Following the historic Black Business Indaba, Black Business Unity (BBU) has intensified its efforts to transform collective resolutions into practical proposals that aim to fundamentally transform the South African economy.
The Johannesburg-based organisation announced a series of major post-Indaba developments and engagements, underscoring what it calls “the urgency of economic justice and structural inclusion”.
BBU has made a formal submission to the Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abraham, proposing the launch of the People’s Stores Social Franchise.
Spaza shops
“This initiative is set to empower 1,000 township spaza shops and 20 black-owned supermarkets in its initial phase,” BBU stated.
With millions already secured in stock, the organisation says the model “requires R150-million in infrastructure and operating support to transform township supply chains, create thousands of jobs, and foster local ownership of essential goods distribution”.
Addressing the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and Minister Parks Tau, BBU has submitted detailed input regarding the National Transformation Fund. Its submission stresses the importance of “a community-led, transparently managed, and impact-focused” fund.
The organisation suggests prioritising funding for high-growth Black enterprises. Also for township industrial zones, and scalable cooperatives that effectively tackle unemployment and inequality.
Proposal to the City of Johannesburg
It has also submitted a strategic proposal to the City of Johannesburg for the project. It proposes the creation of a township distribution hub and innovation market.
“This facility is designed to serve as a logistics, wholesale, and innovation anchor for informal traders, township retailers, and local producers — stimulating local economic growth and reducing barriers to market access,” according to BBU,
BBU said it has opened formal discussions with ArcelorMittal South Africa. Through this it aims to “explore pathways for reviving the domestic steel industry and building community-based value chains”.
It says this dialogue “seeks to ensure that township-based Black industrialists and youth-owned enterprises are integrated into the future of steel production, infrastructure supply, and national manufacturing strategies”.
BBU has issued an open letter to the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe. It is advocating for urgent reforms. And this is a move to “unlock latent wealth in our communities”. The group is calling for “township and rural communities [to gain] legal access to mine dumps. It also calls for the right to apply for community mining licences”.
Mining resources
The letter highlights what BBU describes as exclusionary practices that have kept Black communities from benefiting from nearby resources.
Its demands include a fast-tracked, community-friendly licensing regime. This as well as technical and financial assistance for cooperative mining ventures. And the inclusion of community-owned mining initiatives in the value chain and beneficiation programmes.
“This intervention is central to the reindustrialisation and inclusive ownership goals outlined at the Black Business Indaba.”
The organisation invited all government departments, industry leaders, community organisations. It also invited the broader public to “stand with us in this movement to reclaim, rebuild, and reignite black economic power. From supply chains to steel, and from township retail to mineral rights. BBU is unapologetically working to ensure no community is left behind.”
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