Johannesburg - Lawrence Mavundla has been confirmed as president of the
National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(Nafcoc).
This followed a court ruling on Thursday.
In a telephone interview with Sapa on Friday, Mavundla said the
North Gauteng High Court had ordered the unequivocal return of all
documents and material belonging to the organisation.
The documents had been in the possession of Buhle Mthethwa -
who had claimed to be the president of Nafcoc - and eight other
respondents, Mavundla said.
"The cloud hanging over our leadership and the organisation has
lifted ... there seemed to be two structures running Nafcoc, now
there is only one structure."
He said he had been "in office" for thirty days and had managed
to make sure that all Nafcoc's provincial offices were funded.
"We're moving on and we want a different Nafcoc by 2014 ... a
Nafcoc that is part of South African trade delegations.
"We're even setting up a R500m fund to assist our members
to buy into big business," Mavundla said.
"And we'd like to assist those South Africans whose businesses
have been taken by foreigners ... in the shopping centres in
townships, small business is mainly owned by Pakistanis," he added.
He said local South Africans had lost out to foreign business
participation in that there had been a lack of training, no access
to finance and no buying in bulk.
Turning to the shares issued by Nafcoc's investment arm Nafhold,
Mavundla said that shares were presently being distributed to
Nafcoc members.
"We are going out to the provinces to look for members as we
want to make sure that no one is left out."
Mavundla said that unlike Mthethwa, he was more than happy with
Nafhold and its leadership.
He added that under Nafcoc's previous leadership, initiatives
had never worked out.
"We, Nafcoc, started African Bank - but we no longer own it."
"There was a Nafcoc shopping centre but we don't own that
either," he said.
"We even used to have a business magazine," he added.
Turned it around
Mavundla alleged that Mthethwa and her team began to "have
problems" with Nafhold when they were asked to account for certain
monies.
"Instead of accounting for it, they started making accusations
against Nafhold management."
"Mthethwa was on the board of Nafhold - she could have taken up
her concerns at board level but she did not."
Upon hearing that Mthethwa had told Sapa that she was still
Nafcoc's president, Mavundla replied: "I don't know what to make of
her, she doesn't even respect the court process."
Mavundla said that Nafcoc's annual general meeting had taken
place on Friday.
"There was a huge attendance, the largest ever ... the
organisation is now very, very vibrant and I see excitement written
in the eyes of members."
Mavunlda emphasised that all Nafoc members who "had listened to
Mthethwa" were welcome to return to the organisation.
"We understand that they were misled," Mavundla said.
The leadership tussle between Mthethwa and Mavundla arose after
Mthethwa publicly said that Nafcoc's investment arm, Nafhold, had
sold its shares worth millions of rands at hugely discounted rates
to Nafhold chief executive Michael Leaf and board chairman Joe
Hlongwane.
- Sapa