Al-Qalam 
Al-Qalam Reporter
The Minara Chamber of Commerce has announced that Dr Grace Naledi Pandor, MP, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, will be their honoured guest at this year’s Minara Business Awards to be held in October.
Dr Pandor will receive the “Minara Lifetime Achiever Award” at a Gala dinner to be held at Orient Hall in Durban on October 25.
This event, now in its 13th year, serves to recognise the exceptional achievements of the South African Muslim community and their invaluable contributions to the economic and social landscape of South Africa.
The keynote speaker will be Riaz Haffejee, Senior Vice President of the Manufacturing Support Group at Toyota South Africa.
Solly Suleman, President of the Chamber, said: “We are particularly honoured by the acceptance of the Minara Lifetime Achiever Award recipient for this year, which will be bestowed upon Honourable Dr Grace Naledi Pandor, MP, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. This acknowledgement emphasises the profound impact of outstanding individuals within our country.
He said: “The Chamber believes that the Awards serve to inspire us to achieve greater potential and showcase that the Muslim Community makes a significant contribution to the South African economy.”
The Minara Business Awards 2024 will soon be calling for nominations across various categories, including Business Entity of the Year, Businessperson of the Year, Businesswoman of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Professional Achiever of the Year, and Community Builder of the Year.
Fawzia Peer, Vice President of Minara, encouraged participation from all sectors, “We encourage all those in Business, profession, or community work to participate in the awards. If you know of someone deserving or has excelled in their sector or profession, nominate them for the awards,” she said.
Nominations are open to any South African Muslim Business, Businessperson, or Professional – and self-nominations are also welcome. An independent adjudication panel will evaluate nominees based on their accomplishments, growth, and contribution to society at large.
Nominations for the Minara Business Awards 2024 will soon officially open, and nominees will have until the 31st July 2024 to enter; we eagerly anticipate celebrating the exceptional achievements of our country’s finest established and aspiring leaders.
