about us

We are catalysts for change, driving social good, and activists in being part of the solution.

Who we are

Founded in 1998 by Dionne Kerr in, Siyakha is an advisory and implementation partner delivering world-class solutions to customers. Our business includes a specialised advisory team and a highly competent and committed implementation team delivering custom-built solutions for customers across several African African regions.

Siyakha is well placed to focus on transformation in South Africa and beyond, with a team that comprises a diverse mix of professionals including policy and legislative experts, BEE consultants, investment specialists, professionals in accounting, finance and law, strategy consultants, HR consultants across all disciplines, development specialists, business coaches, community engagement specialists, trainers, researchers, engineers, and project management professionals.

Advising public and private sectors on all issues of BEE, People, and Sustainability (ESG), with an integrated approach to ensure that businesses follow a world-class approach in a locally relevant way. A key partner to our clients in delivering Localisation Programmes, ESD Initiatives, Informal Market Development (Township development and Rural community development), and Sustainability Programmes.

SIYAKHA EXPERIENCE

A schedule of our work in the last 25 years, include but not limited to:

Enterprise and Supplier Development Programmes

SMME Development Programmes

Infrastructure Development

Participate as an industry advisor, JV member, and sub-contractor in development programmes and infrastructure development projects across multiple projects and sectors but with specific emphasis on the road, rail, water, renewable energy

Presidential Review Commission

Research into the state of Transformation within State-Owned Enterprises and contribution to the final report on Economic Development and Localisation commitments for State-Owned Enterprises.

Mining Sector Charter Strategy

  • Assessment of the obligations in respect of the Mining Sector Charter.
  • Analysis of the organisations’ current scenario and design of a suitable strategy to ensure the commitments for license obligations are achieved.
  • Definition of a model to achieve long-term compliance with all 9 elements of the Social Labour Plan.
  • Worked with four Mining companies in this respect.
  • Acted as an advisor to the Investment Banking industry on mining charter regulations and amendments.
  • Assessment of the obligations in respect of the Mining Sector Charter.
  • Analysis of the organisations’ current scenario and design of a suitable strategy to ensure the commitments for license obligations are achieved. Definition of a model to achieve long-term compliance with all 9 elements of the Social Labour Plan.
  • Worked with 4 Mining companies in this respect.

Sector Codes

  • Consulted with the Department of Agriculture on the first Agri-Sector Code.
  • Consulted with the Property Sector Charter Council on the first and second Property Sector Codes.
  • Advisor to the BARSA in South Africa.

Localisation, policies and SMME Development

Medupi Power Station

Tsebo holdings was awarded the contract for meals, facilities management, and cleaning services on site. To meet the commitments of Localisation:

 

  • A local partner was identified,
  • A 3-year skills transfer programme was implemented to transfer knowledge from the main contractor to the sub-contractor.
  • Local food producers were identified and participated in a supplier development programme.
  • More than 80% of staff were sourced from the local community and developed during the contract term.

PRASA Rail Localisation

  • Developed a model for the manufacture of London buses in South Africa
  • Designed a suitable Localisation strategy to meet the PRASA Rolling Stock commitments including local structure, sourcing local suppliers, sourcing local staff, a capacity building programme & a 10-year monitoring and evaluation framework.
  • Developed a model for the manufacture of X-ray machinery in South Africa
  • Developed a model for packaging manufacture in South Africa

 

Input and development of localisation and local content policies:

 

Key Advisor and development of localisation commitments for:

The Renewable Energy Sector

Key Infrastructure Projects

Construction Companies

Outplacement Support

Policy Development

  • Participated in the dti’s Task Team to review the revised B-BBEE and B-BBEE verification manual and Chaired the Enterprise & Development element task team.
  • Participated in the dti’s Joint Technical Committee (for B-BBEE)
  • Appointed by the United Nations and report to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to review the national transformation agenda and develop a coordination plan.

Policy Financial Counseling & Employee Education for Broad-Based Trusts

Inward Investment Advisory

Worked extensively to promote South Africa as an investment destination with the following Trade and investment teams.

