Sahara, years of effective service, distribution and delivery in ICT

Since inception in 1997 Sahara Computers has developed from a humble IT components distribution business into an established international, fully empowered and Proudly South African accredited Personal Computer brand and Original Equipment Manufacturer.

From the outset its vision and mission as a company was to facilitate access to affordable technology of the highest quality.

Ten years ago consumers did not have the benefit of a source of locally-produced, high quality PC infrastructure. Sahara Computers instantly met this need and continued to build on its service and delivery, never losing sight of the vision.

Quality and a workable ‘expand and then sustain’ strategy was central to the formation and growth of the company. In order to survive and, indeed, compete, Sahara management adopted a dogmatic attitude towards quality in its components.

There was no compromising on quality assurance and there was no room to negotiate with anyone other than the best-of-the-best. Management was uncompromising when it came to the quality of components brought into Sahara PC assembly.

To ensure this level of quality and reinforce its reputation for stock availability and effective service delivery in the local market, Sahara immediately sought partnerships with internationally established technology vendors.

The company quickly announced distribution agreements with Asus and Creative Labs. To date the company enjoys a brand line that boasts the likes of AMD, Epson, Foxconn, Intel, Lexmark, Maxtor, Microsoft, Samsung, SMC and Symantec.

With the right technology in place and a steady channel of supply established, Sahara picked up the pace in PC assembly. In 2001 the company launched the Sahara brand into the market.

The Sahara desktop PC immediately achieved recognition for its overall quality and for the attention its manufacturers paid to the presentation of the finished article, the efficiency of use and price.

It was clear the market was hungry for more. Following this success in capturing greater market share on the desktop PC front, Sahara set its sights on the ever-expanding digital lifestyle market.

In alignment with the ethos of the company to position itself at the forefront of developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Sahara initiated production of ‘in-demand’ lifestyle devices. Its portfolio included USB flash memory drives, LCD monitors, plasma screens, digital cameras, MP3 Players, as well as the first-of-its-kind locally available five-in-one multi-media device.

To compliment this drive towards greater adoption of PC & digital lifestyle technology, Sahara management focused on building the Sahara brand.

The company incorporated aggressive brand awareness and multi-media engagement into its marketing campaign, taking Information Technology sponsorship in largely untapped industries to new levels.

In 2004 Sahara management took the unprecedented step of steering ICT directly into the line of corporate sponsorship outside of the confines of corporate South Africa. The name Sahara was being instantly recognized in sports circles, including cricket, rugby, soccer and motorsport.

It was not difficult to realize why. In that year Sahara hosted a major press conference to announce a multi-Million Rand, long-term sponsorship & contribution towards the development of facilities, infrastructure and players at the Western Cape, Eastern Cape & Kwa-Zulu Natal cricket unions.

The move reinforced the role of technology in society and its impact on growth and development. It also stamped Sahara’s brand and image permanently onto established cricket grounds in Cape Town, Eastern Cape and Durban – and the international cricket would soon be introduced to Sahara Park Newlands; Sahara Stadium Kingsmead and Sahara Oval St Georges respectively.

From the cricket pitch to the race track. Sahara once again made headlines when it confirmed its sponsorship of South African racing’s Production Car Championship followed later as the official team sponsor of the Africa cricket team in the Afro-Asia Series from 2004 – 2008.

A year later Sahara announced its status as official ICT sponsors to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) as well as the U/19 IRB Rugby World Cup Championship.

Management was careful not to loose the advantage of momentum and signed several sporting icons, including Proteas captain Graeme Smith and squad members Shaun Pollock and Mkhaya Ntini, as well as celebrities Cindy Nel and Joan Ramagoshi as official brand ambassadors.

Sahara has remained committed to a two-pronged marketing approach. Whilst the company explores many opportunities within the Channel to boost product/ technology knowledge and support on the one hand, it leverages off an aggressive multi-media brand awareness strategy on the other.

This strategy incorporates billboards lining main traffic zones throughout South Africa, coverage in national print & electronic press, as well as on TV and radio stations including SABC and Summit TV. The company’s media strategy has been instrumental in helping it further on the quest to become a household name in South Africa.

This progressive marketing and brand-building campaign elevated the company’s profile in the market as a forward-thinking, market leader in aligning marketing with IT.

Whilst its brand is continuously being entrenched in the market, Sahara has managed to successfully identify and categorise its target market. The company supplies technology to the corporate, government and education sectors.

The market’s growing consumer demand for technology now represents a key market segment.

Sahara Computers remains committed to the growth and development of the formal South African ICT Channel.

The annual Sahara Convention is now a regular, established date on the local ICT calendar. It offers all stakeholders including government, resellers, dealers and technology vendors an opportunity to engage and communicate with each other.

Previous keynote speakers at the Sahara Convention have included the Minister in the Presidency Dr Essop Pahad and the Deputy President of South Africa the honourable Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

The company remained committed to its ongoing symbiotic relationship with sport. At the same time it fuelled efforts to expand its Channel Partner Program and solicit the business of resellers in remote parts of South Africa and Africa.

In 2006 the maturity of Sahara Holdings, its official brand and overall business operation was advertised to the greater South African market.

The company sent waves of interest through the business, financial and IT sectors with news of an empowerment deal with Mvelaphanda Holdings (Pty) Ltd., headed by executive chairperson Tokyo Sexwale, and the Afripalm Consortium, headed by Lazarus Zim.

Described as a groundbreaking IT empowerment deal brokered in South Africa, Sahara Holdings divested 27% of its shares to a newly established consortium represented by three organizations, mining and mineral resource Group Mvelaphanda Holdings (Pty) Ltd., local investment consortium, Afripalm Holdings and the Sahara Employees Trust.

Sahara has proven over and over again that technology is first and foremost an enabler, a means of empowering people.

The company has a vested interest in developing much-need ICT skills and levels of ICT literacy. Its corporate social responsibility program is focused extensively on the education environment and community upliftment.

To date Sahara Computers has assisted directly in the roll out of fully equipped telecommunication centres, computer laboratories at schools, job creation and skills development/ exchange programs.

Sahara’s recipe for success is based on its ethos of service delivery, reliability and empowerment. Its investment focuses on people and the growth of the company for the betterment of the communities it supplies.

Backed by management that, collectively, has over 100 years of experience in the IT industry, the company continues to expand and successfully operate across borders.

In 2004 the company demonstrated that South African IT companies can successfully compete in global markets. It did so by entering into a joint venture partnership with Sahara India Pariwar to launch Sahara Computers and Electronics Ltd” (SCEL) in Lucknow, India. The business generates a multi-million US Dollar turnover and now has over 900 people on its payroll.

Furthermore, Sahara continues to successfully expand its footprint across Africa. It now has operations and presence in key regions throughout the continent including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique and Namibia. The Sahara brand is also well established and controlled by operations in Dubai and China.

In 2007 Sahara made public its involvement with the Mozambique Information & Communication Technology (MICT) organization to launch a new 3000 unit p/m Sahara assembly operation.

Sahara has recently positioned its extensive notebook range as the flagship within its product portfolio.

Early in 2007 market research house BMI-TechKnowledge (BMI-T) identified the company as the leading local brand within the notebook market in South Africa for three quarters running with the highest year-on-year growth by any notebook vendor in SA.

The Sahara market continues to grow and engage with technology and is poised to add value and meet the ever-increasing demand for automatic, instant and reliable infrastructure.

It is on track to become the premier technology supplier in Africa and emerging markets globally.