Peermont invests over R22 million annually in corporate social responsibility programmes. This is mainly concentrated on education, skillsdevelopment and community projects - often in partnership with local municipalities.

The group's Thuthuka Gauteng Supplementary Education initiative provides disadvantaged learners with the numerical, literacy and accounting skills required to enter tertiary education. In partnership with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), the project aims to increase the number of historically disadvantaged groups entering the accounting profession.To date, more than 367 teachers and 2 625 learners have benefited from this programme, in which Peermont has invested R53 million over five years.

The East Rand Youth and Southern Highveld Trusts help disadvantaged students gain access to tertiary education by providing them with bursaries (95 university and 164 college scholarships), while the East Rand Children's Trust provides educational and social support for children from impoverished communities in Ekurhuleni.

At Emperors Palace, Peermont has, in association with the Community Monitoring Services and the South African Police Service, developed the Winnie Mandela Community Project in Tembisa in an effort to combat crime in the area. Since its inception in July 2007, the project has been one of the major contributors to a 60% decrease in the area's crime rate, according to police statistics.

Emperors Palace and the Ekurhuleni municipality launched the Thokoza Walkways project, a collaborative effort that saw the development of a 25km walkway through the township and the planting of trees along the route.

Gold Reef Resorts continued its funding of the South African Apartheid Museum, which is operated by a Section 21 Company. Other bodies benefitting from Gold Reef City Casino and Theme Park's CSI disbursements included the Ithuba College, the Mini Care Centre for Abused Children and the Little Roses Daycare Pre-School.

Donations made by the Golden Horse Casino included those to an educational science centre, the Careways Group (an organisation providing counselling to people with HIV and AIDS) and the Community Chest, which received 130 beds. In December the casino sponsored an orphans' Christmas party for 240 disadvantaged children in a restaurant within the casino complex.

The Mykonos Casino donated 5% of its audited pre-tax profits to the West Coast Community Trust for distribution among bodies active in the areas of tourism and community development.Among these were organisations providing home-based care and the Matzikama municipality's programme to provide playgroup facilities for pre-school children.

The Garden Route Casino contributed to a local community trust which allocates funds to community programmes such as environmental, reconstruction and development projects.The major projects of the Garden Route Casino Community Trust include financial assistance to the Diaz Museum's archaeological project, assistance with the upgrading of the St Blaze hiking trail, financially assisting local welfare organizations and supporting the upgrading of local underprivileged schools and creches.

At the Goldfields Casino, the R1-million CSI commitment attached to the temporary licence condition was used to renovate the local SANCA offices, to develop sport facilities in low-income communities, to support the education department's vulnerable learners school uniform programme, and to renovate local schools. In terms of the casino's permanent licence conditions, 1.5% of the casino's profit after tax will be be spent on community and social investments.

Queens Casino is committed to donating 3% of net profit before tax to the Zulu Kama Trust, which will be responsible for development projects within the Queenstown community.The Trust also holds a 4.5% shareholding in the company and is party to the Queens Casino management contract.The casino has also restored the local municipality's Walter Evert Gardens, while donations were made to the rape crisis centre and towards Christmas gifts for old age homes.

Since its opening in December 2007, the Silver Star Casino has contributed to the Roodepoort Black Eagles Project. In future, 1% of gross gaming revenue plus 1% of EBITDA will be distributed to CSI programmes, while half a percent of gross gaming revenue will be allocated to the West Rand Development Trust.

During the year under review, the Tsogo Sun Group spent over R10.9 million on child-focussed welfare projects.The Feedback Food Redistribution Programme, for example, was provided with over 35.343Kg of food valued at R989 604.Among other initiatives, 784 children benefited from a back-toschool programme which assists children with uniforms and school material, and their schools with desks, chairs and computers.This programme benefitted by R345 000.

In KwaZulu-Natal,Tsogo Sun undertook a number of projects, including the upgrading of a children's home under the Right to Live umbrella, and in the Eastern Cape assistance to the value of R750 000 was given to the refurbishment of a children's home in East London. Help was also extended to 1 000 guest houses owned and operated by previously disadvantaged communities, by enabling them to gain skills in marketing, computers and office management.

