The Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga was filled with excitement and celebration at the annual Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards.
This highly anticipated event, considered a lodestar on the KwaZulu-Natal business calendar, brought together an illustrious gathering of visionary and impactful business leaders from across the province.
From donating 180 000 litres of water daily to stricken communities, to the installation of solar farms that provide over one million kilowatts of clean energy at their holiday resorts, to creating hundreds of jobs, these companies have ignited the KwaZulu-Natal economy, uplifted communities and offered hope during challenging times.
“The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards is a testament to the exceptional businesses and organisations that go above and beyond in fuelling the economy and enriching the lives of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Our purpose is to drive Africa’s growth. These KZN businesses we recognised tonight all share amazing stories of triumph and perseverance and serve as a beacon of inspiration for us all. Their invaluable contributions to the economic prosperity of KwaZulu-Natal deserve our utmost admiration are key to driving that growth,” said Kuben Chetty, Head of Commercial Banking at Standard Bank KwaZulu-Natal.
The prestigious title of KZN Top Brand, awarded solely by public vote, is highly coveted by all participating businesses. This year, an overwhelming number of votes were cast, and we proudly announce that the top brand for 2023 is Mi7 National Group. Based in Pietermaritzburg, this esteemed company has been a leader in the security cluster for decades, guided by their mission to uplift, empower, and enhance the quality of life within the communities they serve.
The Business Leader of the Year 2023 award went to Owen Heffer, CEO of Hollywoodbets. Heffer’s inspiring journey from humble beginnings, in a country foreign to him and his family, to the creation of a powerful brand with a profound presence across South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal, resonates with the spirit of true success.
Grant Adlam, CEO of KZN Top Business, expressed his deep admiration, stating, “Every year, we are not only impressed by the exceptional companies operating in KwaZulu-Natal, but also humbled by their unwavering commitment to sound business practices and outstanding efforts to benefit employees and communities. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees, finalists, and winners for their remarkable achievements. The selection process this year was immensely challenging due to the high number of entries and the exceptional calibre of participants. Our province is undoubtedly a winning one, and as we always say,
success breeds success.”
Winners of the category awards are:
Standard Bank Client of the Year – SME Category: Sky Tents
Standard Bank Client of the Year – Larger Enterprise: P&A Fabricators
Manufacturing Sector: Tropic Plastics and Packaging Industry
Transport/Logistics Sector: Fastway Couriers Durban
Franchising Sector: CMM Group of Companies
Family-Owned/Managed Businesses: Phoenix Group
Agricultural and Agro-processing-processing Sector: Underberg Dairy
Community Upliftment and improvement: DRG
Renewable Efficiency – Green initiatives: Beekman Group
Employee Wellness: Star Retailers
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