The SA forestry and forest products sector marks 15 years of transformation

The Forest Sector Charter Council (FSCC) marks a decade and a half of overseeing and reporting the forestry and forest products sector's progress in achieving its Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) codes of good practice targets.

The B-BBEE Act aims to advance economic transformation and enhance the economic participation of black people in the South African economy. The FSCC was established through the Forest Sector Code. Its mandate is to oversee transformation in the forestry sector's growers, contractors, fibre (pulp and paper), sawmilling, poles and charcoal industries.

The council consists of industry, government, community and labour representatives. It reports to the ministries of forestry, fisheries and the environment (DFFE) and trade, industry and competition (DTIC). It is chaired by Nelly Ndlovu, CEO of Mondi Zimele.

Forestry South Africa (FSA), Sawmilling South Africa (SSA), and other industry bodies encourage its members to continue reporting on B-BBEE and to share their certificates and underlying reports with the FSCC. The council's annual status report is the only truly objective means of assessing transformation in the sector, and it is critical to prevent selective and biased reports or generalisations about the sector from being made.

The facts

The South African forestry and product sector contributes around R39 billion to the economy and provides employment for around 150,000 people.

Speaking at the anniversary event celebrating the progress made in 15 years, FSCC chairperson Nelly Ndlovu said transformation in the sector "has not been a finite destination but a journey, lengthy, and at times difficult. It is a process of real change".

This is evident in the industry moving from beginning at Level 6 to achieving Level 3 in 2023 and again this year.

Itumeleng Langeni of MTO, Khozi Mavimbela of the FSCC and Busi Mnguni of FSA's small growers group at the 15th anniversary celebration

Discussing the sector's progress, FSCC Executive Director Khosi Mavimbela noted that in 2009, it committed to improving its B-BBEE track record. "The sector, comprising several forestry landowners and producers of sawn timber, pulp and paper, and charcoal, has sought to include black South Africans through meaningful economic participation", she said.

Mavimbela noted that while there has been fluctuating and inconsistent reporting in the past, there has been a significant rise across the three categories of enterprises:

Medium and Large Enterprises (MLEs)
Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs)
Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs).

Reporting MLEs grew from three in 2009/2010 to 35 in 2023/2024. In 2009/2010, five QSEs submitted reports, while the number of reporting EMEs grew from 19 to 100.

Scorecard progress

Since 2009, the number of reporting entities across the enterprise size categories has increased from 27 to 191.

The sector has made notable progress across the five B-BBEE scorecard elements between the 2009/2010 and 2023/2024 reporting periods. However, when considering the sector's overall performance, some companies have met their targets but only exceeded them in one of the five elements.

Ownership: increased from 11.6 to 18
Management control: 9.6 to 10.1 (when combined with employment equity)
Skills development: 7.95 t o14
Enterprise and supplier development (preferential procurement): 28.5 to 39
Socio-economic development has exceeded the target score 5 by 2 points since 2009.

MLEs moved from Level 5 in 2009/2010 to Level 3 in the recent reporting period. QSEs progressed from Level 3 to Level 2, while EMEs moved from Level 4 to Level 2.

Sharing success

Several success stories of transformation and socio-economic development were championed at the 15th-anniversary event in Sandton, Johannesburg, on 9 October.

The Forestry Sector Charter Council marked a decade and a half of overseeing and reporting the forestry and forestry products transformation progress

Delivering the keynote address, Bernice Swarts, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, said, "I believe that the forestry sector has developed resilience and has often course-corrected to achieve its various milestones, not least of which being the upliftment of employees, communities, and the many stakeholders it engages.

"Because of its national reach, it plays a key role in tackling our country's triple burden of unemployment, poverty, and inequality, especially in rural areas where opportunities are scarce".

A panel discussion, chaired by Talk Radio 702 presenter Gugu Mhlungu, reviewed the milestones and considered solutions for more inclusive growth, sustainable practices, and enhanced community development.

The panellists were:

Buhle Msweli, chairperson of FSA and a small-scale timber grower
Jane Molony, Executive Director of the Paper Manufacturers Association
Pumeza Nodada, DFFE Deputy Director General: forestry management
Sandile Ngcobo, Mondi's Public Affairs and Transformation Director

They shared their thoughts and experiences on transformation and empowerment.

Grassroots upliftment

A series of videos were shared during the event. Forestry contractor Zinhle Mbuyazi explained that she took over the family business from her father, drawing inspiration from his passion for forestry. She has thrived and encourages young women not to give up. "If you have your brain and heart, you will succeed," she said.

Another example was the Komasi Woodwork Project in the rural community of Weza, KwaZulu-Natal, supported by a local sawmill. Locals learn essential woodworking skills through the initiative and refurbish desks for underprivileged schools.

She is Forestry

The She is Forestry initiative, backed by FSCC and FSA, encourages women in business and students, graduates, scientists, and contractors to share their personal stories. The videos are welcomed by girls in rural schools because they expand their horizons and inspire them to overcome self-doubt, peer pressure, and life-changing teenage pregnancy.

"You can live from the soil. You can educate your children, provide for them, and have a home. All because of the soil. The soil changes everything," said timber farmer Rejoice Shozi, who took over the family timber-growing business when her mother passed away in 2015. Shozi is one of 3,600 small timber growers who gained practical support from a corporate forestry programme.

Reflect and adapt

"FSCC sees 15 years of transformation as an opportunity to do more than simply celebrate the achieved milestones. It is the chance to reflect on the lessons learnt and adapt our approach appropriately to capitalise on the transformation opportunities ahead of us", said Makhosazana Mavimbela, FSCC Executive Director.

