Press statement by the Black Business Council, on the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer and preparations for the National General Council  of the ANC.

1. THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE BLACK BUSINESS COUNCIL

After an extensive and rigorous search for a Chief Executive Officer, the president of the BBC is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Mohale Ralebitso as chief executive. He will commence with his duties on the 1st of October.

Mohale, a BA Honours graduate (1993) from the Queens College City University of New York, USA, also completed a Senior Executive Programme in 1999, which was a joint initiative of the Harvard Business School and Wits University. He previously worked as Marketing, Communications and Corporate Affairs director at Old Mutual Emerging Markets and as Group Executive (Marketing) at Absa Group. Prior to that he was Executive Chairman of The Jupiter Drawing Room and Group Marketing Director at Liberty Group.

"Mohale is a fantastic choice for organised black business, especially at the time when the BBC needs to build on the exceptional confidence that it currently enjoys all around", says Ndaba Ntsele, the President of the Black Business Council.

2. THE BBC POLICY CONFERENCE IN PREPARATION FOR THE ANC NATIONAL GENERAL COUNCIL

On the 16th and 17th of September, the Black Business Council (BBC) will be holding a two day Policy Conference at the Gallagher Estate. The BBC will take the opportunity to interrogate the ANC discussion documents in preparation for its forthcoming National General Council. Prima facea, the BBC believes the ANC has achieved a lot on social transformation, but has not done enough to facilitate the meaningful growth of the South African economy. The BBC will formulate practical steps that the current administration should take to catapult the SA economy to a higher growth trajectory as contemplated in the national development plan, which the BBC supports. In attendance at the Policy Conference will be more than 200 delegates representing all of its affiliate organisations, corporate members and black business stalwarts.

Issued by Sandile Zungu, Vice President, Black Business Council, 15 September 2015