BMF election vital to Manyi’s future
2010-08-22 13:00
The shadow of Black Management Forum (BMF) president Jimmy Manyi looms large over Tuesday’s provincial elections in Gauteng.
Whoever wins the election will have significant influence as provincial chairperson on whether the organisation makes the president’s position a paying job.
This is seen as a move that will benefit Manyi who is suspended by the labour department.
The showdown is expected to be between Manyi’s ally Alwyn Nel, Abel Tshimola and Kganki Matabane.
The BMF is expected to table the president’s position and extending the presidential term to five years as two of its amendment proposals at the organisation’s next policy conference in October in Sandton.
The Gauteng BMF elections are significant because with five branches and the largest number of members, it is the most powerful of the provinces in the organisation.
Whoever has the support of Gauteng has huge influence in the organisation’s national structure.
The elections come at a time when some BMF members are trying to persuade branches to have the constitution of the forum amended in the policy conference.
Critics of the amendments see the proposal as largely beneficial to Manyi.
If Nel wins this week and, as expected, supports the constitutional amendments, it will mean the days of the forum’s managing director, Gaba Tabane, are numbered.
His position will be phased out because the BMF president will assume the functions that the managing director currently performs.
Nel’s nomination by his Tshwane branch is seen as a move likely to maintain the status quo in the national leadership of the BMF as he was instrumental in ensuring that Manyi was re-elected president last year.
He toured the country drumming up support for Manyi ahead of the elections.
Later, Nel was appointed chairperson of Productivity SA, one of the agencies under the labour department; Manyi has been suspended as the department’s director-general.
Tshimola has been described by a member as unpredictable because he prefers to sit on the fence during arguments.
“He is not a radical but philosophical type who likes to reason out questions that require a simple yes or no,” said a source who requested anonymity.
BMF members who comment on the record about the organisation’s issues risk suspension.
Matabane, nominated by the Johannesburg branch, is the former BMF provincial deputy chairperson and currently works as executive director of transformation policy and operations at Business Unity SA.
A source close to Matabane said that he would oppose any proposal to tweak the BMF constitution.
“We feel the constitution should be left alone as we cannot change it whenever there is a policy conference just to suit a few individuals,” said the source.
“Remember that the constitution was amended in 2006 to allow the president to serve for a maximum of two terms and any more changes could display immaturity from our side.”
Another source from the Johannesburg branch confirmed that Matabane was opposed to any constitutional amendments.
“The issue to amend the constitution to give the president executive powers was raised during last week Saturday’s
Gauteng meeting,” said the source.
“But the proposal was rejected because it did not make good business sense as it appears it would only benefit an individual rather than the organisation.”
The source said that Matabane was nominated as he has the potential to take the BMF back to its original mandate of developing black managerial leadership and emancipating black professionals.
“We are tired of seeing our organisation being used to fight personal battles.
“BMF should benefit all the members, not individuals.
“And we no longer want the BMF to be associated with any political party,” said the source.
Gift Nyambe, the current Gauteng branch chairperson, said that he was relinquishing his position to focus on his job as the chairperson of BMF Investment Trust.
“I just want to direct all my energies in ensuring that the company realises its new mandate of growing and revolutionising its investments,” said Nyambe.
- City Press