Mfundo Ngcobo - NCT Forestry PR/Communications/CSI

Join Mfundo as she takes us through a day in the life as a PR/Communication and CSI lead for NCT Forestry. She also talks about her journey to where she is today and the challenges she has faced along the way.

This is Part 2 in a series of role model videos produced by She Is Forestry SA...

She Is Forestry SA and partners have compiled a library of videos that showcase women who have had fascinating journeys and careers in forestry. These videos serve to inspire women to pursue careers in the forestry sector and educate the public on the wide variety of interesting roles and avenues that exist in the forestry value chain.

See Part One here: Zanele Nkhosi - SAFCOL Machine Operator

Zanele Nkhosi - SAFCOL Machine Operator

In a new series of videos, She Is Forestry SA profiles women who have had fascinating journeys and careers in forestry. These videos serve to inspire women to pursue careers in the forestry sector and educate the public on the wide variety of interesting roles and avenues that exist in the forestry value chain.

Women's Month is an ideal time to share these stories and celebrate the roles that women play in the industry, challenging stereotapes and bringing unique skills to every facet of the industry.

Zanele Nkhosi shares her forestry journey from general worker to machine operator, hoping this will inspire others to follow in her footsteps...

Showcasing women in forestry

In celebration of Women’s Day in South Africa, She Is Forestry SA has launched the first four videos in a series aimed at inspiring the next generation of girls to stay in school and consider forestry and the myriad of career avenues it offers.

She Is Forestry SA, a non-profit forestry organisation promoting and uplifting women across the forest and forest product sector, launched the videos at their annual Women in Forestry webinar on 3 August. Their aim is to produce a series of videos showcasing all the potential careers found within forestry and related industries, from growing trees in a nursery to ensuring they reach maturity in a plantation while safeguarding the environment on which forestry relies.

Commenting on the initiative, Jane Molony, executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) adds, “As our sector looks to build its talent pipeline, initiatives like this one expose youngsters to a world of opportunities using a green, renewable resource – farmed trees – to support the economy, deliver goods to society and build communities.”

Being a Forestry Researcher: Meet Noxolo Ndlovu, a forestry researcher at NCT Forestry. Noxolo explains what life as a forestry researcher is all about and discusses some of the challenges she has faced and how she has overcome them to get to where she is today. Noxolo is an incredible role model and advocate for the forestry sector.

“People still have a 1970s view of forestry, that it is a male-only career path. This simply is not true,” explains Makhosazana Mavimbela, executive director of the Forest Sector Charter Council. “We have women working in every single conceivable role within the sector, from operating heavy machinery to conducting world class research. Women populate our HR, communication, finance and marketing positions, they manage plantations and nurseries, mills and lumber yards. Women own forestry businesses, contractor operations and small forestry-related enterprises. In short, there is a wealth of forestry opportunities just waiting to be explored.”

Each video follows a single woman as she discusses her role and the career path she followed. The women also explain some of the challenges they have faced along the way and how they have circumvented them.

Being a Forestry Contractor: Meet Zinhle Mbuyazi, a forestry contractor and owner of WSB Transport. Zinhle explains what life as a forestry contractor is all about and discusses some of the challenges she has faced and how she has overcome them to get to where she is today. Zinhle is an incredible role model and advocate for the forestry sector.

“The beauty of the videos is that high school learners watching them will be able to relate to the women they see on the screen. They are women who have come from rural communities and had to work hard and overcome obstacles to get where they are today. They are testament to what belief, determination and discipline can deliver, making them powerful role models for future generations to aspire to,” explains Forestry South Africa’s communication consultant, Katy Johnson, who was involved in the commissioning and production of the videos.

The videos came from a request made by several of the principals from the schools that She Is Forestry SA supports, who were experiencing high dropout rates among female scholars. They felt careers advice about the potential avenues open to women and positive role models already living these careers might help the girls to see the array of potential paths open to them, and help to decrease the numbers dropping out.

Being a Nursery Manager: Meet Nonku Ntinga, a nursery manager at Mondi South Africa. Nonku explains what life as a nursery manager is all about and discusses some of the challenges she has faced and how she has overcome them to get to where she is today. Nonku is an incredible role model and advocate for the forestry sector.

While a career day at each school was an option, it would not have been sustainable and would therefore have a limited reach. Thus, it was decided to commission videos that will be hosted on She Is Forestry SA’s YouTube channel SheIsForestrySA, and made publicly available. That way, any school, organisation, individual or group could access them and be inspired by the exceptional women and abundant career avenues found within the forestry sector.

“While these first four videos focus on quite obvious forestry careers – forester, nursery manager, forestry researcher and forestry contractor – we plan on commissioning many more videos to cover all the potential forestry career avenues, from environmental auditing to accounts, pulp processing to wood science and beyond,” says Katy.

“While this is a forestry initiative, She Is Forestry SA directors include government officials who will be taking this to their colleagues in education and suggesting this could be an initiative rolled out across other sectors. We believe forestry should be a trailblazer for something bigger, a multi-sector initiative to promote science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects to women and girls across the country by using real and relatable female role models,” she adds.

Being a Forester: Meet Yoliswa Phiri, a managing forester at Sappi Southern Africa. Yoliswa explains what life as a silviculture forester is all about and discusses some of the challenges she has faced and how she has overcome them to get to where she is today. Yoliswa is an incredible role model and advocate for the forestry sector.

*All video shot and edited by Green Forest Films / SA Forestry Magazine