Publications
Partners
The leader of Black Business Council (BBC) Sandile Zungu has warned that those who are trying to ambush the organisation through open letters "littered with lies" will be crushed.
In what was an apparent response to a blistering open letter penned by Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), Sipho Pityana to the businessman, Zungu lambasted the letter as an attempt to derail the BBC which represents the interests of black business owners.
In his address, Zungu said there were those who were trying to ambush the organisation.
“If you dare stop us, you will be crushed.
“This also goes to the big men who think they can dictate to the BBC through open letters littered with lies….they too will be crushed,” he said.
In a no holds barred letter, Pityana accused Zungu of being complicit in State Capture, saying he was used by former president Jacob Zuma to prop up his agenda.
He alleged that his agenda became clear when he was appointed Zuma’s economic adviser and served on his committee on the restructuring of SOEs and the BBBEE Council.
“This undoubtedly placed you at the high table of the state capture project,” read the letter.
The businessman, who is the chairman of Zungu Investments was elected president of BBC in August 2018, voiced concerns at those who have insulted the organisation without provocation, stating that the pro-black business organisation will never be associated with corruption.
“We swear that we will not associate ourselves with any malfeasance. Corruption is the enemy of our destiny,” he said.
In his address, Zungu used the platform to lament the state's inability to manage large capital contracts, leading to rising capital expenditure.
“The state-owned companies have been pathetic when it comes to this,” he said.
He said he would like to challenge Public Entreprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who was also in attendance, to consider if it wasn't about time to establish a single entity which would be responsible for managing the execution of large contracts.
In his response to Zungu’s plea, Gordhan said it was “something we need to think about carefully”- adding that there were processes about how to tackle such challenges.
The Black Business Council is holding a two-day summit which is aimed at ventilating some of the key issues impeding the growth of black entrepreneurs.
