THE Black Business Council (BBC) seems to
have jumped the gun by declaring its support for President Jacob Zuma,
as some affiliates say they are not ready to take a stance on the
matter.
This raises questions about unity within the mother body ahead of its consultative conference next week, but the council said on Tuesday it had met with its partners and the organisation was "more united than ever".
Zuma is due to address a BBC dinner after the conference.
The BBC met with affiliates on Monday night and briefed them on "media utterances" and engaged on issues, it said.
"[We] emerged more united than ever," CEO Mohale Ralebitso said.
The BBC has a long list of corporate members and its affiliate groupings include the Black Management Forum, the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (Abasa)‚ the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (Absip) and the Black Lawyers Association (BLA).
Abasa and Absip on Tuesday said they were not ready to say whether or not they supported the BBC’s stance on Zuma.
Abasa president Gugu Sigasa said there had been a "lack of communication" with affiliates before the BBC issued its statement in support of Zuma. "Our biggest concern was … the lack of communication with the affiliates prior to issuing such a statement and thus we are not being able to comfortably say, ‘Look, we back it or do not back it’, without understanding the full context of why such a view is being put out in the market."
Abasa needed to understand the context behind how the BBC arrived at its view, she added.
She also said she was not at the Monday meeting but would be meeting with the business council’s general secretary later this week.
Absip said it did attend Monday’s meeting and needed to obtain a mandate from its members about political and economic issues.
Absip said: "Until they [members] have pronounced on this matter, the organisation is unable to take a stand."
The BLA, which was present at Monday’s meeting, confirmed that issues surrounding the BBC’s support for Zuma were discussed with affiliates.
"We believe the statement issued by BBC is the correct stance," BLA president Lutendo Sigogo said.
The BBC wants Zuma to finish his term because he ascended to office "through the ballot" and the organisation is of the view he should be ousted "through the ballot". This is in stark contrast to growing calls that the president should step down.
AngloGold Ashanti chairman Sipho Pityana characterised the BBC’s support of Zuma as a "betrayal" and said it did not represent all of black business.
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| Black Business Council CEO Mohale Ralebitso. Picture: RUSSELL ROBERTS |
This raises questions about unity within the mother body ahead of its consultative conference next week, but the council said on Tuesday it had met with its partners and the organisation was "more united than ever".
Zuma is due to address a BBC dinner after the conference.
The BBC met with affiliates on Monday night and briefed them on "media utterances" and engaged on issues, it said.
"[We] emerged more united than ever," CEO Mohale Ralebitso said.
The BBC has a long list of corporate members and its affiliate groupings include the Black Management Forum, the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (Abasa)‚ the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (Absip) and the Black Lawyers Association (BLA).
Abasa and Absip on Tuesday said they were not ready to say whether or not they supported the BBC’s stance on Zuma.
Abasa president Gugu Sigasa said there had been a "lack of communication" with affiliates before the BBC issued its statement in support of Zuma. "Our biggest concern was … the lack of communication with the affiliates prior to issuing such a statement and thus we are not being able to comfortably say, ‘Look, we back it or do not back it’, without understanding the full context of why such a view is being put out in the market."
Abasa needed to understand the context behind how the BBC arrived at its view, she added.
She also said she was not at the Monday meeting but would be meeting with the business council’s general secretary later this week.
Absip said it did attend Monday’s meeting and needed to obtain a mandate from its members about political and economic issues.
Absip said: "Until they [members] have pronounced on this matter, the organisation is unable to take a stand."
The BLA, which was present at Monday’s meeting, confirmed that issues surrounding the BBC’s support for Zuma were discussed with affiliates.
"We believe the statement issued by BBC is the correct stance," BLA president Lutendo Sigogo said.
The BBC wants Zuma to finish his term because he ascended to office "through the ballot" and the organisation is of the view he should be ousted "through the ballot". This is in stark contrast to growing calls that the president should step down.
AngloGold Ashanti chairman Sipho Pityana characterised the BBC’s support of Zuma as a "betrayal" and said it did not represent all of black business.
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