Wits Business School and Saint Paul Business School Immersion Program 2023
South Africa
Table of Contents
- Country Overview
- Course Overview and Objectives
- Intended Learning Outcomes
- Programme Schedule – Johannesburg
- Programme Schedule – Cape Town
- Dress Code
- Reading List and Additional Information
- Assignment
- Costs
- Terms and Conditions
- Permits and Visas
- Contact Details
- School Contact Details
Country Overview
Strategically located at the tip of the African continent, South Africa is a key investment location, both for the market opportunities that lie within its borders and as a gateway to the rest of the continent, a market of more than one billion people. The country is one of the economic powerhouses of Africa and forms part of the BRICS group of countries with Brazil, Russia, India and China.
It has a favourable demographic profile and its rapidly expanding middle class has growing spending power. South Africa has a wealth of natural resources (including coal, platinum, coal, gold, iron ore, manganese nickel, uranium and chromium) and it enjoys increased attention from international exploration companies, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
It has world-class infrastructure, exciting innovation, research and development capabilities and an established manufacturing base. South Africa is considered at the forefront of the development and rollout of new green technologies and industries, creating new and sustainable jobs in the process and reducing environmental impact. Boasting a sophisticated financial, legal and telecommunications sectors, as well as a number of global business process outsourcing (BPO) operations are located in the country.
The South African Government has introduced wide-ranging legislation to promote training and skills development and fast-track the building of world-class skills and competences, (foregoing from Department of Trade & Industry, South Africa). However, the country is faced with a high Gini-coefficient, persistent structural unemployment, poverty and an uneven education system.
South Africa’s unrivalled scenic beauty and reputation for delivering value-for money make it an attractive leisure and business travel destination. Majority of business and tourists visit the two biggest cities Johannesburg and Cape Town. Johannesburg, known as the place of Gold, Egoli or Jozi is the Business, Ecological and Cultural Hub of South Africa. The City is home to the headquarters of several Mining Companies and Multi-Nationals. Sandton where many influential companies and institutions are based is considered the richest square mile in Africa. “Cape Town’s natural setting, at the confluence of two oceans and the iconic Table Mountain smack in the middle of the city. The surrounding winelands are filled with picturesque fields that host some of the finest dining” on the continent,” (CNN,2017). The city is considered for high tech innovation and award-winning startups.
Course Overview and Objectives
Wits Business School, one of the oldest schools on the African continent is situated in Johannesburg. It boasts several chairs pertinent to sustainability, corporate governance, digital transformation, and philanthropy. Our unique Good Governance Academy (NPC) develops conscious leaders who pursue value creation and the development of healthy, purpose driven organisations.
The Good Governance Academy (GGA) has been established to collaborate globally on critical governance, sustainability reporting, integrated thinking, and business science issues as a public good, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 17 (collaboration) and 4 (education). The GGA achieves this mandate with due consideration for, and to the benefit of, the triple context within which it operates: society, the economy, and the natural environment.
This course provides interactive and on-field learning that will expose delegates to a unique experience covering the following key issues:
• The history, social-cultural background, value-systems, communities, economic and national policies of South Africa.
• The impact of history on the South African corporate governance value creation.
• Overview of governance strategies of South Africa and cross-cultural experiences in South African businesses.
• The differences and similarities between the Brazil and the South African corporate governance system.
• The central role of politics in doing business in South Africa.
• Policy reforms enhancing economic growth and aiding the ease of doing business in South Africa.
Intended Learning Outcomes
This programme will provide delegates with a ‘pracademic’ approach and exposure to the economic, political, best practices of business in South Africa. It is designed to expose the delegate to different organisations and cultural activities in South Africa.
At the end of this course, delegates will be able to:
- Develop contemporary knowledge about business practices in South Africa which will assist delegates to appraise the basics and standard protocol of interactions with the business environment in the country.
- Critically assess, the South Africa economy and determine their strengths and weaknesses for doing business.
- Compare and contrast different cultures and the way of life of Brazil in relation to South Africa.
- Practical application on implementation and disclosures related to King IV report on corporate governance.
- Appraise the role of the governing body in risk, compliance, technology & information.
- Apply Boardroom theory into practice.
