BMF Annual Conference 2025
– Our South Africa, Our Future
The Black Management Forum (BMF) will host its annual Policy Conference on Friday, 14 November 2025 at the Boardwalk Hotel, Gqeberha. Under the banner Our South Africa, Our Future — with the focus From inequality to equity: ownership, control & market access — the conference convenes business leaders, policymakers, academics, labour and civil society to move inclusion from promise to proof.
It is no coincidence that this flagship event is held in the Eastern Cape, among the country’s most impoverished provinces and home to struggle icons such as Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Steve Biko. While national in scope, the programme will examine the structural and historical dynamics that have kept the province on the margins of the economy and explore practical remedies to integrate its people and enterprises into growth pathways—so that no one is left behind.
Conference Themes
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The Black Economic Agenda in Focus | Will discuss the status of the black economic agenda in post-democratic South Africa and the triumphs as well as pitfalls of transformation.
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The Role of Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) | Will reflect on the role of enterprise supplier development (ESD) in growing and sustaining micro, small, and medium sized enterprises and creating a more equitable economy where black business is given the market access they need to prosper.How ESD can drive sustainable growth and increase market access for black-owned businesses.
- The Oceans Economy – SA’s next frontier | This panel will position South Africa’s oceans economy as a national driver of job creation and industrialization, focusing on equitable opportunities and accountability by 2026, with the Eastern Cape as a key example.
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The Big Debate | The GNU’s Economic Crossroads – Advancing Transformation or Entrenching Inequality?– National political representatives will debate the GNU’s role in fostering inclusive growth and voter-driven accountability ahead of the 2026 elections.
