Eighteen finalists are the running for the prestigious Minara Chamber of Commerce’s Business Recognition Awards at the Gala Dinner Banquet at the NMJ Hall in Morningside, Durban, on Friday, 21 October 2016. Global petroleum company Shell South Africa’s chairman, Bonang Mohale, will deliver the keynote address and the annual ceremony will also be attended by KwaZulu-Natal’s new MEC for Economic Development and Tourism Sihle Zikalala and provincial chairman of the African National Congress and several corporate, community and religious leaders.

The gala function, scheduled for 6pm, will become a crowning glory for candidates nominated for the various categories and community leaders and anti-apartheid stalwarts will also be honoured.

The judges have named the finalists in the following categories Business of the Year.

Business Achiever of the Year: 27 Four Investment Managers, Darsots Food Cooperation and HBZ Bank.

Businessperson of the Year: Yusuf Essa (Choprop Estate), Reaaz Ahmed (Goodhope Meat Hyper) and Mahomed Nazeem Alli (Shadows).

Businesswoman of the Year: Priakumari Hassan (WOA Group), Dr Raeesa Aboobaker (Dr Bakers Slim Clinic) and Amina Chipeta (Amafuto Construction).

Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Imtiaz Karodia (Solly M Sports), Riaz Moola (Hyperion Development) and Ismail Hassen (CSR Africa). Professional Achiever of the Year: Ahmed Jaffer (KPMG), Naeem Asvat (SAICA) and Professor Khatija Moloi (Vaal University).

Community Builder of the Year: Abed Karrim (Alimdaad Foundation), AB Carrim (AB Carrim Group) and Ahmed Ismail (Siyafunda CTC).

This year Minara will honour the last two remaining survivors of the 1946 Passive Resistance Campaign, now celebrating its 70th anniversary, Swaminathan Gounden and Kesval ‘Kay’ Moodley.

More than 400 dignitaries, captains of commerce and industry and community leaders of all religious faiths will be attending Minara’s premier programme on its calendar.

Standard Bank, Africa’s leading financial institution, has partnered the gala awards ceremony as the platinum sponsor. The event will be broadcast live on ITV and will also be covered by the local print and electronic media.

Ebrahim Patel, chairman of Minara, said the judging panel were impressed by the calibre of the nominees that were playing significant roles in their respective fields of profession and businesses in the diverse spectrum of the South African society: ‘’The impressive line-up of nominees makes for a very close contest among the contenders and the quality of candidates augurs well for this year’s edition and helps Minara to set the bar higher for future events. The awards have become a hallmark of our contribution to inspiring high achievers, community workers and business people to strive for service excellence while adhering the basic tenets of integrity, selfless service and contribution socially, economically and politically to the broader environment of our unique non-racial, non-sexist, multicultural and multi-religious society.’’

“Trade, commerce, business and social cohesion thrives in a free, transparent and democratic society such as ours and we believe these awards serve to highlight professional people, community personalities and bridge builders and has created a benchmark where business, community and government can interact towards strengthening our collective resolve to build a stronger economy, create jobs, eliminate poverty and promote the basic tenets of an open and a vibrant enterprise for all our communities to get ahead amidst the myriad of social challenges,’’ added Patel.

Guests are requested to arrive at 6pm to attend the exhibition and visit the Ethiopian Airlines stand to complete the lucky draw form and stand a chance to win a return ticket to Dubai. Details of the nominations have been posted on the official website: www.minara.org.za

The event will be broadcast live on ITV Chanel 347 DSTV at 7.15 pm.