BEE forwarders issue ultimatum to Saaff

ALAN PEAT A GROUP of black economic empowerment (BEE) companies in the freight forwarding industry has threatened to ‘go it alone’ unless the SA Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) is transformed to accommodate BEE issues. This, said Colgate Nangu, MD of BEE company Sebenza, was the result of a meeting in Gauteng last week of BEE group representatives from Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. “Basically a committee which I chair was set up and tasked to send a deputation to SAAFF to re-structure the organisation. “Although some felt differently, it was also recognised that there might be a reason for us to set off and establish another industry body.” The initial task is for the committee to present the issues which the BEE companies feel need to be addressed by the industry body, and to meet with SAAFF executive committee members “and raise issues of common interest”, Nangu added. The group sees the BEE charter for the industry sector and the transformation of SAAFF to be one and the same thing. “Both are designed to make access for BEE companies, and we look at it as one complete agenda,” said Nangu. “Transform SAAFF, and a lot of the problems of the past would go.” A main objection amongst the BEE group is the element of “fronting”. From Nangu’s investigations, seven of the major forwarding companies in the Council of 10 (a group established to draft the sectoral BEE charter) have BEE elements within their organisations. “They look at this as enterprise development,” he told FTW, “but we regard a BEE located in a big company as just fronting.” The issue is about transforming traditional companies, Nangu added. Although the BEE group has different views on the charter, it has met with the Council of 10 and settled the issue. They have similarly come to an agreement with the department of transport (DoT) - which is the overseeing authority. “But,” said Nangu, “issues outside the charter still need to be addressed.”