A group of eight service suppliers and employees from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has just completed the internationally acclaimed South African Excellence Model training, one of only three performance assessment models approved by government for its use.

Nominated by the corporation for this pilot initiative, the group is now able to help private and public sector organisations assess their performance in areas ranging from policy and strategy, customers and markets, people, resources, processes, suppliers and other partnerships to their impact on the community.

“The model is a non-prescriptive framework for management education, self-assessment and continuous improvement,” says ECDC enterprise development services manager Belinda Vabaza who spearheads the project.

The model, which will be used as the basis for a SADC quality award and is supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, is easily applicable across three groups – the conglomerates, small and medium sized business and the government.

“It is with the latter group that,” Vabaza says, “there is most opportunity for this group to ply their trade,” quoting the requirements of current legislation.

With seven municipalities in the province, two industrial development zones together with a handful of other parastatals that need to undergo a review process, the training in this programme appears timeous and opportune.

Participants have spent five days familiarising themselves with a powerful diagnostic tool which allows organisations to assess their levels of efficiency and effectiveness, identify gaps in their processes and institute significant performance improvements to achieve higher levels of competitiveness.

Vusi Tshabalala, director of Vusisizwe Independent Consultants in Port Elizabeth, the course is not for the faint-hearted but “it will help your business grow and achieve your goals. The methodology provides an objective way of looking at an organisation and this has helped me assess my business and improve it drastically.

“The biggest investment that is required from this model is time but it is extremely worthwhile. Furthermore, this one-time investment will enable organisations to continuously evaluate themselves so there is a long term benefit,” he explains.

The South African Excellence Model training ranks with the Services SETA as a post degree level qualification.

In this picture …

The Eastern Cape Development Corporation’s first group to complete the South African Excellence Model training: (from left) Qawe Mampane, Vusi Tshabalala, Zoliswa Mbana, Zama Poswayo, Gregg Webb from Honeyguide who facilitated the course, Andile Lindi, ECDC enterprise development services manager Belinda Vabaza and Vuyokazi Zozi. Not in the picture are Pakamile Siyo and Flicker Tiso.