 

  • Uk Trade and Investment
  • Australian high commission
  • New Zealand high commission
  • European Union
  • German Chamber of Business
  • Chinese Development Bank
  • Italian Trade Commission
  • FSCCI (French Trade office)

Private Sector Transformation Advisory

Research into the state of Transformation within State-Owned Enterprises and contribution of the final report on Economic Development and Localisation commitments for State-Owned Enterprises

Industry Transformation Objectives

  • Facilitated an industry intervention to assess the current state of Transformation and determine a strategy for Transformation within the Petroleum & Liquid Fuels industry including reporting for the industry body, SAPIA.
  • Engaged with the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA)
  • SAMBRA
  • Developed a community development and job creation framework in ICT for the Free State Provincial Government.
  • Acted as an advisor and a member of the Strategic Board for the Empowerment Charter for the Go!Durban Campaign

Advocacy and Education

  • Stellenbosch Business School
  • University of Cape Town
  • Call Centre (BPO) Industry
  • American Chamber of Business
  • JSE Wisdom Board on Sustainability Construction industry conferences.
  • Procurement industry conferences
  • Public Sector Conferences Rural Development Conferences
  • Africa Development Conference

Infrastructure Development & PPPs

Participate as an industry advisor, JV member, and sub-contractor in development programmes and infrastructure development projects across multiple projects and sectors but with specific emphasis on the road, rail, water, and renewable energy.

Participated as Transaction Advisor on several PPPs including fulfilling the requirements of the feasibility study, community engagement, scorecard design, adjudication, monitoring and evaluation.

Government Work

  • CIPC
  • NECSA
  • ESKOM
  • Department of Justice
  • The Presidential Review Commission Department of justice
  • The Presidential Review Commission
  • Free State Provincial Government
  • Dtic
  • Department of Defence
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Ethikweni Municipal Government
  • Go! Durban Campaign
  • National Treasury

A schedule of our work in the last 25 years, include but not limited to:

Enterprise and Supplier Development Programmes

SMME Development Programmes

Infrastructure Development

Participate as an industry advisor, JV member, and sub-contractor in development programmes and infrastructure development projects across multiple projects and sectors but with specific emphasis on the road, rail, water, renewable energy

Presidential Review Commission

Research into the state of Transformation within State-Owned Enterprises and contribution to the final report on Economic Development and Localisation commitments for State-Owned Enterprises.

Mining Sector Charter Strategy

  • Assessment of the obligations in respect of the Mining Sector Charter.
  • Analysis of the organisations’ current scenario and design of a suitable strategy to ensure the commitments for license obligations are achieved.
  • Definition of a model to achieve long-term compliance with all 9 elements of the Social Labour Plan.
  • Worked with four Mining companies in this respect.
  • Acted as an advisor to the Investment Banking industry on mining charter regulations and amendments.
  • Assessment of the obligations in respect of the Mining Sector Charter.
  • Analysis of the organisations’ current scenario and design of a suitable strategy to ensure the commitments for license obligations are achieved. Definition of a model to achieve long-term compliance with all 9 elements of the Social Labour Plan.
  • Worked with 4 Mining companies in this respect.

Sector Codes

  • Consulted with the Department of Agriculture on the first Agri-Sector Code.
  • Consulted with the Property Sector Charter Council on the first and second Property Sector Codes.
  • Advisor to the BARSA in South Africa.

Localisation, policies and SMME Development

Medupi Power Station

Tsebo holdings was awarded the contract for meals, facilities management, and cleaning services on site. To meet the commitments of Localisation:

  • A local partner was identified,
  • A 3-year skills transfer programme was implemented to transfer knowledge from the main contractor to the sub-contractor.
  • Local food producers were identified and participated in a supplier development programme.
  • More than 80% of staff were sourced from the local community and developed during the contract term.

