BMF to be more prominent — new president
NEWLY elected Black Management Forum (BMF) president Bonang Mohale yesterday promised an increasingly prominent role for the organisation under his tenure.
Mr Mohale, Shell SA chairman and member of the BMF for 16 years, received a unanimous endorsement from all nine provincial BMF structures at the organisation’s annual general meeting yesterday.
Addressing BMF delegates and representatives from business and civil society at a two-day conference on systemic corruption yesterday, Mr Mohale said it was necessary for BMF members to increase their roles within the economy and society. He said the organisation had a long history, with “18 years” of freedom, and “300 years” before that, for members to continue to gain managerial skills.
Increased pressure should be put on the government to use blackowned firms when state-owned enterprises acquired services, he said. The BMF should likewise increase its capabilities, as it had “only nine” permanent staff in Sandton, but should have offices in every province.
Mr Mohale, who had a brief stint as BMF deputy president, succeeds former Cabinet spokesman Jimmy Manyi, who had served the maximum two terms as president.
Mr Mohale was also one of eight South African Airways board members to resign last week.
BMF MD Nicholas Moweni said yesterday the smooth and unanimous election pointed to the “unity” of the organisation. Koko Khumalo, Limpopo’s BMF chairwoman, was elected deputy president.
Former BMF deputy president Tembakazi Mnyaka was seen as Mr Mohale’s primary contender but declined to run. Sources within the BMF said Ms Mnyaka, who had taken on an increasingly bigger role within the organisation due to Mr Manyi’s other responsibilities, was seen as being “too close” to the former Cabinet spokesman.
There was widespread dissatisfaction that the BMF had moved too close to the African National Congress under Mr Manyi’s tenure, becoming a party “branch or arm”.
Business Unity SA CEO Nomaxabiso Majokweni yesterday welcomed BMF’s new leadership, saying both Mr Mohale and Ms Khumalo “come not only with great economic transformation credentials but with good business heads as well”.