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//HIGH-POWERED TRIO: Mamphela Ramphele, centre, with Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Keith Betty, CEO of Citadel, at sumptuous Summer Place Picture: MAX BERG//

Sunday Independent, Johannesburg, 01 October 2006
=Everything comes up roses for these top guns=

//**Deputy president is keynote speaker at dinner to honour Top 100 Black Businessmen**//


 * Gwen Gill**

AN INVITATION to have dinner with our Top 100 Black Businessmen looked too good to miss. Especially when it was to be held in the sumptuous Summer Place in Hyde Park, and the keynote speaker was to be one of my favourite members of the Cabinet, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

As guests awaited the deputy president’s well-secured arrival, we took in the glorious massed roses on the tables, the knockout suits (Hugo Boss everywhere) and attractive frocks, and the music of the pleasant classical Motswako String Quartet. Very posh, as you can guess.

This impressive list of black business’s top guns (called the Trailblazers by the survey) had been assessed by Empowerdex, and the awards’ media partner was Business Times. But the gathering wasn’t quite what it promised — the people we met that night were merely the 50 most influential directors of JSE-listed companies and did not include non-listed company directors.

So big business deals like Patrice Motsepe and MTN’s Phuthuma Nhleko did not figure, though I hear an Empowerdex book will be on the shelves soon and will be a catch-all reference book for all top local business directors. This should be a fantastic read as it will also include the life stories of our rich.

What’s also fascinating is reading what all these captains of industry earn — what does Nhleko do with his R14-million a year, and how can Graham Mackay of SABMiller spend R27.3-million? Why, also, does Johann Rupert only pay himself R702000?

The top honcho of the black business listed directors came as a pleasant surprise — a woman, would you believe!

The highly respected Dr Mamphela Ramphele (more famously thought of as an activist and near-saint) headed the charts — her directorships of Anglo American, Medi-Clinic, MTN and Standard Bank give her a monetary influence of R702-million.

She was followed by Fred Phaswana (Anglo and Naspers) and Cyril Ramaphosa (seven household-name directorships).

Women (four from Sasol) did well in the Top Ten, but only 11 made the Top Fifty.

Enough of business stats — what did they wear, eat and talk about? For all their cash wealth, the Top Ten businesswomen didn’t make best-dressed.

A pleasant dark red, traditional frock and matching turban for Mamphela and elegant black sequins for Imogen Mkhize (number five on the list) were overshadowed by the gorgeous brown Hip Hop dress — bustier and huge net skirt — worn by the transport DG, Mpumi Mpofu, wife of the SABC CEO, Dali.

The deputy president wore a white linen suit with a pale pink pashmina — and looked, shall we say, presidential, rather than elegant. I enjoyed her speech — what fun that an “eish” or two slips into the wording every now and then.

Among her words of wisdom were that “empowerment is not meant to address poverty, but to get more people involved in the economy”.

I asked how she was handling the Jacob Zuma circus and what could she do but shrug? But she did admit that, occasionally, she looks back on being a mere minister with fond memories.

Empowerdex CEO Vuyo Jack is a vegan and a cutie — bedroom eyes de luxe — and a staffer confides that he meditates for two hours every morning.

The efficient Tim Modise obviously went down well as MC, and when the classical music was over, the Andile Yenana jazz band took over.

Other guests included Dr Nthato Motlana; the Unisa vice-chancellor, Barney Pityana, in a great traditional shirt, who thanked the deputy president; and my nice dinner companion Eugene Papo, CEO of head- hunter Renwicks, who was out on a first date with Transnet’s charming Lerato Lelaka.

FOOD: 6/10 – unmemorable feta and cucumber starter and huge hunk of fillet, called “succulent” by Eugene.

DÉCOR: 8/10 – the roses in huge silver bowls were beautiful. Perhaps next year Empowerdex and sponsors Citadel should ensure the programmes are readable — white on silver in a dark room is nearly invisible.

VIBE: 7/10 – pleasant, but a few empty seats — the result of holding such a bash on the first night of a long weekend.


 * From: http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/articles/Article-gwen.aspx?ID=ST6A210356**

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