On 19 October 2021 the South African Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) issued a notice to its clients requesting they provide their relevant PPECB office with a copy of the B-BBEE (broad-based black economic empowerment) certificate by 1 December 2021. A subsequent communication clarified that the B-BBEE certificates provided to the PPECB will be used to determine the level of compliance of the sector as a whole and that the PPECB will not be evaluating the level of compliance of individual entities.
Furthermore, it was communicated that the PPECB does not dictate that its clients maintain a specific B-BBEE level or require clients achieve a specific level before the PPECB renders a service.
The above communication is in line with Section 10 of the B-BBEE Act which provides for all Organs of State and Public Entities to apply any relevant code of good practice and include B-BBEE criteria when issuing of licenses, concessions or other authorizations in respect of economic activity in terms of any law.
The PPECB acknowledges that the transformation of the industry is a journey towards compliance and as such we do not expect it to be wholly compliant at this stage. Therefore, companies that do not comply can still export at this time and the PPECB will not suspend services for non-compliant clients. Furthermore, a level of compliance has not been determined as yet for the industry, however the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the sector may look at setting targets for the sector during the review of the B-BBEE generic and/or sector codes.
For more information:
Tina-Louise Rabie
Perishable Products Export Control Board
Tel: +27 71 870 7185
www.ppecb.com