PRASA Rail Localisation

  • Developed a model for the manufacture of London buses in South Africa
  • Designed a suitable Localisation strategy to meet the PRASA Rolling Stock commitments including local structure, sourcing local suppliers, sourcing local staff, a capacity building programme & a 10-year monitoring and evaluation framework.
  • Developed a model for the manufacture of X-ray machinery in South Africa
  • Developed a model for packaging manufacture in South Africa

Input and development of localisation and local content policies for:

Key Advisor and development of localisation commitments for:

The Renewable Energy Sector

Key Infrastructure Projects

Construction Companies

Outplacement Support

Reskilling and Redeployment projects

Policy Development

  • Participated in the dti’s Task Team to review the revised B-BBEE and B-BBEE verification manual and Chaired the Enterprise & Development element task team.
  • Participated in the dti’s Joint Technical Committee (for B-BBEE)
  • Appointed by the United Nations and report to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to review the national transformation agenda and develop a coordination plan.

Financial counseling & employee education for broad-based Trusts

Inward investment Advisory

Worked extensively to promote South Africa as an investment destination with the following Trade and investment teams.

  • Uk Trade and Investment
  • Australian high commission
  • New Zealand high commission
  • European Union
  • German Chamber of Business
  • Chinese Development Bank
  • Italian Trade Commission
  • FSCCI (French Trade office)

Private Sector Transformation Advisory

Research into the state of Transformation within State-Owned Enterprises and contribution of the final report on Economic Development and Localisation commitments for State-Owned Enterprises

Industry Transformation Objectives

  • Facilitated an industry intervention to assess the current state of Transformation and determine a strategy for Transformation within the Petroleum & Liquid Fuels industry including reporting for the industry body, SAPIA.
  • Engaged with the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA)
  • SAMBRA
  • Developed a community development and job creation framework in ICT for the Free State Provincial Government.
  • Acted as an advisor and a member of the Strategic Board for the Empowerment Charter for the Go!Durban Campaign

Advocacy and Education

  • Stellenbosch Business School
  • University of Cape Town
  • Call Centre (BPO) Industry
  • American Chamber of Business
  • JSE Wisdom Board on Sustainability Construction industry conferences.
  • Procurement industry conferences
  • Public Sector Conferences Rural Development Conferences
  • Africa Development Conference

Infrastructure Development & PPPs

Participate as an industry advisor, JV member, and sub-contractor in development programmes and infrastructure development projects across multiple projects and sectors but with specific emphasis on the road, rail, water, and renewable energy.

Participated as Transaction Advisor on several PPPs including fulfilling the requirements of the feasibility study, community engagement, scorecard design, adjudication, monitoring and evaluation.

Government Work

  • CIPC
  • NECSA
  • ESKOM
  • Department of Justice
  • The Presidential Review Commission Department of justice
  • The Presidential Review Commission
  • Free State Provincial Government
  • Dtic
  • Department of Defence
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Ethikweni Municipal Government
  • Go! Durban Campaign
  • National Treasury

Who we are

03

  • Impendulo award for our work in the development of black skills in South Africa
  • Top Empowerment companies award in our Sector
  • Best Enterprise Transformation Consultancy 2017
  • Excellence Award for Black Economic Empowerment Advisory, 2017
  • Diva Africa award for our work in SMME Development, 2002
  • Africa’s Top 25 Distinguished Women in Leadership, 2018
  • Best Transformation Consulting Firm of the Year – South Africa, M&A Today, 2019
  • Top 100 Women in Africa Supply Chain Award by AWISC, 2021

Our Awards

03

  • Impendulo award for our work in the development of Black skills in South  Africa
  • Top Empowerment companies award in our Sector
  • Best Enterprise Transformation Consultancy 2017
  • Excellence Award for Black Economic Empowerment Advisory, 2017
  • Diva Africa award for our work in SMME Development, 2002
  • Africa’s Top 25 Distinguished Women in Leadership, 2018
  • Best Transformation Consulting Firm of the Year – South Africa, M&A Today, 2019
  • Top 100 Women in Africa Supply Chain Award by AWISC, 2021
  • Top 10 most inspiring leaders to watch in 2022, Prime View Magazine.