The African ICT Achievers Awards has seen tremendous growth over the past seven years and has become the ‘Oscars’ of the African ICT industry.

The programme has 3 core elements:

• Nomination, Adjudication, and an Awards Ceremony and banquet to recognise and reward Achievers across Africa;
• A corporate social investment element where ICT products and training programmes are donated by the industry, through the winners, to worthy causes such as schools and disadvantaged communities across the continent; and the newest element:
• The African ICT Achievers Awards Executive Business Forum.  The Forum is a response to the needs of the business community seeking to make its contribution to spearheading digital inclusion on the continent.

Over the past couple of years, the awards programme reflected achievement across Africa and actively included nominations from as far afield as Egypt, Namibia, Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya. 
Building on the success of past years, stakeholder meetings were held by the Department of Communications and ForgeAhead together with industry organisations to progress the Achievers vision for Africa.  A stronger drive into Africa is a key focus for 2006, with emphasis on Women, Investment, Education, SMME and Innovation.

Swicon was nominated in the category of the ‘Most Transformed ICT Company in Africa’. It is with great pride that Swicon has been awarded for its active transformation policy. Swicon sold a 45% shareholding to Seemahale Corporation, a BEE investment company within six years of its inception.

The remaining 55% is controlled by a Swiss holding company. It is the philosophy of Swicon that BEE should not merely consist of a minimal shareholding. True BEE should consist of a major and active stake in the organisation.

The Swicon/Seemahale BEE deal represents one of the few instances where a wholly owned foreign entity has concluded such a major BEE shareholding agreement. Swicon's immediate goals are: local job creation, skills transfer and assisting other BEE companies through preferential procurement policies. Seventy percent of Swicon's total procurement spend was awarded to black empowered enterprises.

Furthermore, a major contribution towards skills development in South Africa is facilitated through the Swiss Business Council, for which Swicon holds the presidency.