation sessions as well as Workplace Forum election and training, Risk Assessments and the development of strategic guideline documents.

Tender Preparation & Compliance Management

e d s offers services to clients in the Renewable Energy (RE) sector for both large and small scale projects, as well as other industries which require Economic Development, Supplier Development, Skills Development plans etc. inputs into the tender submission. These services include but are not limited to:

• Economic Development (ED) component service offering which includes BBBEEcompliance, RSA participation and Contributor Status Level compliance review

• Strategic consulting services regarding project ownership structures• Provision of strategic guidelines regarding the partner (ownership and technical) selection

process• Assessment of the ED scorecards• ED write ups• ED plan development• Socio-economic and Enterprise Development plans and programme development• Collation and review of substantiating evidence• Conducting a Community Needs Assessment and development of the Community Needs

Assessment report• Provision of strategic guidance regarding the proposed ED commitments, to ensure

compliance and realistic commitments• Contractor and sub-contractor selection (in support of Localisation)• Supplier development and related strategic planning• ED reporting• Independent ED reporting audits

Programme ImplementationOur experience and expertise includes:

• Project plan development and management;

• Budget management;

• Development of project scope and deliverymilestones;

• Ensuring that the project plan is linkedto the client’s compliance requirements,including procurement and localisationtargets (if applicable);

• Identify whether a local office should beestablished (and the sustainability thereof);

• Facilitate the development of skills databasesto allow for easier employment of personsfrom the local communities surrounding theproject(s);

• Facilitate the development of supplier databases to allow for the easier appointment oflocal service providers;

• Identification of key Stakeholders;

• Public Participation Strategy Development and Facilitation;

• Beneficiary identification Including communities, socio-economic and enterprisedevelopment beneficiaries;

• Management of the socio-economic development programmes;

• Monitoring and reporting on socio-economic development programmes;

• Management of enterprise development programmes;

• Monitoring and reporting on enterprise development programmes;

• Conduct project / programme risk assessment analysis;

• Mine Closure Programme Development (in line with DMR stipulations); and

• Mine Closure Programme Implementation Management (in line with DMR and Municipalstipulations).

The following are brief case studies of our programme Implementation experience.

Infrastructure Project - Project Summary: Graveyard fencing and the building of an ablution facility

This project was identified following a process of public and stakeholder engagement initiatives which was facilitated and managed by eds.

Following the public meetings held, e d s engaged with the Local Municipality and the local DMR office to ensure buy-in and sustainability of the project post completion. Following this consultative process, it was agreed that the Municipality would provide the land, legal permitting and land access rights. The project sponsor would provide the funds required, payable directly to the approved contractors.

The project was completed successfully and within the projected time and budget.

Infrastructure Project - Project Summary: Supply of potable water to a community

Following a community and stakeholder engagement process, e d s was tasked by our client to conduct a Feasibility Study of the proposed beneficiary area / community in order to determine the most viable initiative which would have the greatest impact on the said community.

Human Capital Development -Project Summary: Provision of Bursaries and Learnership opportunities

e d s has for a number of our clients, identified suitable candidates to benefit from pre-determined learning opportunities which include programmes such as Bursaries, Learnerships, Mentorships and Internships.

Each programme takes into account the clients’ projected outcomes and the community dynamics, for example, we have worked with locally based accredited training centres to provide artisan training such as welding in areas where this type of skill will guarantee employment.

In areas where tourism is a main economic driver, we have facilitated the participation of suitable candidates from the local community to undergo Hospitality training programmes, i.e. Hotel School. In this instance, bursaries, which included stipend payments, were the form of support.

Where we have identified the need for graduate candidates, e d has facilitated the establishment of bursary programmes for final year graduates, with in some instances access to post-qualification workplace training programmes.

e d s has also successfully facilitated the support and mentorship of small business owners in order to allow them to grow and develop their businesses.

CONTACT USEmail : admin@ed-solutions.co.za

Fax2Email : +27 (0) 86 567 8828Phone : +27 (0) 11 447 4683

or +27 (0) 11 447 6574BEE : Level 1(BWO)

Inanda Greens Office Park, Wierda Gables, Block B54 Wierda Road West, Wierda Valley, Sandton 2196

www.ed-solutions.co.za

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