The Black Management Forum turns 50 this year. This should be a year of celebration and reflection. Instead, the BMF is finding itself in the news for the wrong reasons.In the past week, it suspended its president, Mpho Motsei. In retaliation, he suspended other board members, including, inexplicably, the MD, Monde Ndlovu, the son of the late BMF stalwart Lot Ndlovu.It is not the first time this has happened. But the past week has been the most farcical. Two previous presidents — Andile Nomlala and Sibongile Vilakazi — also left under controversial circumstances.The organisation was formed to champion the interests of black professionals. Its past leaders include luminaries such as Wiseman Nkuhlu, Lot Ndlovu, Eric Mafuna, Bonang Mohale, the late Don Mkhwanazi, Don Ncube, Nolitha Fakude, Bheki Sibiya and Mncane Mthunzi.What sets these stalwarts apart from the latest crop of leaders is that they genuinely cared about the BMF’s mission. Critically, they also respected governance, and, as elected leaders, also allowed management to carry on with its day-to-day tasks of running the organisation.Corporate South Africa has generously supported the organisation because it was mostly well run and they believed in its mission.But over time the organisation has veered off this noble mission.The governance guardrails were severely compromised. As happened in the past week, elected officials crossed the nonexecutive line to meddle in management’s territory. This is unacceptable.A few years ago, BMF set up an investment company with a view of using profits as an endowment. While this was a good idea, it soon became a source of friction.What is troubling is that the surviving stalwarts have become disengaged and have increasingly felt unwelcome to engage with the new crop of leaders.BMF is an important institution that has a special place in South Africa’s economy. Its job includes ensuring that employment equity doesn’t die. This means all employers — the public and private sectors — are held accountable to transformation targets.Its job isn’t to defend certain characters who find themselves in trouble. Yes, congratulatory messages have a place in its work, but they can’t be the only thing the body is remembered for.Transformation is under threat.Women aren’t advancing in the corporate world. The boys’ club is alive and well. The BMF should be at the forefront of this equity war. Instead, it has been missing in action. It has not been a friend of the court in the numerous transformation cases before our law courts. This is untenable. Black professionals deserve better from the BMF. They deserve cutting-edge research that will anchor BMF’s advocacy work in the post-truth world. Cases in point are the two papers it recently released about the myths about broad-based BEE. As well as the history of the organisation and its achievements, these should have framed the celebrations and commemorations of its 50th anniversary. In all likelihood, the current wrangling is headed to courts. This is not an ideal route. Courts aren’t there to resolve family disputes. Costly as it is, a fresh leadership election may well help lance the boil of this leadership crisis; and second, the surviving past presidents should step in and look into the allegations and counter-allegations. The first part ensures that members of the BMF are back in charge of its future. It is inconceivable that the organisation can run without an executive. The past presidents should resolve this impasse.Business Day