Black Business Council attempts to clean up its act

The Black Business Council (BBC) has announced a date for its long-anticipated elective conference that is set to usher in a fresh slate of leaders for the troubled organisation.

The scandal-ridden organisation, which was co-founded by Patrice Motsepe and has not had a permanent president ever since Danisa Baloyi was suspended last December, held its Special National Council Meeting last week and set August 7 as the day of reckoning.

The organisation said in a statement that the council resolved to endorse the submission for holding early elections.

According to two high-placed sources, the council also resolved on a criteria for the pedigree of candidates eligible to contest for national officer bearer, including that of the president.

This after its Memorandum of the Incorporation was ammended to allegedly exclude eligibility of some sections of members for leadership positions.

“We are delighted that the Council comprising of presidents of various constituents affiliates was unanimous in its efforts to depart from the old chapter with all its challenges towards a new dawn that will predominantly be characterised by hope, new outlook, vision, new Africa agenda and a strong and sustainable black business chamber,” said Gilbert Mosena, acting president of the BBC, about the resolution.

Mosena said the decision on the conference was part of the organisation’s plans to rejuvenate and renew itself.

“Organisational renewal is particularly about building strong affiliates that must produce millionaires, if not billionaires, by the end of the next five years. The council will also strive to build unity among all business formations through equalisation of wealth and business opportunities, and creation of one Africa-one Nation,” Mosena added.

According to reliable sources closer to the matter, Sandile Zungu and Thandi Ndlovu are some of the names being touted for the top position of president.

Both have previously denied that they have been approached to contest. Efforts to get their latest view yesterday were unsuccessful.

Baloyi was suspended last December over a R5 million donation from Airports Company South Africa that never reached its coffers.

The organisation’s chairperson, Sello Rasethaba, and secretary George Sebulela also subsequently found themselves in the centre of another controversial sponsorship donation from Absa for a trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January that also never found its way into the organisation’s records.