No plans for black business bodies to merge, says BLSA

There are no talks to merge Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and the Black Business Council (BBC), Thebe Mabanga, manager of media relations at BLSA, said in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon.

BLSA issued a statement following reports in City Press this weekend that the two business bodies were planning to merge into a single organisation.

According to City Press, BLSA CEO Bonang Mohale and BBC secretary general George Sebulela and chairperson Sello Rasethaba had discussed the possibility of a united voice for business with President Cyril Ramaphosa.

However, Mabanga clarified in the statement that talks with the BBC are to see it return to an “apex body” of business.

• READ: BUSA cuts ties with Black Business Council over junk status conflict

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) is one such a body and the BLSA makes its submissions to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) through BUSA, Mabanga explained.

However, it cannot be assumed that the BBC would rejoin BUSA. Negotiations have to take place first and the BBC will probably have to set out its conditions, Mabanga explained.

The BBC cut ties with BUSA in May 2017 over a difference of opinion, specifically related to economic transformation.

At the time BUSA chair Jabu Mabuza said the decision to terminate the relationship was unanimously made by the BUSA board.

“It (the decision) was informed by recent developments at Nedlac where it became apparent that BBC and BUSA were not aligned in relation to key issues facing the economy,” BUSA said in a statement it issue last year.

“Such issues included the impact of the downgrade and on matters of monetary policy, as well as the most appropriate way to address these issues," the statement read.

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