Black people's enemy identified

[Necuno]

Black people were their own worst enemies when it came to transformation, former Black Management Forum (BMF) president Lot Ndlovu said on Thursday.

"Black people switch quite quickly to materialism. Have you seen how eager they are standing next to their cars, posh homes, swimming pools... it's quite crass," Ndlovu told a BMF conference in Johannesburg.

He said many black executives had lost focus on transformation and were only interested in enriching themselves.

"The transformation process has floundered... and some black executives are not part of the programme.

"We, black people, are our own worst enemies," said Ndlovu, who also lectured delegates on the importance of performing well in their jobs.

Ndlovu, who is the vice chairperson of the Nedbank Group, said top black executives often did not criticise their companies' lack of transformation.

"They evade the issue of the advancement of black people... black people do this because of the sense of indebtedness to those who appointed them," he said to loud applause.

Ndlovu called for a body to be established to recommend black executives for senior jobs in big companies to ensure that competent people were appointed.

"We need a selection panel to recommend the appointment of key people. We need a body that will look at openings and make recommendations. [Sometimes] people are appointed as CEOs over whom a big question mark hangs.

"We have to derive solutions that are indigenous," added Ndlovu.

He said it was time for black executives to show leadership and make transformation their number one priority, adding that there was "unbelievable unfairness" in some black economic empowerment deals.

"It's important to go to bed with a clear conscience and know that you are contributing to a better society."

Ndlovu's statements on materialism drew comments from the session moderator who afterwards joked to the audience he was relieved that he was not wearing expensive cufflinks on Thursday.

SA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande, in turn, said black executives could be recognised by their "BEE shoes".

"The BEE shoes are very interesting; they are self explanatory. Because what they do, is they get narrower and narrower as you go along.

"There is even a story that when you are wearing the shoes and knocking on the door, you have to face this way [the other way] because otherwise the shoe will reach the door first, before you knock," he said to loud laughter. - Sapa

http://www.pretorianews.co.za/?fSectionId=3534&fArticleId=nw20081016121941916C501181

 

[LazyLion]

Wow! A lone voice crying in the wilderness!

 

[sox63]

A thinly veiled attack at the likes of Jimmy Manyi, Nolitha Fakude, etc? I wonder.

 

[Pilgrim]

Scum! You RACIST SCUM!!! HOW DARE YOU... oh, wait. You are also black?

Will a white person be labeled racist if he/she agree with this guy?

But yes, there are people out there that tend to put their own interests in front of those they serve.

 

[jambai]

Look I mean it crazy in some ways that there is even BEE and AA.Why cant africans create enough work for themselves.The whites are a minority not majority suppressing minority.

 

[Sneeky]

A thinly veiled attack at the likes of Jimmy Manyi, Nolitha Fakude, etc? I wonder.

Not to far off the mark there

 

[milomak]

He should possibly also comment on how black executives are commonly given portfolios with no real power in the companies they serve. but yes he does have a point.

but then it is possibly easy to watch from outside and not see the difficulty of choosing between your own personal wealth creation vs the greater good. especially when you consider that you are in effect not adding value to a company. remembering these people are often not the front line people who fought against apartheid.

the people i find most disappointing are the likes of tokyo, patrice and cyril. they do not shout loud about empowering black people and so we do not even know whether executives in their companies are white or not. it sends a message that those who have made it big depended on white people (even if it may not be true). what that then does is create unhappiness about BEE across both blacks and whites.

so basically yes, the model needs to change.

 

[Bondizzo]

Look I mean it crazy in some ways that there is even BEE and AA.Why cant africans create enough work for themselves.The whites are a minority not majority suppressing minority.

Mainly cause of the past, you now have alot of ppl who weren't given a chance to get educated and lived in horrible conditions, you have to take that into account

 

[MyWorld]

Easy there partner, on one hand he says they are their own worst enemy, on the other hand he wants a say in who works where?

That smacks of communism....

 

[sox63]

Easy there partner, on one hand he says they are their own worst enemy, on the other hand he wants a say in who works where?

That smacks of communism....

