Johannesburg - Black Forum South Africa is a non-partisan organisation that organises and unites black people and black institutions in South Africa. The organisation strives for unity and solidarity.
The chief executive, Advocate Kgagudi Morota, said with this organisation, black professionals are their main focus because they are hardly trade union members, yet they suffer the most systematic victimisation, discrimination and unfair labour practices.
Therefore, Black Forum SA, through their panel of lawyers, shall intervene on their behalf.
“At the end of last month, we held a gala dinner in Bloemfontein with black professionals, and the main purpose of that gala dinner was to unite black professionals in this country.
“We remember that since 1994, black people relied mainly on political parties, and they neglected the black agenda. That is why 30 years down the line, we still have black people in their majority still suffering, because we are divided amongst ourselves by the many political parties,” said Morota.
He said when an influential person in a society establishes a new political party, there is further division that we see in terms of black solidarity. “White supremacy uses one and the same method, which is divide and rule. And that is what we are trying to break.”
So how does the organisation intend to reverse those issues? Morota said they were trying to conscientise black people.
“This is to say our problems are common, regardless of the colour of the t-shirt of a political party. We can differ on various black issues based on the parties we belong to, but at the end of the day, we go back to the same black problems in the same squalor.”
The lobby group advocates for black solidarity and prosperity in South Africa beyond political party lines. The genesis of the organisation can be traced back to 1988 at the University of South Africa (Unisa), where it was founded by esteemed black professors and academics as Unisa Black Forum.
“We still believe as an organisation that this country must be organised politically. We don’t have to have more than two political parties. Choose amongst the best two pro-black political parties.
“And because we have a black solidarity organisation like Black Forum, we’ll be able to hold those political parties accountable. What we are saying to these political parties is that if indeed they are pro-black, then they must join Black Forum SA,” Morota said.
To become a member of Black Forum SA, there is a membership fee of R199 a month for professionals and R90 for non-professionals. One of their goals is s to see black professionals being well-represented in labour matters. The organisation currently has 5000 members. For more information, visit Black Forum SA https://blackforumsa.online/.