GlobalSupplier - Daimler

Awards 27
DCSA wins President's award
DCSA ENDED the year with the highest
praise possible for excellent technological,
social and environmental achievements
when the company won a President’s
Award for Technology and an Outstanding
Achievement Award for Social and
Environmental Responsibility.
President Thabo Mbeki personally presented the prestigious
Technology Top 100 Award in the Automotive Assemblies
category to DCSA’s Management Board Member for Manufacturing,
Günter Butschek, at a gala banquet at Gallagher Estate
in Midrand.
The President’s Awards are the highest recognition of
business and technological excellence by the Department of
Trade and Industry and the Department of Arts, Culture,
Science and Technology. They are judged by a panel of
business and technology leaders.
DCSA was awarded the Technology Top 100 Award
because the company’s “knowledge management and training
contributed to the successful adaptation of first world technologies
to local conditions. Its world quality standards are a
product of the participatory culture and landmark trade union
agreements.”
DCSA won the first Outstanding Achievement Award for
Social and Environmental Responsibility, sponsored by
Adcorp, for playing “a fundamental role in uplifting the entire
East London area through the provision of employment and
training, and extensive community programmes focused on
education, health, sport, arts and culture.”
Mbeki’s challange. In his address to the function, President
Mbeki challenged companies to open themselves willingly to
a rigorous adjudication process to help them become more
competitive in local and international markets.
He said government was clear in its focus on effective and
enabling legislation geared towards helping companies to be
globally competitive. “In so doing our objective is clear, we
need to generate much needed foreign revenue to achieve a
better life for all South Africans.”
The President said the awards, which rewarded technological
innovation and celebrated entrepreneurship, were vital. “It is
a true reflection of how we can practically and measurably
develop South Africa and Africa to be globally competitive.”
President's Award assessor, Dr. Louis Fourie, of Potchefstroom Business
School, (left) interviews DCSA's Management Board Member for
Manufacturing, Günter Butschek, Manager for Business Excellence,
Ernest Kleynhans, and Chief Executive, Christoph Köpke.
World-class teamwork. Butschek said the awards proved that
DCSA was doing the right things to transfer first world technologies
to South Africa, and deliver world-class products to
some of the most demanding first world countries.
“The Technology Top 100 Award recognises that world-class
quality is a product of our teamwork and our landmark Siyaphambili
agreement,” he said.
“The Social and Environmental Responsibility Award
recognises how we uplift East London by creating jobs and
through community programmes.
“We believe our business cannot be separated from the
community in which it operates and from its suppliers,
employees and customers. Our company has engaged in social
upliftment programmes for many years, the most recent being
a new school and community centre built at Wesleyville in the
severely depressed rural district of Chalumna.”
Butschek said DCSA also contributed to the Presidential
Projects in the Eastern and Northern Cape, and skills transfer
to local authorities as well as to road safety programmes.
The awards are judged by prominent business and academic
leaders, and the assessment includes a two-hour interview on
a detailed questionnaire.
“The facts on which they base their final judgements are the
result of the efforts of all our employees, and were achieved
only because the passion of our people drives us to be the
best,” Butschek added.
The event was also attended at DCSA’s invitation by
the Eastern Cape’s MEC for Economic Affairs, Enoch
Godongwana, and acting executive mayor of Buffalo City,
Desmond Halley. DCSA also invited suppliers Venture Otto,
Leonische SA, Atlantis Foundries, Lear SA and YMK, the Dimbaza-based
empowerment clothing manufacturing company.