Programme schedule - Johannesburg
This schedule is subject to change without prior notice and is to be read in conjunction with your travel itinerary.
| TIME | ACTIVITY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| DAY 1 (SATURDAY) | ||
| 11:05 | Arrive in Johannesburg Welcome and Safety By Jacques Totowa | Transfer to Hotel Check in at: Rosebank Holiday Inn Hotel Address: The Zone Phase 2, 187 Oxford Rd, Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196 Phone: +27 11 218 6000 |
| 18:00 | Dinner and Networking | Moyo’s – enjoy African cuisine, gumboot dancing and face painting https://urbanmoyo.co.za/ |
| DAY 2 (SUNDAY) | ||
| 6:45-8:00 | Breakfast | In the hotel |
| 10:00 -12:30 | The Egoli Tour | The history and socio-cultural background of Johannesburg – Dr Garth Klein |
| 12:30- 14:30 | The Township Experience | Lunch at the famous Sakhumzi Restaurant, Vilakazi Street, Soweto, Presentation by the management of Sakhumzi http://www.sakhumzi.co.za/ |
| 14:30 -17:00 | Soweto Tour | From the dusty streets of Motsoaledi informal settlement to the vibrant cultural hub of Vilakazi Street and iconic heritage sites that commemorate the city’s turbulent past and the peoples struggle for freedom and equality; you’re encourage to interact with the people of Soweto and not just spectate. https://moafrikatours.com/product/soweto-tour |
| 18:00- | Transfer to hotel | Leisure |
| DAY 3 (MONDAY) | ||
| 7:00-8:00 | Breakfast | In the hotel |
| 8:00-8:30 | Depart to WBS | WBS |
| 8:30-8:45 | Tour of WBS | WBS |
| 8:45-9:15 | Welcome and Overview | By Dr. Renee Horne (WBS International Relations Director) and Prof. Maurice Radebe (HOS) |
| 9:15-11:15 | WBS Lecture: Classroom 7 | Dr. Renee Horne- The Economics of South Africa |
| 11:15-11:30 | Tea Break | Tea Break |
| 11:30-13:00 | WBS Lecture: Classroom 7 | Prof. Brian Armstrong: Digital Transformation in South Africa |
| 13:00-13:45 | Lunch | Olives and Plates @WBS |
| 13:45-15h30 | WBS Lecture 7 | Ms. Pulane Madiha (Chief Operating Officer: FirstRand Bank Group Treasury): SMME Development in South Africa |
| 15:30-16:30 | WBS Lecture: Classroom 7 | Mr. Gary Joseph (Chief Executive Officer: South African Supplier Diversity Council): Diversity in South Africa |
| 16:30-17H00 | Tea Break | Tea Break |
| 17:00-18:30 | Corporate Governance and King IV | Prof. Mervyn King (Founder of the Good Governance Academy and publisher of King IV report on Corporate Governance): Practical application on implementation and disclosures related to King IV. |
| 18:30-19:30 | Cocktail Dinner @WBS | Networking and T-shirt exchange |
| 19:30 | Transfer to Hotel | Optional : Samba School |
| DAY 4 (TUESDAY) | ||
| 6:00-:7:00 | Breakfast | In the hotel |
| 7:00-8:00 | Depart Hotel | |
| 8:00-9:00 | National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) | Stakeholder participation in South Africa https://nedlac.org.za/ |
| 9:00-9:30 | Travel Johannesburg Stock Exchange | |
| 9h30-10h15 | Johannesburg Stock Exchange | Disclosure and Governance of JSE listed companies https://www.jse.co.za/ |
| 10:00-10:30 | Tea Break | |
| 10:30-12:30 | Institute of The Directors of South Africa | Boardroom Theory in Practice https://www.iodsa.co.za/default.aspx |
| 12:30-13:00 | Transfer and Lunch Box | Transfer to Hotel |
| 13:00-18:00 | Safari Tour | Get closer than you could ever imagine to Africa’s most incredible wildlife. Feel the breath of the lion and the thundering of the gnu’s hoofs, all from the safety of our guided game drive or your own vehicle. https://lionandsafaripark.com/ |
| 18:00 | Hotel Transfer and Dinner (Own Cost) | Leisure |
| DAY 5 (WEDNESDAY) | ||
| 6:00-7:00 | Breakfast | In the hotel |
| 8:00-9:00 | Depart Hotel and Check Out | |
| 08:00-10:30 | Directors Panel Discussion: | The role of the board in Risk, Compliance, Technology and Information |
| 10:30-11:00 | Tea Break | |
| 11:00- 11:30 | Depart South Africa Breweries | |
| 11:30-13:00 | South African Breweries | SAB and Corporate Social Responsibility https://www.sab.co.za/ |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch Box | |
| 14:00 -16:30 | Field visit of SMMEs in Township | SME Develop as a major driver for stimulating economic growth and job creation: A special focus on “Township SME development” |
