A Nelson Mandela Bay businessman has been elected secretary general of the National African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) in the Eastern Cape, a position Loyiso Nkantsu will handle along with his present job in the same post with the metro branch of the chamber.

The announcement was made yesterday by city branch president Kotloano Headbush after the provincial annual meeting at the weekend. Headbush also said businessmen Justice Zotwa and Thabo Hene had been appointed president and vice-president.

Nkantsu said the new office-bearers would meet within the next two weeks to finalise priorities for the year ahead.
Priorities would include poverty, crime, housing, HIV/Aids, service delivery, and economic empowerment. “Another priority will be to revise and review procurement policies as part of economic empowerment initiatives as the annual meeting felt transformation is not taking place as quickly as it should, particularly in the automotive industry.

“Another concern is that there is a lack of access to information for Nafcoc members and we aim to improve this as a key part of improving services.”

Meanwhile, it was reported from East London yesterday that the new executive had been elected “amid controversy” because of alleged deviation from the body‘s constitution.

Leaders from the various sectors within Nafcoc said they would meet their members to decide whether they accepted the elected president, the Daily Dispatch reported. But Zotwa, the chamber‘s former secretary general said the decision to accept the executive had been unanimous.