The Black Business Council (BBC), which is in the process of being relaunched following the recent Black Business Summit that precipitated the temporary suspension of black business formations from the Business Unity South Africa (Busa), wants its engagement with Busa to begin “sooner rather than later”.

It also affirmed its commitment on Wednesday to unity between black and white business in South Africa, which the BBC viewed as crucial to improving the prospects for economic growth, investment and job creation.

Speaking at a media briefing in Sandton, interim chairperson Patrice Motsepe, who is a previous Busa president, said that BBC’s commitment to unity between black and white business was “absolutely fundamental”. But such unity could only be achieved if the current feeling of alienation and ostracism felt by black business was address.

The BBC had appointed Foundation for African Business and Consumer Services president Mxolisi Zwane to lead an 11-member team in the negotiations with Busa, whose president Futhi Mtoba and CEO Nomaxabiso Majokweni were ejected from the recent summit, which took place in Johannesburg on September 6 and 7.

Zwane said it would not enter the engagement with a list of demands, but that a number of negotiating points had been agreed, covering issues such as constitutional changes, governance matters, as well as issues related to Busa policies.

No timeframe was outlined for concluding the engagement, but Motsepe indicated that black and white business should be in a position to articulate a single position ahead of the African National Congress policy conference next year.

That conference, which is scheduled for mid-2012, would deliberate on a number of key policies that could affect the future of business in South Africa, including mine nationalisation.

Therefore, Motsepe lamented the current schism within business, indicating that it was arguably the worst possible time for the divisions to have emerged, as “we need a common position as black and white business” on issues that have the potential to fundamentally change the climate for dong business in South Africa.

Motsepe, who has been accused of being ambivalent on the nationalisation matter, notwithstanding the fact that his wealth is inextricably tied to the sector, also made it known that he was not in favour of such policy action.

But he said that unless the current levels of frustration being experienced by black business and being expressed more vociferously by the ANC’s youth wing were addressed, support for such “extreme” policies would grow.

Motsepe added that he had been “saddened” by the level of frustration being expressed to him by black business about Busa, which he was instrumental in establishing in 2003.

It had also been a mistake to disband the BBC, which was necessary to help unify black business and provide it with the wherewithal to engage on the issues confronting business and the country.

Task teams and working groups had been assembled to facilitate the relaunch of the organisation within the “near future”.

BBC spokesperson Sandile Zungu said that once the organisation was officially formed and officials elected, there would be an effort to set in place research capacity that would enable black business to articulate its positions on policies affecting business, the economy and the country.

Therefore, it was set to become a permanent feature of the organised business landscape, but would seek to participate constructively with other organisations, including Busa.