More BEE accreditation agencies named

A problem expressed to FTW last year about the SA broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) scheme has now gone a long way to being solved, according to Murray Chabang, of BEE consultants, Besa. The question asked at that time by a ship’s agent, who didn’t want to do in-house self-rating, was: “How do you get a rating if no accredited verification agencies are appointed yet?” But the SA National Accreditation System (Sanas) is the body recognised by the government to officially give formal recognition that laboratories, certification bodies, inspection bodies, proficiency testing scheme providers and good laboratory practice (GLP) test facilities are competent to carry out specific tasks for BEE. And, Chabang told FTW, February marked the start of the listing of accredited agencies on its website – with BEE Matrix; BEE Empowered and Labour Consultancy; BEE Verification Agency; Empowerdex; EmpowerLogic; Honeycomb BEE Ratings; National Empowerment Rating Agency (NERA) – Gauteng; NERA KwaZulu Natal; NERA Western Cape the first to appear. “But more are being added each month,” said Chabang, “with more than 11 agencies now waiting for Sanas to update their web page.”