And Zumachine Gun was supposed to chair the council meeting but he's tired so he sent Motlanthe to deliver his speech. It's clear that BEE is going nowhere
The speech makes for interesting reading and I recommend that you do read it. I'll go through a few quotes that I think are significant.
We should always keep in mind that you have been appointed as members of this Council in order to advance a cause that is bigger than ourselves or the constituencies from which we may have been drawn.
And on the subject of the council's mandate
we have to ensure that it conducts its business in a manner that does not expose it to perceptions or charges that it is a narrow interest group. The Council has to make sure that it provides advice to government that is well informed, accurate and seek to advance the cause of broad-based economic transformation of our society.
Zuma lists a few successes over the last 16 years
There are more black and women entrepreneurs today than there were in 1994. (most likely a reference to HDIs)
There are more CEOs of companies who are black and female than was the case at the dawn of our democracy.
And then onto the "usual suspects"
We also have to admit that the "broad-based" part of BEE has seemed elusive. In the main, the story of black economic empowerment in the last 15 years has been a story dominated by a few individuals benefiting a lot.
And how he's not necessarily going to allow this to happen at the expense of the majority
The vast majority of those who are truly marginalised: women, rural poor, workers, the unemployed, and the youth have often stood have often stood at the sidelines. Only a few benefit again and again from the bounty of black economic empowerment.
This is a state of affairs that can no longer be tolerated. Broad-based economic empowerment should achieve exactly what it means. It should benefit all sectors of the target group. This may mean that we look at black economic empowerment beyond business deals and shareholding in companies.
He wants to see more emphasis on these people asking for inclusion of these people in deals and developing their own businesses. This suggests that SAB etc were completely on the mark with their deals
We have to think creatively about ways in which to increase the extent to which communities, workers, cooperatives and other collective enterprises own and manage existing and new enterprises and increasing their access to economic activities, infrastructure and skills training.
And looking after those in the rural areas
strategies of empowering rural and local communities by enabling [their] access to economic activities, land, infrastructure, ownership and skills.
And on the subject of employment (decent jobs again. That term scares me especially when it comes from his mouth – sounds like he is appealing to the left, which he probably is doing)
Fundamentally, we have to constantly strive towards making sure that more people are employed in decent jobs.
And on enterprise development
We must ensure that more are able to start and sustainably run their small businesses. More must be enrolled in skills training and more should have access to arable land.
This is interesting – land reform has been at best a terrible failure, where is he going with this.
And on to the naysayers who he describes as "a section of our society that is opposed to black economic empowerment".
The critics must accept that the exclusion of a large section of our community from productive participation in the economic life of our society, is a significant hindrance to our collective prosperity.
Couldn't agree with you more gun guy
And as a conclusion – Zuma exposes his capitalist roots.
Our prosperity will be delayed if the vast majority our people, especially the youth remain without jobs or skills. Our economy will also not reach its potential as long as the vast majority of its people lack the economic power to buy goods and services, to start businesses as entrepreneurs or till their land as successful farmers.
Bloody right I say. OK council – the ball's in your court, you know what is expected of you. Are you going to serve or do nothing like most other public/private councils?
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