I think you need to understand the background to that statement wrt the "selection panel".

The BMF, of which I'm a member of, has always taken the stance against companies that come and say they can't find suitable canidates to fill executive positions, generally JSE listed companies. And if you look at the job specs for some of the positions things do not add up. Like Company X looking for an AA canidate to fill a CxO position and they looking for 10-15 years top management experiance. Now considering that there has only been 14 years whereby restrictions on those types of jobs have been done away with, IMO it's bit, err "unrealistic" to find someone like that.

So the BMF started an initative where it assists companies find canidates that come close to such levels of experiance. And becuase such experiance in an AA canidate is few and far between, not to mention expensive. Initiatives like that of the BMF's can help organisations meet their Executive requirements.

 

[Alan]

Unfortunately I have to live next door to exactly the kind of people mentioned by Mr Ndlovu

 

[lilGr]

Thought it was aids :/

 

[sox63]

Unfortunately I have to live next door to exactly the kind of people mentioned by Mr Ndlovu

If I'm ever at a house party in the PMB 'burbs I'll ask the guys to keep it down.

 

[Alan]

I think you have to much class and maturity to associate with that crowd.

 

[Nod]

The BMF, of which I'm a member of, has always taken the stance against companies that come and say they can't find suitable canidates to fill executive positions, generally JSE listed companies. And if you look at the job specs for some of the positions things do not add up. Like Company X looking for an AA canidate to fill a CxO position and they looking for 10-15 years top management experiance. Now considering that there has only been 14 years whereby restrictions on those types of jobs have been done away with, IMO it's bit, err "unrealistic" to find someone like that.

So the BMF started an initative where it assists companies find canidates that come close to such levels of experiance. And becuase such experiance in an AA canidate is few and far between, not to mention expensive. Initiatives like that of the BMF's can help organisations meet their Executive requirements.

On the other hand, would you give the CxO position to somebody with 5 years experience? In the end the company need somebody with not only knowledge, but also experience to fill the role. At that level (CxO), you need somebody with a lot of experience. It is that simple. So is the problem with the company that doesn't want to lower standards, or the government that expects them so just find/except AA candidates to fill a very senior role?

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

So they finally found 'The Third Force' huh

 

[sox63]

On the other hand, would you give the CxO position to somebody with 5 years experience? In the end the company need somebody with not only knowledge, but also experience to fill the role. At that level (CxO), you need somebody with a lot of experience. It is that simple. So is the problem with the company that doesn't want to lower standards, or the government that expects them so just find/except AA candidates to fill a very senior role?

Five is a bit too low, however would a reduction of 2 yrs on experiance, for example, on your target really make that much of a difference? IMO, not a huge difference.

Management is about the basics in my book. Get those down well, and as you go up, the only thing that changes is the amount of money you work with.

 

[grayston]

I think you need to understand the background to that statement wrt the "selection panel".

The BMF, of which I'm a member of, has always taken the stance against companies that come and say they can't find suitable canidates to fill executive positions, generally JSE listed companies. And if you look at the job specs for some of the positions things do not add up. Like Company X looking for an AA canidate to fill a CxO position and they looking for 10-15 years top management experiance. Now considering that there has only been 14 years whereby restrictions on those types of jobs have been done away with, IMO it's bit, err "unrealistic" to find someone like that.

So you're saying that any black manager currently holding a position that normally requires 15 years experience is either inexperienced or a precocious genius?

So Apartheid's Bantu Education wasn't actually all that bad, huh?

So the BMF started an initative where it assists companies find canidates that come close to such levels of experiance. And becuase such experiance in an AA canidate is few and far between, not to mention expensive. Initiatives like that of the BMF's can help organisations meet their Executive requirements.

Did the BMF ever consider that it might be a good idea to put inexperienced black people in lower positions, so that they could gain some experience? Y'know, the way it happens for everyone else?

 

[MyWorld]

Did the BMF ever consider that it might be a good idea to put inexperienced black people in lower positions, so that they could gain some experience? Y'know, the way it happens for everyone else?

+1

 

[eaglebeaver]

soon to be branded a coconut