SAB and Mpumalanga partner on Socio-Economic Development

On 22 August 2013 in Nelspruit, the Mpumalanga Provincial government entered into a public private partnership with South African Breweries with the aim of addressing critical socio-economic needs in the province. The agreement will further entrench SAB’s commitment to investing in communities and promoting social upliftment.

The partnership was announced by Premier David Mabuza at an official signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding in Nelspruit, together with SAB Managing Director Mauricio Leyva.

The public/private partnership will see both the Mpumalanga Provincial Government and SAB co-operating on areas that seek to assist the province with its current socio economic challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Speaking at a signing ceremony, Premier Mabuza commented that there would be a clear focus on areas of water supply, enterprise development and on programmes dedicated to educating communities about the harm of alcohol abuse.

“To us as a provincial government, today is a different day; we are marking progress in a different manner. We are beginning to see the public private partnership making great impact in the lives of the people.

“The most exciting development in this cooperation is education and water. Education will always remain the future of this country. We must deliberately prepare our children for the future in order for them to occupy our space in future.

Water is life, it is essential in the lives of human beings. We would never see any development without water. As a provincial government we are humbled by this gesture as we believe we are not entitled to these things you will do for the people, ” said Mabuza.

Meanwhile, Mr Leyva re-committed SAB’s support to ensuring that the communities where the company operates are able to thrive.

SAB believes the company’s success, and the prosperity of communities, are inter-dependent. It is for this reason that we strive to work with different partners, including government, to make a difference to local communities, ” he said.

“We believe that this partnership with the Mpumalanga government will identify and implement projects that will make a difference to the lives of individual people in communities, ” Leyva continued.

The partnership between the Mpumalanga province and SAB will be in place for an initial five years. Details of the various projects falling under the partnership will be announced in due course, but are expected to include programmes dealing with regulatory affairs, rural development, human capital development as well as research and development.

Issued by Zibonele Mncwango

Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier

Mpumalanga Provincial Government

Office of the Premier

Tel: (013) 766 – 2453

Mobile: 079 491 0163

E-mail: zmncwango@mpg.gov.za

For SAB comment contact:

Robyn Chalmers - SAB Head of Media & communications

Tel: (011) 881 8679

Mobile: 082 924 2267

E-mail: Robyn.Chalmers@za.sabmiller.com