South Africa is trapped in an economic crisis‚ which is a far cry from the period between 1999 and 2006‚ former president Thabo Mbeki said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the 2016 Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Awards‚ Mbeki said
that although South Africa was immersed in a crisis‚ “fortunately we have not reached a tipping point”.
He said this was an eventuality the country must avert at all cost.
“We must act now and do the right thing because time is not on our side‚” Mbeki said.
Mbeki said‚ over the years‚ some negative features have emerged in the governing party which the organisation had recognised.
These included the use of political power for personal enrichment.
He said a deeply disturbing result was the gradual loss of respect for and erosion of the authority of the state.
“This cannot but lead to social disorder and instability. It is a matter of common cause that our economy is experiencing great difficulty.”
Mbeki said when he delivered the State of the Nation Address in 1999‚ he remarked that the country was experiencing a growth path.
When he gave the 2006 address‚ Mbeki said that he told the nation it was going to take time before poverty was eradicated‚ but that there was optimism in the country.
“As you have seen I quoted statements I made 17 and 10 years ago. The statements spoke about hope and optimism about the future.
“However‚ the hard reality we face today is that our country is trapped in an economic crisis which has turned the age of hope into the age of despair‚” Mbeki said.
He said the country was experiencing slow economic growth and levels of unemployment remained high.
Mbeki said the African National Congress (ANC) had drifted away from ordinary working people.
“The ANC has spoken out about such negative features within its own ranks.”
He said this served to undermine the political authority of the ANC to discharge its responsibilities.
Mbeki said the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) was a correct vision to achieve economic growth but it needed an implementation plan.
“In this context‚ despite all its strengths‚ the NDP will remain a correct vision until a detailed plan is elaborated and implemented to achieve outcomes eloquently presented in the National Development Plan.”
But‚ said Mbeki‚ without cooperation between government‚ labour and business‚ “we are bound to fail”.
He warned that if the country did not address the problems it faced‚ the general crisis would get even deeper and more intractable.
“It would be inevitable that social instability will increase and people will take to the streets. Widespread instability will lead to destruction of property and loss of life.
“We dare not forget what happened at Marikana in 2012.”
He said people might think he was alarmist.
“I say we should err on the side of caution‚” Mbeki said. — TMG Digital
'SA not at tipping point‚' says Mbeki
South Africa is trapped in an economic crisis‚ which is a far cry from the period between 1999 and 2006‚ former president Thabo Mbeki said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the 2016 Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Awards‚ Mbeki said
that although South Africa was immersed in a crisis‚ “fortunately we have not reached a tipping point”.
He said this was an eventuality the country must avert at all cost.
“We must act now and do the right thing because time is not on our side‚” Mbeki said.
Mbeki said‚ over the years‚ some negative features have emerged in the governing party which the organisation had recognised.
These included the use of political power for personal enrichment.
He said a deeply disturbing result was the gradual loss of respect for and erosion of the authority of the state.
“This cannot but lead to social disorder and instability. It is a matter of common cause that our economy is experiencing great difficulty.”
Mbeki said when he delivered the State of the Nation Address in 1999‚ he remarked that the country was experiencing a growth path.
When he gave the 2006 address‚ Mbeki said that he told the nation it was going to take time before poverty was eradicated‚ but that there was optimism in the country.
“As you have seen I quoted statements I made 17 and 10 years ago. The statements spoke about hope and optimism about the future.
“However‚ the hard reality we face today is that our country is trapped in an economic crisis which has turned the age of hope into the age of despair‚” Mbeki said.
He said the country was experiencing slow economic growth and levels of unemployment remained high.
Mbeki said the African National Congress (ANC) had drifted away from ordinary working people.
“The ANC has spoken out about such negative features within its own ranks.”
He said this served to undermine the political authority of the ANC to discharge its responsibilities.
Mbeki said the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) was a correct vision to achieve economic growth but it needed an implementation plan.
“In this context‚ despite all its strengths‚ the NDP will remain a correct vision until a detailed plan is elaborated and implemented to achieve outcomes eloquently presented in the National Development Plan.”
But‚ said Mbeki‚ without cooperation between government‚ labour and business‚ “we are bound to fail”.
He warned that if the country did not address the problems it faced‚ the general crisis would get even deeper and more intractable.
“It would be inevitable that social instability will increase and people will take to the streets. Widespread instability will lead to destruction of property and loss of life.
“We dare not forget what happened at Marikana in 2012.”
He said people might think he was alarmist.
“I say we should err on the side of caution‚” Mbeki said. — TMG Digital
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