The Black Management Forum’s (BMF’s) managing director, Gaba Tabane, has resigned from the organisation — just as a proposal is being discussed to make the position of BMF president full time.
A second proposal being discussed by the provincial branches is that the BMF presidential term should be extended from three to five years, giving the current president, Jimmy Manyi, several more years at the helm.
Manyi is also the director general of labour, but he has been suspended pending a disciplinary hearing over his alleged offer of the services of his consultancy at a meeting with Norwegian embassy representatives in March.
Two senior BMF officials — a national leader and a Gauteng leader — who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tabane was unhappy with the plan, which would strengthen the president’s executive powers. “Effectively it means that the MD’s role will be diminished,” said the national leader.
The other leader said: “If the president is given executive powers, the MD’s powers will be reduced. He is going to be sidelined.”
Manyi confirmed Tabane’s resignation, tendered at a board meeting a fortnight ago. But he said that he knew of no formal plan for his return to the BMF as a full-time employee.
“I cannot deny that such a discussion is going on — maybe there are one or two people talking about it. But that is not an official BMF position, not in any branch or province,” said Manyi. “We can relegate that talk to a bar discussion.”
Manyi denied there was any strain in his working relationship with the exiting MD. “He told us he is moving to greener pastures.”
But the Mail & Guardian sources insisted that Manyi’s position was being discussed in the BMF’s formal structures. Its Gauteng branch had “shot down” the proposal at its AGM two weeks ago, but it might be carried by the other provinces, they said.
Only the BMF’s AGM could approve the two proposals, which would need constitutional amendments before they were implemented.
Tabane has played a technocratic role in the organisation, while Manyi’s ally, deputy president Thembakazi Mnyaka, has been its face, with Manyi’s blessings. “The reason she had space in the media was because Jimmy was in government and created the platform for her. She was the first to come out in his defence when he was suspended from labour.”
Manyi’s detractors see the proposals as a move to secure employment for the embattled labour DG, but Manyi said that even if there was such a formal position “I’m not available for a full-time position at the BMF. I’m happy with the way things are at the moment”.
Tabane had a poor relationship with Manyi from the outset, BMF insiders said. “He was always suspected of being on the other side because his brother JJ [Congress of the People spokesperson Onkgopotse Tabane] is in Cope.”
The BMF openly campaigned for the ANC before last year’s election.
The national leader said it was “regrettable” that the BMF had lost Tabane, describing him as a hands-on professional who got things done. His resignation could be used to push the proposal to give Manyi a full-time position with executive powers. “It will be justified on the grounds that there is no MD and the BMF needs someone to run it on a daily basis.”
Tabane refused to speak to the M&G, citing the confidential relationship between employer and employee.