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Johannesburg – Outgoing Black Business Council (BBC) CEO Mohale Ralebitso said he was not limited in expressing his support for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan while serving in the organisation.
Ralebitso was one of the 81 CEOs of the CEO Initiative who pledged support for Gordhan on behalf of the BBC.
READ: Named: The 81 CEOs who pledged support for Gordhan
But days after the 81 CEOs' support for Gordhan was published in the press, Ralebitso announced his resignation from the BBC on October 25. He is expected to officially leave the BBC at the end of November.
The BBC - which has previously been criticised for throwing its weight behind President Jacob Zuma - has denied that Ralebitso's resignation was linked to his support for Gordhan. The BBC further said that he handed in his resignation on October 3 and that he was quitting to attend to his business matters.
Ralebitso spoke to Fin24 on the sidelines of the Enterprise and Supplier Development conference held in Fourways on Thursday and he said he experienced no limitations in his freedom of expression at the BBC.
READ: Black Business Council CEO quits
“I am no freer than I was before. I suffered no limitations in the BBC in terms of my ability, and the stance we took was not Mohale’s stance. It is an organisational stance,” he said.
“Do I have my own particular views? Of course I do. My views as an individual is that the Treasury is doing important work and everyone agrees,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ralebitso plans to go back into business and return to Itataise Investments, of which he is founder and chairperson.
“I will take a more active day-to-day role in the business,” he said.
ALSO READ: BBC CEO denies he was forced to quit
He further plans to be involved in a number of companies that are either partly or 100% owned by Itataise.
He said he will work to drive growth in those businesses and make sure they “come up stronger” following the downturn in the economic cycle.
Mohale said he still believes in the goal of transformation, for which the BBC stands, and that he will continue to be involved in some interventions.
“I still believe in it [transformation] and I believe in the work that the CEO forum is doing. I will make my contribution in whatever basis is most appropriate.”
“I believe in the work the CEO forum is doing and it is going to be important opportunity for us to better link big business and SMEs in South Africa to play an important role in transforming the economic landscape,” he added.
He would not share views on Mzwanele (Jimmy) Manyi’s comments about the CEO Initiative’s pledge for the finance minister.
Manyi is the newly elected head of policy at the BBC. The Sunday Times reported that Manyi believes the CEO Initiative pledge conflicts with the views of the BBC.
“The less said about that the better,” said Ralebitso.
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