BMF Implores New GNU to Make Social Transformation Top Priority

The Office of the BMF Presidency

July 1, 2024

The Black Management Forum (BMF) of South Africa takes this opportunity to congratulate President Cyril Ramaphosa and the coalition of political parties on concluding the government of national unity (GNU). We acknowledge that consolidating the divergent interests of all the coalition partners was challenging and we applaud all the stakeholders involved on putting the stability of the country front and centre and expeditiously concluding this process.

We further take this opportunity to congratulate the new cabinet on their roles and wish them great success as they embark on their leadership journey. We are heartened by the continuance of leadership in key ministries such as the deputy presidency and finance and believe that this will lead to economic stability and we await, with great interest, the appointments of the ministry Directors-General and Deputy Directors-General as they will play an integral part in managing government departments and ensuring that policy is effectively implemented.

This government has a monumental task ahead of it. The first 30 years of democracy saw South Africa transition from a fledgling democracy under Madiba, Nelson Mandela, to a thriving economy and a bastion for growth and progress under Thabo Mbeki. Under Presidents Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa, we are reminded that the euphoria of the new democracy is over. The more recent leadership has had to struggle the global economic crisis, COVID, and an increasingly unstable domestic and international environment. As we grapple with this instability and its affects such as the triple burden of poverty, inequality, and unemployment we are reminded, now more than ever, that the time for complacency is over and we need to roll up our sleeves and push the country forward as a collective.

The BMF is encouraged by the division of key ministries such as minerals and electricity and we hope to see the efficient functioning of both these departments. Afterall, these departments drive the engines of business. We cannot expect to grow our economy and for our businesses to thrive if we cannot keep the lights on. Furthermore, we think the separation of agriculture from land reform is a pivotal decision that we hope will lead to social transformation. The land question has been a contentious and painful one and we sincerely hope that the government makes sufficient strides in addressing this issue so more South Africans gain the economic power that comes from equitable land ownership. We hope that the new leadership of John Steenhuisen in the agriculture sector, which is a core economic sector for South Africa and has been for centuries, will allow for skills transfer and mentorship so more black South Africans and particularly the youth are able to participate in this sector.

We also welcome the appointment of Parks Tau as the Minister of the Department of Trade, industry and Competition. We encourage him to remain focused on implementing the national agenda on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. The BMF is ready and keen to engage with him and ensure that the country makes more progress in this regard.

We believe that positioning parastatals in the presidency will make these struggling enterprises a priority and that South African excellence will once again be restored and the flag will be able to fly high. Finally, we are heartened by the appointment of Nomakhosazana Meth as the Minister for Labor and Employment, BMF advocates for a more equitable and just society and this ministry is at the forefront of such change. Given that Minister Meth is from marginalized communities herself, has risen through the ranks, and has worked at the municipal level where the plight of social injustice is most severely felt, we have no doubt that she will serve with excellence in this position and BMF looks forward to working closely with her ministry as we address the most fundamental question facing the future of our country, the future of our youth and their meaningful integration as active and important economic participants.

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