On 9 November 2006 at the Fidentia Top Empowerment Awards event - billed as the most prestigious event on the SA business calendar - the winners of both the Impumelelo Top Empowerment Companies 2006 Awards and the Top Women in Business & Government 2006 Awards were announced.
The event that, in addition to title partner Fidentia, also attracted major sponsorship from Absa and Faritec, took place at the Extreme Lifestyle Centre in Fourways and was attended by 900 high profile businessmen and women, including CEOs, directors, government ministers and dignitaries, business owners and entrepreneurs, senior managers and all the right people in business and government. The 2006 winners are:
| Award | Winner |
| Top Corporate Social Investment Company | First Rand Foundation |
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| Top Emerging Gender Empowered Company | SRS Aviation (Pty) Ltd |
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| Top Emerging Empowered Company | iBurst |
| Sponsored by BHP Billiton |
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| Top Empowered Company (by category) |
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| - Resources | African Rainbow Minerals |
| - Manufacturing | ATC (Pty) Ltd |
| - Food Processors & Producers | Premier Foods Ltd |
| - Healthcare | Life Health Care Group (Pty) Ltd |
| - Construction | Columbia DBL (Pty) Ltd |
| - Investment | Community Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd |
| - Pharmaceuticals | Enaleni Cipla |
| - Retail | LA Group (Pty) Ltd |
| - Leisure & Entertainment | Tsogo Sun Holdings |
| - Media & Photography | Kagiso Media Ltd |
| - Business Support Services | Direct Channel Holdings (Pty) Ltd |
| - Transport | Equity Aviation Services (Pty) Ltd |
| - Telecommunications | MTN Group Ltd |
| - Utilities | Rand Water |
| - Financials | Oasis Group Holdings |
| - Information Technology | Gijima Ast (Pty) Ltd |
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| Top Empowered Entrepreneur (female) | Sibongile Sambo |
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| Top Empowered Entrepreneur (male) | Greg Maloka |
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| Top Government Personality (female) | Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi (2nd year) |
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| Top Government Personality (male) | Trevor Manuel (2nd year) |
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| Top Gender Empowered Company | Matlejone Staffing Services cc |
| Sponsored by |
| UNISA Graduate School for Business Leadership |
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| Top Empowered Company of the Year | MTN Group Ltd |
| (chosen from the sector winners above) |
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| Top Empowered Businesswoman of the Year | Yolanda Cuba |
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| Top Empowered Businessman of the Year | Phuthuma Nhleko |
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The Fidentia Top Empowerment Awards
Honorary Laureate | Archbishop Desmond Tutu |
The Fidentia Top Empowerment Awards' Honorary Laureate pays tribute to a South African individual in honour of his/her undisputed contribution to the betterment of life, not only for marginalised groups in South Africa but for everyone. Archbishop Desmond Tutu was named as Laureate by unanimous vote.
www.topco.co.za
