Published by SEDA Business Brief Jan 2008.

A NEW website aims to supply Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) consultants with more information about BEE.

The BEE Expert Group, which is widely aimed at not only consultants, but any member of the public, aims to increase the level of BEE compliance among business owners and was launched in September last year.

Keith Levenstein an owner of Dinoka Enterprise Development, one of the partners responsible for launching the website, says consultants can benefit from a forum, regular meetings among group members and BEE advice from a range of experts.

The BEE Expert Group is a commercial initiative of Dinoka Group, and a sister business to EconoBEE. The site’s other partners are Letsatsi Resources, Cathy Bryant Attorneys and Allen de Villiers Attorneys.

Currently the site can be accessed for free, but will become a paid-for website in January. Some 40 people had signed up by end of November.

Levenstein says the intention is to hold regular meetings in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg which experts brief the group about a certain topic.

He says there are different categories of memberships, with differing services offered to meet the needs of the members.

Membership for individual BEE consultants is R150 a month.

Levenstein says experts will be able to share their advice and interpretation of BEE legislation.

“In a way you’re talking to your opposition, but I think the market is big enough for us to pose these questions,” he says.

For more go to www.bee-expert-group.co.za where members can obtain answers to queries and learn more about BEE.