Faku vows to boost historic Nafcoc brand

Newly-elected Nelson Mandela Bay National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) chairman Nceba Faku has vowed to turn around the organisation and create potential business opportunities for the previously disadvantaged.

Faku, who has taken over from Litemba Singapi who resigned last year, said although the organisation faced internal challenges, the new leadership was determined to improve the image of the historic Nafcoc brand in the metro.

Chief among the challenges, Faku said, were limitations to access potential new opportunities.

His executive, he said, would engage government, the municipality and stateowned enterprises in its endeavour to achieve its objective.

“I take this responsibility with full hands. It is also a responsibility that requires collective leadership and that we speak with a single voice,” he said.

Faku was addressing the media at Chamber House in Grahamstown Road where he introduced members of his new executive.

These included Welcome Gawu as his deputy, Mandla Msizi as secretary, Mandisa Kondile as treasurer, Bulelwa Msizi as chairwoman for the women’s chamber, while both Luyanda Lawu and Winile Nyebeni were elected as council members.

For the first two months in office, Faku said he would channel his expertise and energy by embarking on road shows in a bid to market and recruit new members.

“I will propose to the executive to develop road shows. That programme is going to be developed in the space of two months.

"We just need to prepare properly and make sure all logistics are in place. We will go to different corners and venues of the metro to popularise the brand.

"We want to engage with potential members of Nafcoc and revive it. We also want to listen to other business,” he said.

Faku emphasised the importance of collective and united leadership that speaks with a single voice with the focus being on developing the Nafcoc brand to reinstate the confidence of small and medium-sized businesses.

“We will ensure we engage robustly with all stakeholders in growing our membership. We will engage and work in partnership with the Black Management Forum,” he said.

Nafcoc’s origins date back to the 1940s when informal black trader organisations in and around Johannesburg began to recognise the need to sharpen their business acumen and raise the level of business awareness among their members.