The group also supported Business Against Crime, which received funding assistance of R500 000. On the sporting front, contributions were made to development programmes run by the Lions and the Blue Bulls rugby, and R2.7 million was allocated to similar projects under the auspices of the KwaZulu- Natal Cricket Union.

The Sun International group contributes 2% of net profits to its corporate social investment projects, with the main focus being on health and welfare, education, community development, and sports, arts and culture.

In the field of health and welfare, among the group's major beneficiaries is Reach For A Dream, which assists hospitalised children and those who have life-threatening diseases. Each Hollywood Slot Jackpot won at the group's casinos results in a R500 contribution to this project. Contributions are also made to the Tapologo Aids Hospice, Emmanuel's Haven in the Eastern Cape - which provides counselling, care-giving and training and runs a hydroponics farm producing vegetables for sustenance - and the Sentahle Home Based Care Centre in Limpopo, where the community of Ga- Maja can access various services designed to alleviate the effects of HIV/Aids. In the Western Cape, the group supports the Shawco Community Health Project, and on the East Rand assistance is given to the Thabo Mbeki Hospice.

On the education front, Carnival City supports the CRESCO skills development project, which is an initiative providing emerging entrepreneurs with training on how to run a business. In the Western Cape, the Eziko Cooking School provides training opportunities in the hospitality industry.This project enables trainees from the school to be placed within Sun International for their internship.

Sun City has been responsible for the development of the Mma Kodisang Early Learning Centre and in Limpopo the Meropa Casino has built four classrooms at the Sekwala Primary School in in Polokwane.

GrandWest Casino in Cape Town, supported by the Western Cape government, has established the Soundtrack 4 Life project to provide effective HIV/Aids education and awareness. GrandWest has also continued to operate its CSI Bursary fund for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who wish to access a better education and the mainstream economy.

Support to community development organisations has included assistance to Blisters for Bread, a project which raises funds for Peninsula School Feeding to feed thousands of Western Cape schoolchildren who would otherwise be going to school on empty stomachs.The Meropa Casino has helped with the development of the Faranani Hydroponic Project, which enables the local community to grow its own vegetables.The Windmill Casino in Bloemfontein built a police station to assist with crime prevention in the area around the property.

Carousel Casino has concentrated on the high levels of unemployment in its area, contributing to the Men on the Side of the Road Project, which teaches skills to unemployed matriculants in bricklaying and tiling to give them a better chance at formal employment.

Other beneficiaries have included the National Sea Rescue Institute, the South African Chefs Association and the Wildlife Trust.

Sun International has for several years been a major sponsor of the South African Paralympic team and is also a founding member of the Arts and Culture Trust, which has supported more than 500 projects since 1996. In KwaZulu-Natal, the Sibaya Casino has supported the development of soccer in local communities through the Sibaya Bootlaces Football Academy, which participated in the 20th 'Metropolitan Premier Cup' in Cape Town over the Easter Holidays.

The group has also been active in CSI projects in neighbouring countries, including the construction of a community hall in Palapye by Gaborone Sun. In Namibia, funding assistance has been given to the Mount Sinai Centre which cares for HIV-positive mothers and distributes food hampers for babies to ensure their necessary nutrition. In the same country, the Hope Village Clinic provides refuge and support to women, orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/Aids.

In Lesotho, the Beautiful Gate Home was completed during this financial year and the clinic will help alleviate the scourge of HIV/Aids and other diseases.The Ezulwini Clinic was built to bring medical services to the community in the Ezulwini area of Swaziland, while in Zambia Sun International properties continue to play a key role in meeting various needs of the community in Livingstone. Sustainable projects here include the hydroponics farm, the Mukuni Basic School and the Lubasi orphanage, which were assisted during this financial year.

A significant amount of the CSI spend by Century Casino Newcastle went towards the relocation of the Newcastle Community Radio Station to the premises of the casino.A specifically designed studio was build which are occupied rent free by the station.The casino also donated all the sound and other equipment for the studio to ensure the proper functioning of the radio station.

Emerald Casino contributed R743 000 to their CSI projects for the year under review.