At a time when many in the government and outside are agonising over the slow pace of black economic empowerment, pressure is growing for a new and invigorated plan to bring more black South Africans into the economic mainstream.
Sam Buthelezi, the national president of the Foundation for African Business and Consumer Services (Fabcos) and the first vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry South Africa (Chamsa), believes the new business unity structures are a vital step in this direction.
There are crucial policy differences between white and black business organisations. For example, Fabcos is in favour of state intervention to bring black business into the economic mainstream, while the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) is in favour of deregulation in areas such as labour. In terms of the new unified structures, can these policy differences be overcome?
Before the unity-building process, representative business organisations were divided along the lines of race and big versus small businesses. It was therefore to be expected, given the history of our country, that “business” would speak with a forked tongue.
The challenge to bring black business into the mainstream of the economy is clearly not as simple as clamouring only for legislative changes, nor is it as simple as levelling the playing fields and leaving it up to market forces — even though, on the surface, the organisations in question [seem to be polarised on these issues].
The generally accepted principle of how to achieve black economic empowerment can now be addressed in unified forums such as Chamsa and Business Unity South Africa (Busa).
Instead of being caught up in clichés that are the result of our divided past, black and white business now sits around the same table in these organisations to formulate common positions and strategies to address these issues.
All participants in the unity process share the common vision of a non-racial society and hence a non-racial business community. To achieve this requires a commonly agreed strategy and process.
We have created structures through which this process can take place.
It is not clear why there are still two umbrella bodies, Fabcos and Sacob — is this a halfway point to full and final integration at some point in the future, and when might this be?
Chamsa is the umbrella body for the four national chambers of commerce — the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc), Afrikaanse Handelsin stituut, Sacob and Fabcos — which have, as their respective constituencies, individual businesses, while Busa came into being as the result of the merger between Business South Africa (white) and the Black Business Council (black). The latter two organisations had industry federations and professional bodies as their members, and the two processes — while taking place in tandem — were serving distinctly different constituencies.
You talk about a halfway point. We are all on a journey towards creating a non-racial society: as business, we have a duty to create the right structures and processes through which this can happen; we do not claim the current structures to be the final answers to all our problems — but we do believe that solid platforms have been built. Fabcos has a very effective grassroots structure and is well regarded for representing the rights of its members over the years.
What benefits do you expect members to gain through the new unity structures?
Clearly there had to be benefits for each organisation to enter and participate in this process.
While we are satisfied that Fabcos can serve its grassroots constituency satisfactorily, the coming together of the chambers under Chamsa will have a number of distinct benefits [as the list below shows].
Duplication of resources is prevented, where applicable.
Common positions can be developed in relation to issues such as proposed legislation, government policies at local, provincial and central level and all other matters that affect the lives of South African business people, black or white, on a daily basis.
It is in our interest to negotiate our position on important issues with our white colleagues before presenting it to the government. Why have public squabbles when the issues can be resolved and be presented in a unified forum?
The “white chambers” have gone through many of the issues that we still have to deal with, therefore their experience is invaluable to us. Equally, we are dealing with issues that affect white business dramatically, and they can benefit by talking about problem areas with us.
Ultimately, we share the same economy, the same resources and the same people. United we can achieve a lot more than divided, for each individual constituency.
By retaining the form of the existing chambers of commerce, are you not still going to be competing with the likes of Nafcoc for membership?
Over the years each chamber has developed its own niche constituency that it serves.
Competition has never existed in the past, and there is no reason to believe this will be the case in future.
What outcomes would you expect to see from the new, unified structures?
An efficient and more rapid transformation of our economy brought about through the combined efforts of willing partners.