(BUSA) Presidential Working Group
26 October 2007
President Thabo Mbeki chaired the Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Working
Group at the Union Buildings today. The meeting took place shortly after the
handing over of the Webb Ellis trophy to the President by the Captain of the
Springbok Ruby Team on the occasion of the launch of the team's country-wide
tour at the Union Buildings.
Accordingly, the meeting expressed its congratulations to the Springboks for
their World Cup victory as well as its appreciation of the President and
government's support to the team. BUSA presented recommendations to the
baseline study on the state of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE)
which was presented at the Black Business Working Group on 3 August 2007,
please refer to statement of 3 August 2007, from http://www.thepresidency.gov.za.
These include consideration of measures for greater compliance to BBBEE
codes and the treatment of BBBEE codes as a minimum rather than the apex of
economic transformation. The meeting noted that BUSA has prepared a Statement
of Commitment which spells up out business's renewed commitment to
transformation. The commitment also covers the BUSA Transformation Awards; to
be awarded to businesses demonstrate commitment to transformation which will be
launched in September 2008.
The meeting broadly discussed and endorsed investment on the continent by
South African businesses. It noted the positive political relations that exist
between the government and the continent as indeed the South and the rest of
the world, the democratisation of and economic development on the continent. In
this regard, it was agreed that both government and business must continue to
work together and in partnership with the continent, in the promotion of
socio-economic development on the continent. In doing so, government, business
and their counterparts will need to continuously attend to the ethical
dimensions of investment decisions in order to maximise mutual benefits.
In this regard, BUSA will soon meet with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as
well as the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs to further
engage on the issues.
Enquiries:
Mukoni Ratshitanga
Tel: 012 300 5436
Cell: 082 300 3447
Issued by: The Presidency
26 October 2007
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)
