The lack of transformation in mining companies' management despite decades of empowerment deals under the sector's belt came under fire at the Black Management Forum conference this week, as did other sectors. Sipho Nkosi, former Exxaro CEO and now chairman of Talent 10 Holdings, who was speaking at the conference in Midrand on Wednesday, said the mining sector had processed more than R300-billion worth of empowerment deals over 15 to 20 years."But then you look around the sector, 20 years hence, then you say to yourself, do we have black people running organisations in the mining sector? If you could go beyond five ... you've done very well," he said."Clearly there is something that's wrong either in the structure or the formula. As things stand, the current formula in so far as control happens is not happening."story_article_left1Gold-mining giant Sibanye Gold promoted no black South Africans in its recent management reshuffle, which the company said would position it for entry into the platinum group metals mining sector this year.Nkosi said a programme was necessary."We need a programme to heal people, to conscientise people, to make them feel that I have a responsibility not to myself but to my volk and also for my vaderland."Nolitha Fakude, an executive director at Sasol, said succession pipelines in many businesses were not as robust as they should be.She said not enough was being done by businesses to ensure that skills-development bursaries and training programmes "in a structured way are stuck to regardless of what the market economic factors are".During a recession or tough economic times, companies reduced training and development budgets, said Fakude. "Our succession pipelines are not as robust as they should be," she said.Her comments come as BMF president Mncane Mthunzi said last week that the forum wanted the JSE to include quotas for black executive representation in its listing rule book.Said Nkosi: "It's of no use if we develop people, [but] it's all about themselves and not for the people."If those in senior positions helped other black people to advance, "that is what is going to make us a strong nation, that is what is going to make us a shining example and make black people proud".BMF deputy president Dumisani Mpafa was more direct, saying black people had not used their buying power as a tool to boycott businesses or industries where transformation was not happening fast enough.He chastised the Public Investment Corporation for sitting on the sidelines despite controlling more than R1.3-trillion worth of assets. story_article_right2But, he said, South Africa had a complex economic structure, which meant that private asset managers such as Futuregrowth could make remarks which stemmed from arrogance, knowing full well that there would be few repercussions.In August Futuregrowth announced it would stop lending to state-owned companies including Eskom, the Land Bank and the Industrial Development Corporation. It cited concerns over how they were run, political infighting and threats to the independence of the National Treasury. Futuregrowth has since reversed the decision, except against Eskom.Fakude said the silence of black men about the poor showing of women, particularly black women in executive positions, was demoralising. Black men oftenblocked black women's paths to the top."Moments of disappointment have been many. None so painful and disconcerting as when the voice of black male leaders in the BMF as well as outside of the BMF are silent on asking the question on where are women," she said.speckmana@sundaytimes.co.za..