ADDRESS BY: MR. THUSO SEGOPOLO BMF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NATIONAL CHAIR AT THE BMF YP WESTERN CAPE, 4TH DEVELOPMENTAL SUMMIT: CAPE TOWN, UCT GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 09 NOVEMBER 2013. Thank you, Take us, mould us, nobly and honestly use us, then fill us to be better than who you are. We give ourselves to you as the most competent potters. Director/s of Proceedings, Leadership of the BMF Young Professionals, Leadership of the BMF Western Cape, Distinguished delegates at this landmark Development Summit, Keynote Speakers, Panelists, Ladies and Gentlemen; I hope that we are all seated here in this developmental summit because we related to the vision of being developed into the sought after think tank (thought) leaders and managers who are young professionals, professionals and/or entrepreneurs in South Africa and beyond. Our participation in this summit and any future BMF Young Professionals programs must be informed by a burning desire to develop and also assist in producing future leaders and entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and attitude required to be accomplished transformational leaders. With the ultimate goal of not only delivering a pool of talented leaders for South Africa, but to also pioneer opportunities that will be used to exercise the mentioned leadership talent. In the course of our development we should not at any stage regardless of the temptation to progress faster than our peers, negotiate or compromise values such as Excellence, Accountability, Selflessness, Integrity, Respect, Professionalism and Innovation. The said values should empower us to challenge everything that we deem not good enough or that spreads the destroying phenomenon of instant gratification propelled in our name or that of South Africa. In line with our country’s National Development Plan or Vision 2030, we must collectively build a South Africa we want to lead or be led in. We must stop and discourage those who perpetually want to discuss the plan and encourage them to spend the time implementing the plan in pursued of Vision 2030 for three simple reasons; (one) the understanding that a plan in its nature is subject to change with time, (two) because Proverbs 29 verse 18 warns us that “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (three) the believe that “a reasonable human adapts him/herself to the world, moulding his/her craft according to its dictate; on the contrary the unreasonable human insists on the world adapting itself to him/her”. With reference to Vision 2030, the BMF Young Professionals developed a strategic framework for 2013 to 2015, primarily focusing on Enterprise Development lead by Mr. Moses Mashishi, Skills Development & Empowerment lead by Ms. Amanda Dlamini and Community Development lead by Ms. Carol Bixa. We drew three strategic objectives from the mentioned focal areas; (one) Managerial Leadership Development – To become the leading organization in managerial leadership development in South Africa of young professionals whom are primarily though not exclusively black, (two) Develop thought leadership & Advocacy – Empowering young professionals with the ability to hone the power of own thought, which can be used to promote innovative change and positive sustainable impact in the lives of South African youth, and (three) Advancing socio-economic transformation - Which can be used to promote innovative change and sustainable impact in the lives of our fellow. To realize these objectives we have already initiated partnerships with relevant organizations to deliver a pilot program on skills and attitude development, that is in its third (3rd) of the seventh (7th) months with forty (40) candidates in Gauteng. We are busy reviewing our internal and external communication and marketing strategy, the implementation of the mentorship program for young professionals, gathering of information about start–ups or small black youth owned business. Some of these initiatives will start early in 2014, and that will see us investing hundreds of thousands on start-up’s or small businesses towards their development and growth, through incubation programs and we’ll collaborate with private and public sectors to implement community projects that will ensure rehabilitation of nine (9) schools (one (1) school per province) and develop turn around strategies that ought to be realized within two (2) years. The appointment of the Head of Research at BMF Head Quarters is an opportunity for us to venture into conducting compelling research in collaboration with strategic partners which will helps us effect positive changes in South Africa. Our presence as the BMF Young Professionals in all the nine South African provinces will make it easier to develop other young professionals across all sectors from all corners of our beautiful nation. I am aware that little is said or read about the work of the BMF Young Professionals in social networks or media but we are happy with that because we will let the outcome of our distinct work draw the attention on us, that will make it easier to attract some of you to become active members and/or some of the other organizations to come knocking on our door in search of a strategic partner that is filled with thought leaders. Let me extend the appreciation of the BMF Board of Directors to all BMF YP Provincial Leaders for unanimously taking a thoughtful decision in our recent meeting to never host monolog sessions “forum” as we agreed that there are too many of such session taking place already and lately they offer nothing beyond rhetoric, free drinks, food and we opt to rather spend our sponsorship money on enrolling young professionals in programs focused in developing future thought leaders. In light of the same thinking it’s my hope that this summit will indeed give us good practices on Career Fast Tracking Programs and Enterprise Development Programs and equally important, bring to light the challenges on these imperative aspects of the BBBEE codes with a commitment that we will soon table alternative solutions to such challenges. I am told that an opinion paper informed by these summit resolutions will be published soon after this summit, sharing the summit outcomes with all South Africans. In conclusion let me borrow the wise words of Dr. Reuel J Khoza (Nedbank Chairman) when he profoundly said, “The world is not perishing for the want of clever or talented or well-meaning men. It is perishing for the want of men of courage and resolution who, in devotion to the cause of right and truth, can rise above personal feelings and private ambition.” The BMF Young Professionals leadership from across the country wishes you all a successful and thought provoking summit. Thank you.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 14:26:07 +0000
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