corporate review

Corporate social investment

The South African socioeconomic environment, compared with the standards of the world’s developed economies, remains underdeveloped, yet rich with growth and development opportunities.

Compared with the world’s most affluent nations, such as the Scandinavian countries, per-capita income in South Africa stands at 10% of the Scandinavian average (World Bank statistics of 1997: US$32 430 for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, combined, versus US$3 210 for South Africa). These developed nations enjoy total adult literacy and a higher life expectancy, as well as adequate and highly efficient social services in such fields as education, healthcare, welfare and public transport.

Meeting socioeconomic challenges  For as long as South Africa remains underdeveloped and deeply affected by poverty, disease, illiteracy and unemployment, among other maladies, responsible corporate citizens such as Sasol will continue to contribute substantially to a definitive spectrum of social upliftment and economic development programmes.

These initiatives are orchestrated through corporate and company-specific teams working in dynamic and constructive partnerships with local communities, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other capacity-building role players.

During the year Sasol allocated R25 million to corporate social investment programmes. The same amount has been budgeted for the 2002 financial year.

Keen focus on education and job creation  In the previous financial year Sasol committed R10,1 million for the development of two new primary schools in local communities: the Maphala Gulube Primary School near Secunda; and the Credo Primary School near Sasolburg. The schools were opened to their first intake of learners in August and September 2000, respectively, and have become valuable community assets.

The Group sponsored the popular annual national science and technology festival, Sasol SciFest 2001, at Grahamstown in March 2001. The company again sponsored the annual Expo for Young Scientists. Both events are supported in line with a wider commitment to enriching the country’s future scientific and technological resources. Sasol undertook during the year to sponsor a special edition of the Oxford English Dictionary for use in schools in underresourced communities.
Sasol continued to support several other education facilities and programmes, including the two award-winning community education and upliftment centres pioneered by the Group: Boitjhorisong Resource Centre at Sasolburg; and the Osizweni Community Development Centre near Secunda. Both centres continue to impact favourably on thousands of learners and hundreds of school teachers.

Since 1984 and 1998, respectively, Sasol has been a proud sponsor of the Free State and Northern Cape School Festival and the Mpumalanga School Festival. During the year the company sponsored for the first time the Gauteng School Festival. These festivals are dynamic, interactive educational and cultural events for learners. For the Free State and Northern Cape series, Sasol was nominated for the Business Day / Business Arts South Africa long-term development category award for social investment.

The Group continues to support various university and technikon facilities and programmes in South Africa. Sasol remains one of the country’s major sponsors of tertiary education students. The Group is sponsoring bursaries for 450 undergraduate students for the 2001 academic year at a cost of R18 million.

Most of the students are studying sciences, engineering and related technological and business disciplines. Half of the students are from historically disadvantaged groups – that is, black people (Africans, Coloureds and Indians), women and people with disabilities.

The Fedmis Phalaborwa business unit of Sasol Agri remained active in the greater Phalaborwa community in the Northern Province. Besides sponsoring 11 new classrooms at a community school near Phalaborwa, the business assisted with various HIV/Aids and other essential community welfare and support programmes.

On the employment and entrepreneurial front, Sasol maintained its enthusiastic support for the independent Wonderwater and Esparanza farming projects at Sasolburg and Secunda, respectively. Both farming projects continue to keep community members gainfully employed.

Promoting arts, culture and sport  The Group retained its keen interest in promoting arts and culture. Sasol again sponsored the annual Sasol Schools Choir Competition, the South African National Youth Orchestra, the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (National Arts Festival), the Aardklop Kunstefees at Potchefstroom, the eMbalenhle Sports, Youth and Women Development Centre near Secunda, the Soweto Dance Theatre and other cultural and recreational activities.

On the sporting front, Sasol Oil recommitted itself to a four-year, multimillion-rand sponsorship of Amaglug-glug™, the South African Under 23 soccer squad. This undertaking, along with continuing focused investments into Sasol-branded taxi ranks in select communities, has elevated brand awareness while promoting community relations.

In keeping with Sasol’s tradition of supporting environmental and nature conservation initiatives, various nature-related publications, projects and programmes were again supported. The Group also allocated funds to various charitable and welfare organisations.

Vital support for HIV/Aids  The Group donated R616 000 to the Topsy Foundation towards the running costs of an Mpumalanga HIV/Aids sanctuary for Aids orphans and children whose parents have died from Aids-related ailments. A five-year budget of R1,14 million, commencing in 1999, has been allocated for HIV/Aids counselling and educational initiatives orchestrated by the Centre for the Study of HIV/Aids. A five-year budget of R250 000, effective from 2000, has been allocated to the South African Business Council on HIV/Aids, among other initiatives.