Johannesburg - The two warring factions of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) have expressed mixed reactions to mediation offers from the organisation's past leaders.
"Why must past leaders of Nafcoc intervene?" asked Lawrence Mavundla, who toppled Buhle Mthethwa in November.
"At Nafcoc we don't have divisions. It is only the media that portrays the organisation as being divided," he said.
"I'm the current president of Nafcoc and the former leaders must just rest assured the organisation is in good hands," he said.
Richard Sishuba, a representative of the Mthethwa camp, said a meeting was held recently to discuss the possibility of inviting the former leaders for talks.
"We are going to have another meeting where we will talk about how the process of meeting the former leaders will be carried out.
"I will inform the other members that the former leaders are also willing to be mediators.
"I think we would welcome any means of intervention that could be brought by the former leaders," he said.
Since last year Nafcoc has faced leadership battles which have divided the small business chamber into two factions.
The tussle reached a crescendo in November when the Mavundla camp locked Mthethwa's executive committee out of the organisation's head office.
At the heart of the battle is a total of R1.8bn in assets that were supposed to be distributed to the organisation's members.
The former presidents who have offered to mediate include Richard Maponya, Sam Motsuenyane, Archiebald Nkonyeni and Patrice Motsepe.
Motsuenyane, who was Nafcoc president between 1968 and 1992, said he deeply regretted the childish squabbles among the organisation's leadership.
He said he would be willing to play a mediating role if the current crop of leaders was intent on finding a long-term resolution.
"They should only seek my guidance if they are serious and sincere about discovering a lasting solution," he said. "But from what I've read in the newspapers, there appears to be a lack of sincerity and commitment to finding a solution," said the 83-year-old retired businessman.
Motsuenyane said Nafcoc should be used as an instrument for nation-building rather than to enrich a few individuals at the expense of small businesses.
Nkonyeni, who was at the helm from 1992 to 1994, said he was also willing to help heal the rifts.
"As a former president of the organisation I have a moral obligation to respond positively to any call to assist the organisation, especially during such a period," he said.
"If I'm approached I will not mind going out of my way to rope in other former leaders, not just the former presidents."
Nkonyeni was optimistic that an amicable solution could still be found.
"I doubt the divisions have gone so deep that it would be difficult for the two groups to reconcile. No matter how challenging it would be to solve the internal rifts, the two groups should focus on finding common ground," he said. "That common ground should be their allegiance to the organisation and what they want Nafcoc to achieve."
- City Press