INTERVIEW
Advancing economic transformation Gauteng Black Management Forum Provincial Chairperson, Langalethu Manqele, outlines the BMF’s goals.
What are the main objectives of the Black Management Forum (BMF)?
Langalethu Manqele, Black Management Forum Gauteng Provincial Chairperson
The BMF is a thought leadership and a business lobby organisation focused on the development of managerial leadership and advancement of socio-economic transformation in South Africa. The BMF serves as the leading voice of professionals and executives – primarily black people – in corporate South Africa on matters of workplace transformation. Our focus has evolved over time to encompass economic development and trade policy with a strong focus on the creation of black-owned and managed enterprises. Are there particular focus areas?
BIOGRAPHY Langalethu Manqele is the Manager in Equities & Equity Derivatives at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), having previously worked for Nedbank CIB Markets as a Senior Manager. Langa chairs the Editorial Committee of the African Leader, a bi-annual publication of the BMF. He is a member of the dti B-BBEE Advisory Council Sub-Committee on the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act. He holds Bachelors Degrees in International Finance and Investments, from CIDA City Campus. GAUTENG BUSINESS 2017/18
The BMF in Gauteng is currently tackling three areas. The first one is an Enterprise and Supplier Development through a “Routes to Markets” strategy. At a policy level, we have partnered with the Centre for Competition and Economic Development (CCRED) to review and make recommendations on Competition, Trade and Industrial Policy. The second area is that of Capital Markets; this is our response to the challenge of capital and therefore of B-BBEE Equity Ownership. We are in talks with the JSE and the other newly formed small stock exchange, ZARX. We are negotiating MoUs with both exchanges that will commit them to helping emerging black businesses raise expansion capital and, in the process, create more black-owned and managed listing sponsors and stock-broking firms. The third and final area of focus is Employment Equity. This is targeted at arresting the decline of black executives as reported by the Jack Hammer Report in 2015 and the latest Report of the Commission of Employment Equity. What are some of your most recent achievements? We recently held a successful Policy Conference on the role of industrial, competition and trade policy in the achievement of inclusive growth. The dti and the European Union have endorsed the BMF to receive EUR100 000 funding through the EU-SA Dialogue Facility Fund to conduct research on the Impact of Foreign Direct Investments from the EU in South Africa.
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