| 16:30 | Depart for Cape Town |
Programme schedule - Cape Town
| TIME | ACTIVITY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| DAY 5 (Wednesday) | ||
| 20:10 | Arrive Cape town | Transfer to Hotel, Check in at: Radisson Red, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, Address: Silo 6, Silo Square, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001, 252 Studios Phone: +27 87 086 1578 |
| 21:30 | Dinner | V&A Waterfront, Cape Town (Own cost) |
| Day 6 (Thursday) | ||
| 6:00 | Breakfast | In the hotel |
| 7:20-8:00 | Get together and travel to company visit | |
| 8:00-10:30 | Shoprite or Woolworths Retail Store | Sustainability and Supplier Development in South Africa https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/content/dam/MediaPortal/documents/shoprite-holdings/Sustainability-Report/shoprite_holdings_2020_sustainability_report.pdf |
| 10:45 | Travel to company visit | |
| 11:30-12:45 | WESGRO | Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, can help you uncover these opportunities. https://www.wesgro.co.za |
| 12h45-13h30 | Cape Town Chamber of Commerce | Established in 1804, the Cape Chamber of Commerce is the oldest member-based organization in Africa. The Chamber has remained contemporary and relevant with a wide range of services, including information, training, networking, trade facilitation and robust advocacy on behalf of our members. We are the voice of business. https://capechamber.co.za/ |
| 13:30 -14:30 | Lunch | Waterfront |
| 14:30-16:30 | Robben Island | During apartheid many Black people were kept on Robben Island as political prisoners. Former President Nelson Mandela was kept there. Robben Island was declared a World Heritage Site because the buildings on the island are a reminder of its sad history and because the same buildings also show the power of the human spirit, freedom and the victory of democracy over oppression. https://www.robben-island.org.za/ |
| 17:00 | Travel back to Hotel | |
| 18:00 | Leisure | |
| DAY 7 (Friday) | ||
| 6:00 | Breakfast | In hotel |
| 7:45 | Travel to Company Visit | |
| 9:00-10:00 | Appollo Solar Technology | Apollo solar technology is a leading solar geyser supplier and distributor which supply SA solar geyser products in South Africa. We have excellent SA solar geyser installers who conduct the installations of our SA solar geysers in South Africa. Our aim is to provide everybody in South Africa with the most effective SA solar geyser products. SA solar geysers save you a great amount of money on your electrical bills at the end of the month. https://www.apollosolartechnology.co.za/ |
| 10:00-10:30 | Tea Break | |
| 10:30-12:00 | Khayelitsha Cookies | Khayelitsha Cookies creates employment by employing previously unemployed ladies mainly from Khayelitsha and surrounding Western Cape poverty-stricken areas. The ladies are trained to hand bake and hand pack our delicious cookies, Brownies & Cheese Straws in our Food Safety accredited factory situated in Beaconvale, Parow By doing this we reduce unemployment and provide the ladies with a sense of well-deserved dignity, and put them in a position to provide for up to 5 dependents with the income they earn. Our cookies are then sold to various sectors such as Hospitality, Schools, Hospitals, Offices, Retail stores. www.khayelitshacookies.co.za |
| 12:00-13:00 | Depart for Table Mountain | |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch on Table Mountain | Declared by UNESCO as a Word Heritage Site, the Table Mountain National Park encompasses the incredibly scenic Peninsula mountain chain that stretches from Signal Hill in the north all the way to the dramatic Cape Point in the south. https://tablemountain.net/ |
| 13:00 | Afternoon and Evening Leisure | |
| DAY 8 (SATURDAY) | ||
| 9:00 | Breakfast and check out | In hotel |
| 9H30-16H00 | Full Day: Wine and learn | South Africa shows the World, Why Ethics in Wine Matters |
| 16:00 | Depart to Airport | Late afternoon/early evening transfer to Cape Town International Airport for flight to Los Angeles or Johannesburg |
Dress Code
For field visits please wear the WBS t-shirt provided.
