New business forum starts
SOUTH African business owners have been calling for a radical change in entrepreneurship pattern of our country.
This call for radical change is a result of a growing realisation and concern that the needs of small businesses, the government sector and established corporates need to be harmonised under a single business platform.
For this reason a group of business leaders from various sectors such as infrastructure and development, financial, legal, entertainment, risk management and security, maritime, information technology and others came together for the launch of Mzansi Business Forum (MBF).
The MBF was formed in August last year with board members representing various sectors of business, including youth, whom they believe is the most important sector.
The MBF realises that South African youth are the least empowered members of our society yet they are the custodians of our future.
The MBF was officially launched on April 17 in Sandton, north of Joburg, with a commitment to address most of the pressing matters affecting entrepreneurs in the country.
The emphasis was on creating viable and sustainable businesses and business leaders.
Our current environment has produced a vast number of businesses that are dependent on a governmentrun systems such as the tender system despite the fact that there are other ways of trading.
The MBF launch was attended by various business leaders from South Africa, including national convener of Progressive Youth in Business Malusi Zondo.
The MC at the launch was Sibusiso Kunene while board member and CEO of MBF and founder and CEO of Mantuntu Enterprise Sbu Kunene opened the event by asking for an observance of a moment of silence to those affected by recent xenophobic violence.
He also highlighted that one of MBF s objective was to keep an up-to-date profile of their members.
Pleasure Bapedi, an MBF member and director of Ntaku Media, spoke about the objectives of the MBF and how the digital solutions that his company had offered the Forum would make for easy and efficient access to information about their members.
Also present at the event were Sandile Xulu, who is Forum member and CEO of SM Xulu Inc Chartered Accountants.
The highlight of the presentation was the speech by the president of Forum Siya Kevin Xulu and an executive chairman of Makatini Group of Companies.
Xulu highlighted the fact that the Forum was the voice for South African entrepreneurs.
He said the Forum planned to forge strong relations with local and global businesses as well as with government.
Xulu also launched the annual Mzansi Business Achievements Awards, which will recognise entrepreneurs based on their contribution to the South African and African economy as a whole.
I feel the business sector has been neglected for too long, and it s about time that we recognise and salute our entrepreneurs from all sectors,” said Xulu.
The awards will be held in October 2015.
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