The country's poor were becoming poorer, Black Management Forum (BMF) president Jimmy Manyi said on Thursday.

Manyi was making the opening address at the BMF's summit in Johannesburg, themed "Sustainable and Economic Growth in South Africa and the Rest of the Continent".

"The BMF is greatly disappointed as we have seen that economic growth is not always synonymous with inclusivity," Manyi said.

Just before the recession, South Africa had been bullish on growth, yet unemployment had remained a problem.

Added to this was the "economic misery" on the continent that had led to southerly migration to South Africa.

Manyi said that when formulating a strategy, the conference had to take into consideration that economic growth had to be synonymous with job creation.

A skills deficit - and not a skills shortage - also remained a problem for South Africa and required a remedial strategy that the conference should study.

The BMF's concerns on growth also extended to the rest of the African continent and for this the organisation was "unapologetic".

"The political and economic stability of the rest of the continent has a bearing on South Africa's own economic growth," Manyi said.