Reading list and additional information
Delegates should research on the companies that will be visited.
The links have been provided in the tour schedule.
Additional Readings:
• Hobbs, J., & Horne, R. (2015). Industrial Relations in South Africa: Labour Laws, Labour Institutions and Political Disillusionment. (Report No. WBS-2015-6). University of the Witwatersrand, Graduate School of Business Administration, Wits, South Africa.
• Schaling E. Horne R. Hobbs J. (2016) National Development Plan: The Outlook in 2016 University of the Witwatersrand, Graduate School of Business Administration, Wits, South Africa
• Ferguson, C. S. (2019). Assessing the KING IV Corporate Governance Report in relation to business continuity and resilience. Journal of business continuity & emergency planning, 13(2), 174-185.
• Chauke, K. R. (2018). Corporate Governance Failures: Is it the End of Governance as we Know it?. International Conference on Public Administration and Development Alternatives (IPADA).
Assignment
In collaboration with St Pauls coordinators.
Costs
$2 300 USD per person:
Course, Company Visits, Stipulated Meals, Ground Transportation.
$2 850 USD per person:
Course, Company Visits, Stipulated Meals, Hotels, Ground Transportation.
$3 100 USD per person:
Course, Company Visits, Stipulated Meals, Hotels, Ground Transportation, Internal Flights (Johannesburg – Cape Town).
Due to currency fluctuations, WBS reserves the right to change pricing. Subject to Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions
• All Lectures, panels and company/institution visits included.
• Hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis on the above stipulated hotels.
• Dinner covered unless stipulated above in the itinerary.
• Lunch covered unless stipulated above in the itinerary.
• Tribal dancing and ethnic activity Moyo’s covered.
• Full day Johannesburg and Soweto Tour with guide.
• Lunch at Sakhumzi.
• Entrance fees as per stipulated itinerary.
• Entrance fees and boat ride ticket in Cape Town
• Wine Tasting included
• Meet and Greet OR Tambo International Johannesburg on arrival.
• Transfer OR Tambo International Airport to Hotel.
• Transfer to WBS.
• Transfer from WBS to Moyo’s later afternoon.
• Full day coach hire for business meetings.
• Safari Tour included.
• Meet and greet on arrival in Cape Town.
• Transfer to Waterfront from Cape Town Intl.
• Full day coach hires for business meetings in Cape Town.
Graduates
WBS has graduated the most MBA’s out of any business school in Africa – 6800 and counting!
Case Study Centre
WBS has Africa’s largest Case Study Centre. The school is known as the 'case study' business school.
Alumni
Ranked 32 out of 17 000 universities internationally in the employment of alumni in top executive positions
Study Permits/Visas
Delegates are required to apply for a study permit/visa at the South African High Commission, Embassy, Consulate or Trade Mission in their country of residence or country of origin for stays of longer than 90 days. For stays less than 90 days delegates are required to apply for a visitor’s permit.
In addition to financial and medical reports, delegates will need to submit a letter of acceptance to study at WBS and proof of accommodation. The latter two documents are sent to students by the Co-ordinator of International Programmes, Karen Trent.
See contact section for details.
Visit www.dfa.gov.za/sa-abroad/salist.htm for information on your closest South African Consulate.
Graduates
Wits is home to four Nobel Prize winners
Wits was the first university that Mandela addressed after his release from prison
Academic and Research Excellence
- The academic faculty members at WBS bring together years of corporate knowledge, research experience and extensive academic achievement from around the continent and world.
- WBS has a very strong research base; 95% of our academic staff have PhDs.
- WBS established two new endowed Chairs: The WBS Telkom Chair in Digital Business and the WBS Chair in African Philanthropy. These are ‘firsts’ for Africa and will place WBS at the forefront of research and course development in these fields.
Contact Details
Dr Renee Horne
Director: International Programmes
Karen Trent
Co-ordinator: International Programmes
School Contact Details
Websites:
Physical Address:
Wits Business School
2 St David’s Place
Parktown 2193 Johannesburg