News & Media

The Sandton Convention Centre reaffirmed its ability to stage world class international events with the successful hosting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government Summit on 16 and 17 August 2008.

The 28th SADC Summit, which was preceded by a SADC Council of Ministers meeting on 14 and 15 August, was hosted by South African President, Mr Thabo Mbeki. The Summit also elected Mr Thabo Mbeki as Chairperson. It was attended by 12 other African Heads of State including President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola, President Joseph Kabila of the DRC, Kind Mswati III of Swaziland and President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

Numerous African and United Nations trade, economic, and political organizations were also represented at the Summit, further swelling the number of attending delegates.

SCC Executive Director, Mati Nyazema says the venue is well versed at hosting major international conferences and boasts an impressive list of past events.

Amongst these were the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development, African Power and Electricity Congress, Pan African Health Congress, 2010 Business Opportunities Expo and the Sanlam SA Fashion Week, which was held for a 12th successive year at the venue  in 2008.

SCC has also welcomed some of the world’s best known celebrities, including Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, and Sir Richard Branson.

Nyazema says the successful hosting of the SADC Summit was another feather in the cap for SCC, which continues to set the benchmark for the staging of large-scale international events in South Africa.

“Over the past decade, SCC has established itself as the venue of choice for a variety of international events. Whilst larger events are our core business, we are capable of staging events of any size, from a full scale banquet for thousands of people to a boardroom meeting of 10.”

Nyazema describes events such as the SADC Summit as “extremely challenging and highly rewarding”.

“With so many important dignitaries and an array of activities happening all at once, you have to plan to the finest detail and be prepared for any eventuality. I am satisfied that we met our objectives in this instance and that the Summit was a great success. It takes a lot of hard work from many people, but in the end it is worth the effort and ensures that SCC remains the venue of choice for event organisers locally and internationally,” she says.

The multi award-winning SCC has over 22 000 m² of meeting, exhibition and special-event space, and can host multiple events at the same time. Up to 10 000 visitors can be accommodated at any one time.

“The key to the success of SCC is that it can cater for any event,” says Nyazema. “We also have the advantage of being well situated within the Sandton business and leisure precinct.    There are numerous hotels in close proximity as well as tourism, cultural, shopping and leisure attractions to entertain delegates after a hard day’s ‘conferencing’.

“We also provide cutting edge technology and technical services and have an efficient catering operation that can provide meals for 2000 guests in less than 15 minutes!”

Nyazema concludes that SCC’s track record over the past decade was instrumental in its selection as the host venue for the 2008 Miss World beauty pageant on December 13.

“Being chosen to host this major annual event is confirmation of our ability to compete with similar convention centres anywhere in the world,” she says.

Editor’s note:

Sandton Convention Centre is located in the heart of Sandton’s hotel, business and entertainment district.  The centre offers easy access to more than 5 000 hotel rooms (ranging from economy to deluxe), is adjacent to some of the country’s premium shopping and entertainment complexes (Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square), and provides 10 600 secure parking bays.

Sandton Convention Centre offers unlimited potential with over 22 000m² of state-of-the-art meeting, exhibition and special event space.  Purpose-built to international standards, the convention centre is able to host meetings, conferences, exhibitions and special events of virtually any size and nature.  It offers some of the most advanced technology available for convention and exhibition centres anywhere in the world. 

Multiple events can be staged simultaneously on four main levels, and 10 000 visitors can be accommodated at any one time.  A team of highly-trained staff is on hand to provide support services.

Its central position in Sandton provides easy access to Johannesburg International Airport, the Sandton CBD, major hotels and shopping centres.
Sandton Convention Centre is managed by Southern Sun Hotel Interests and was developed by Tsogo Sun, a dynamic partnership between Southern Sun, Africa’s leading hotel group, and Tsogo Sun Investments, a leading black empowerment group.

For further media information, please contact:
Lilane Swanepoel – Baird’s Renaissance
(011) 504-4000  /  Cell : 083 973 3531  /  e-mail : lilane@bairds.co.za