We can do BEE better: Zuma
Thu, 09 Oct 2008
The fact that black economic empowerment (BEE) might only have benefited a few was due to the nature of economic system, African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma said in Johannesburg on Tuesday. "We should not forget the nature of the system; we cannot empower every citizen at one go," Zuma said at a briefing with black business, noting that South Africa was a capitalist system. "We are dealing with business ... Nevertheless, we need to say, 'How do we do this so that it achieves the [desired] outcome." "We firmly believe in the continuation of the implementation of BEE policies, as long as they allow for the introduction of new players in the economy and also include the participation of women and the youth." Zuma said that if the ANC were to do anything about BEE, it would be to find out how to make it more effective. "How have we implemented it? Have we done it properly and correctly? Or, if there are shortcomings, what are the shortcomings?" "If people ask, 'how could we make it more effective', well, I support that," Zuma said. "We can't say in 15 years we have resolved the problem of two centuries." Speaking at the same event, ANC Treasurer-General Mathews Phosa said the party endorsed going forward with BEE and affirmative action. Phosa said those that had benefited from BEE had to admit to it, in order to try and spread its reach. "It is a fact that a few of us were empowered at the expense of the majority. If we don't admit it, we will never correct it," he said. He said skills development and BEE had to be implemented at the same time. Phosa also said black business people should not just aspire to BEE. "We must migrate from BEE to entrepreneurship. We have to move." Phosa added that the "white child" in South Africa should also be given hope, like the "black child". The briefing was attended by hundreds of business people, including National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Buhle Mthethwa, Business Unity SA CEO Jerry Vilakazi, Black Management Forum president Jimmy Manyi, and suspended SABC CEO Dali Mpofu. At the end of the briefing, Zuma was handed a copy of the book Capitalist Nigger by Chika Onyeani. Thereafter, those who attended began to pledge financial donations to the ANC. A total of R29 400 000 was raised, including a R50 000 pledge for Aids vaccine projects and a R1-million donation specifically to the Kwazulu-Natal ANC. Phosa said the ANC wanted funding to be an open matter. "I don't want brown envelopes under the table. We want to be open about it," he said.Sapa
