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FRANK TALK: ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe addresses the media, businesspeople and academics about the outcomes of the June national policy conference in Soweto. PHOTO: MABUTI KALI

 Mantashe hits out at tender system, BEE 

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He was speaking at a meeting at the University of Johannesburg (Soweto campus) attended by academics, businesspeople and civil society to discuss the outcomes of the ANC policy conference that was held in June.

He said the economic transformation backlog would be dealt with through the adoption of radical policies later this year.

"We don't think we were very strong on the economic aspect. We thought when we acquired power we would use it to change the economic terrain. We are in a continuation from apartheid to national democratic society. We need a radical shift in policy to realise economic transformation," Mantashe said.

Thirteen draft policy documents emanating from that conference will be discussed further and adopted in Mangaung in December.

Mantashe said the party regrets some flaws such as how the SA Reserve Bank had been made more independent than it was in 1994 and how the government had allowed private shareholding among other things.

"We must make a bold statement that we will attend to that backlog on economic transformation," he said, referring to the Strategy and Tactics document, which charts the way forward for achieving a "national democratic revolution".

The document was criticised as lacking depth by some analysts yesterday, who also felt there was a broad understanding of the term "revolution" and that this needed to be simplified.

Mantashe also hit out at the tender system, saying the state needed to have its own capacity to do basic things. He highlighted the unintended consequences of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which had so far failed to transform the economy. Such failures, including rampant poverty, inequality and unemployment, had prompted the debate on the new phase of the national democratic revolution.

Xolani Qubeka, CEO of the Black Business Forum, agreed with Mantashe, saying the BEE policy "lacked teeth". He further criticised many government interventions, saying they were more focused on compliance than driving economic transformation.

Another professional from the banking sector lamented that the term "BEE" had become a swearword used by people only when it suited them.

With just four months to go before Mangaung, Mantashe said the dynamics in the ruling party had changed, as it was currently marred by "negative tendencies".

"Today we must deal with the reality of corruption," he said, comparing the current situation with taking a mouse to a cheese factory. But he played down factionalism within the the party.

"I don't think the fact that people have different views means the organisation is stagnant," he said. - nhlabathih@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sun May 19 11:10:45 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 22, 2012

KatakataEmaotoAditshepe

Once in his life time this urgly old man agrees that they've failed to better SAns' lives.Nationalisation of all stuff used to be gov properties in apartheid time is the only factor that can be used in economy transformation of this country.
I dont think there's someone who can tell me why did whites call for privatisation of some of gov properties after 1994.
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Aug 22, 2012

SOLUTIONS

Ja, one can see voting time is getting closer, anc has not only failed BEE with their corrupt ways, they failed the country.

OUT WITH THIS CRIMINAL ORGANISATION
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Aug 22, 2012

SOLUTIONS

KatakataEmaotoAditshepe

Please enlighten us on what was government properties prior to 1994?

Your anc can't even deliver text books, they can't even curb corruption a little, it is only getting worse and you want more money in their hands, I smell an idiot.
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Aug 22, 2012

Sinudeity_

The ANC doesnt have the skills or the knowledge to take our country forward.
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Aug 22, 2012

januswanus

Problem you serving yourself as an organization.
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Aug 22, 2012

Sinudeity_

KatakataEmaotoAditshepe - You not talking about Telkom? It was a parastatal. Then the ANC made sure they bought lots of shares in the business, and privatised it. Some cadres made a cr@pload of cash. Now they want to nationalise it again?
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Aug 22, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Ntate Ntjebe only now you realise that you have made white owned companies very rich for complying with with this k@k and the cronies like Tokyo, Saki, Fani, Cyril, Radebe's wife, Zuma's Sons, ect. While those that queued to put you in power are left destitute and the shareholding that the cronies have can not even force the board of to employ their children or give them bursaries let alone intern ships. Now you want to go radical, what radical policy can you implement if the cronies that are still in this companies. Do you honesty think they will allow you to take the bacon out of their mouth? I still say Ntjebe if you want this radical policies to fly you and your communists must step down Sir!!!
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Aug 22, 2012

Nys1

After milking SA’s economy nou le sharpo , so everthing must go back to normal…Sis M’dala o le ANC ba tlwaela batho
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Aug 22, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

SOLUTIONS
Sinudeity_
Like every sustainable party in this country the ANC is here to stay hurling insults will not help your course!!
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Aug 22, 2012

Buc4life

Good Morning All
Yes, the ANC has failed to rebuild the economy. The organisation is run by unskilled, uneducated morons who care only for themselves. We keep telling them that they cannot separate politics and economics.

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