More on the BEE Council meeting on Thursday

This blog's job is to be the new aggregator.  As I mentioned in a few posts ago, you get different perspectives of events from different publications and when you put the lot together you can form a clearer view of what actually happened.  I have set myself this task.

The reports about yesterday's meeting are slowly coming through, I am hoping that the full minutes will be released.

Mzwandile Jacks of Business Report wrote mostly about Zumotlanthe's speech although it does seem as though Mothanthe threw in a few of his own opinions too.  He did add something that the council discussed.

Members of the council talked about investigating the sustainability and structure of BEE deals, because some did not seem to change the lives of the poor. This could mean the end of BEE deals where performance is tied to the share price. Most of these deals collapsed when the global financial crisis kicked in two years ago.

"Most members of the council raised their concerns about the appropriateness of these (SPV) structures. We discussed that the council would have to be empowered with enough resources to deal with this," (Jerry) Vilakazi said.

Is there another funding mechanism, or are the traditional funders keeping their mouths shut because they make less cash?

Fin24's article is most interesting as it relates to the new PPPFA regulations

The Department of Trade and Industry's new Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) is currently being discussed by cabinet and will be announced "soon".  Dr Rob Davies said that the IPAP contained a significant number of important questions regarding state procurement which are expected to benefit local industries and black economic empowerment (BEE).

Last year Treasury's draft regulations on state procurement were sharply criticised by local manufacturers, empowerment players and politicians, because they did not give government bodies sufficient incentives to help the domestic economy.

This problem was very apparent in the draft.  It had nothing that would stimulate regional procurement, something that the 2001 regulations catered for through their RDP goals.

So we can expect something like RDP goals to be included in the drafts.  I am starting to see a clearer picture here.

Comments

[Mark]

I would have thought the objectives and goals, if there are any, of the Rural Development plan Zuma announced late last year will play a part here - essentially directing some spend of investment raised from the private sector by Planning Ministry to rural development (seems clear to me the Planning Minstry is going to direct investment including CSI away from opet projects into a coordinated approach with Presidency's development indicators et al).

BTW: if you get Bush Radio, listen in on Sunday nights from 7pm to the best blues anywhere!!

[Paul Janisch]

The new regulations were very clear that they had dropped the RDP goals (along with HDI/HDSA). They only wanted a scorecard. I think that those things you mention would need to be incorporated into the allocation of preference points. In fact I would recommend that the lion's share of preference points be allocated to those kinds of projects.

I don't know about Bush Radio - where do I find it. (You may know it) but I am unhealthily obsessed with Peter Green. And I have to balance this with the other English guitarists of that period - not easy. Who's your favourite?

[Mark]

No one from then quite compares with Peter Green. My son, who is probably the most talented 16-year old blues guitarist that I have ever heard, shares your obsession.

My favourite performance is the one given by Jeff Beck at Clapton's Crossroads concert, I think in 2007. Stunning! My favourite guitarist would on any given day be one of Gilmour, Hendrix, Mick Jones, or Roy Buchanan.

Bush is a community radio station in the Cape - you might get it on Internet radio. Great DJ, someone who knows his business so you get a short essay with each song and artist - radio as it should be.

Agree with you btw on the allocation of points. I think myself, the whole BEE thing should have the reset button hit. It promises so much, but needs energy to deliver.

[Paul Janisch]

Beck is an interesting one. I have many bootlegs of his stuff with the Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group. I think that is the only time you could have called him a "blue guitarist". He is still the best there ever was - and is definitely the guitarist's guitarist. To my ears the English/British guitarists understood is better than the Americans (other than the original masters like Robert Johnson, Sumlin, Elmore James etc) and as such I rate more British guitarists than American. I remember seeing Clapton in London in the mid-90s. It was a total blues set - no Layla or any of that rubbish and I understood why he was who he was. I saw Green live a few years later and it was terrible - there is a slight hint of what came before but if it was not for his formidable reputation it wouldn't even be worth watching in a pub.

I assume you are referring to the Foreigner Mick Jones and not the Clash one. I've never really viewed him or Foreigner as a guitar band per se - more of a song band. I have also listened to some Roy Buchanan in the past and was very impressed. I have a Mick Ronson recording where he does a very good Buchanan impersonation.

I don't know if you have ever heard of Ollie Halsall - nothing like the blues but one incredible musician. The Patto albums are vital listening.

One of the best gigs I ever went to was in Rockey Street in Yeoville. I went to see Baxtop with Larry Amos and Tim Parr - extraordinary, brilliant. And Shawn Phillips did a Chuck Berry cover.

I would love to hear some of your son's music if there is any avaialable.

[Mark]

The Mick Jones I'm on about should be Mick Taylor, sorry! He played for a very brief period with the Stones. Also, I think he features in the Rolling Stones Rock 'n Roll film/DVD.

Sad to hear about Peter Green: do you have any idea what albums he released when he came out of hospital and which are recommended?

Funny about Clapton and I know exactly what you're saying: even he does, perhaps that's why he released Clapton Through The Ages or some similarly titled album. The guys made of so many different movements he could be a Bach Overture personified.

I haven't hear Ollie or the Patto albums (I'll be heading off to my resident expert this weekend to enquire) but I have heard Larry Amos and Tim Parr (a golden era in so many ways for SA music for me) - what's Larry up to these days. Somehow in my memory he and Syd Kitchen and the Utensils come together - not sure why!

I'm going to be uplodaing a few clips of my son playing on YouTube - will let you know when.

Last word: not really the blues, but have recently repurchased Audience (Jackdaw, House on a Hill etc), a band from way back who just didn't release enough music so that you're left with some searing, raw sounds, but no idea how they would have progressed.

Lovely to talk to someone who knows this stuff - God help us, Cape Town radio is a series of dull thuds and inane wailing. My dream is to raise enough money to create Rock FM!! on the airwaves.