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A NEW business association, Business Economic Empowerment Forum (BEEF), has been formed with the aim of collaborating with the Government to tackle a number of challenges facing the economy.
A Zimbabwean businessman based in South Africa, Mr Solomon Matsa, is the association’s president and is deputised by Ms Judith Mbewe who is based in Switzerland. Other BEEF executive members include Mr Gilbert Mafuku (secretary general) and Mr Tinashe Gurajena (treasurer general).
In an interview, BEEF governor for Bulawayo province, Mr Sam Ncube, a former Affirmative Action Group (AAG) national vice president, said the new business association was launched in Bulawayo on March 24.
Other AAG former members who have joined BEEF include Retired Major Clement Malaba, Messrs David Luwo, Mpumelelo Maseko and Dixon Moyo. Mr Ncube said the association was in the process of opening chapters in all the country’s provinces and some executive members of the Bulawayo chapter would be finalised this week.
“We have launched a new business organisation called Business Economic Empowerment Forum (BEEF). The association was formed on March 24 and towards the end of the month we would have finished launching other provincial chapters.
“If we are to look at AAG, the group was solely formed for black economic empowerment and as one of the founder members of AAG our thrust was to narrow the gap between companies that were owned by the white minority entrepreneurs and the indigenous entrepreneurs,” he said.
“Now it’s almost 50-50 in terms of participation in economic issues by both the indigenous and foreign entrepreneurs.”
Mr Ncube paid tribute to AAG for playing a pivotal role in addressing the economic imbalances that existed in the 1990s, but said the lobby group now needs to embrace a new model that promotes foreign direct investment and local investment growth.
He said BEEF was also focused on educating local entrepreneurs on doing business the conventional way.
“Our organisation is very strict, it doesn’t want entrepreneurs who are corrupt and thus we want to inculcate a spirit of professionalism and shun corruption. We have realised that corruption is a serious cancer that has crippled some of the companies and Government departments.
“When we were launching the Bulawayo chapter, our president (Mr Matsa) did not mince his words and he urged businesspeople to have integrity and professionalism in business,” he said.
Mr Ncube said BEEF targets to have representatives from each of the economic sectors while also working hand in glove with the Government to address challenges facing businesses in Zimbabwe.
“We hope to collaborate with the Government to tackle various challenges facing the economy. If Government and business work together we will be able to steer the economy to prosperity while championing development across the country,” he said. — @okazunga
Online Reporter