Business Unity SA (Busa) welcomed the consolidation of black business under the newly formed Black Business Council (BBC), it said on Thursday.

"As the apex business organisation, we... welcome the consolidation of black business as this will mean that at the macro business level as offered by the Busa platform, matters peculiar to black business will be clearly articulated by the BBC in a singular voice," Busa said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the BBC held its first media briefing at which its steering committee chairman Patrice Motsepe said the BBC was not formed to fight Busa.

It aimed "to bring together the complaints and frustrations of blacks so that within Busa they can become... a successful voice and make sure problems unique to black business and professionals are addressed in a meaningful sense," he said.

Busa said it was waiting for formal notification from the BBC about discussions between the two parties.

"Busa also welcomes the BBC's espoused plans to capacitate their members so as to enable them to have more meaningful participation within Busa structures."

The business body said it was encouraged by the overall message of Wednesday's briefing, that the BBC wished to negotiate with Busa about issues of mutual concern.

"Busa is open to structured, constructive engagement with the BBC on matters of common concern which contribute to strengthening a united business voice, as well as the business role in achieving the overarching national imperatives of growth, job creation, inequality and poverty alleviation," it said.

Earlier this month, a black business summit decided to resurrect the BBC to unify black business. Busa itself was formed in 2003 through a merger between the then BBC and Business SA.

The summit was convened after the Black Management Forum withdrew from Busa in July. It said Busa's structure was fundamentally flawed, with the voice of black business "permanently outnumbered and suppressed".

The BBC has suspended its participation in Busa, but spokesman Sandile Zungu said it had not withdrawn completely and wanted to negotiate with Busa.

Head of the BBC negotiating team and president of the Foundation for African Business and Consumer Services, Mxolise Zwane, said on Wednesday the BBC was not demanding anything from Busa.

"We are not a union, we are not demanding... we want to do things with Busa because we are members of Busa."

These included talks about changes to Busa's constitution and governance, Zwane said.