ZEE jibe brings the House down in Zuma BEE debate
THE notion of "ZEE", as opposed to BEE, had President Jacob Zuma flummoxed in the National Assembly yesterday.
"Honourable Member, what is CEE? Can you help us?" he enquired of Congress of the People MP Philip Dexter, who had just used the term in a question posed to the president.
"It's Z...E...E - as in Zuma Economic Empowerment," Dexter spelled out, to laughter from MPs and Zuma himself.
Earlier, Dexter had asked why relatives of the president and people known to be his close confidantes, as well as business people close to the ruling party, were included in government-led overseas business delegations.
"Have business people from the families of leaders of other political parties been the beneficiaries of such generosity, or are the lucky individuals, who get what is now known as ZEE, only ANC members?" Dexter wanted to know.
Laughing loudly, a jovial Zuma responded by saying those business people who got to join government's overseas delegations were determined by the department of trade and industry (DTI) and Business Unity South Africa (Busa).
"Firstly, the delegations that go abroad ... are determined by the DTI and Busa... Other business people go on their own.
"We are not there to tell business people what to do and what not to do; that's not our business. Nor can we tell people, because they were in the ANC, or friends of the ANC, that they must not do business.
"Nor can we tell people that, because they are related to people in government, by virtue of that they are not allowed to do business. I think it would be unfair to citizens of this country.
"So what you see in the delegations is what is meant to be a business delegation - agreed to between DTI and Busa. Others might be on their own.
"There is no problem with that. Don't try to create a problem where there is no problem," Zuma said.
DRU
I voted for COPE bcoz of Ant-Zuma motives.I thought COPE was different & realised that I wasted my vote also,after those brawls between Mbhazima & Terror,which means ANC & COPE are one thing( Corrupt,,Greediness,Unfaithfulness,etc).I've got guts feeling that ppl are still gonna put ANC in power,come the election days.I don't see a white party like DA ruling us bcoz of the pain we experienced during apartheid or maybe not in our life times.Report Abuse
Kakamas
... I'm tired of this man honestly...Why can't he beserious for once, see if this guy had work in a Management position he would know exactly when to stop playing...Sucker! there is time for everything but now we want answers from u!Report Abuse
Kakamas
... I'm tired of this man honestly...Why can't he beserious for once, see if this guy had work in a Management position he would know exactly when to stop playing...Sucker! there is time for everything but now we want answers from u!Report Abuse
Kakamas
... I'm tired of this man ...Why can't he beserious for once, see if this guy had work in a Management position he would know exactly when to stop playing...Sucker! there is time for everything but now we want answers from u!Report Abuse
325is
I don't even watch news anymore cause they upset me, everyday its Zuma, Malema, corruption and ANC arrogance. I am tired, come next elections and remove these guys. The time is now lets wake up and smell the rat. They say tightenn your belts but they are driving expensive cars, convoy of 6 BMW X5 howz that guys?Report Abuse
CheeseBoy
Eh SLowetan why do you keep resetting and deleting our comments?what is the point of making us register and comment only for them to be removed
nxa!!!!!
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CheeseBoy
Jacob Zuma is telling the millions who voted him into power to go suck it.Report Abuse
Maestro
What really happened to our earlier commends or is the media tribunal act on operation already?Report Abuse
Mozkillaz
Sowetan lets us xpress our views, why are u removing our comments?Report Abuse