DRAFT SPEECH BY CDE JEFF RADEBE
MEMBER OF THE NEC AND HEAD OF POLICY
BLACK MANAGEMENT FROUM 2008 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
16 AND 17 OCTOBER 2008
SANDTON CONVENTION CENTRE
Programme Director;
President of the Black Management Forum, Mr Jimmy Manyi;
Minister Naledi Pandor;
Members of the alliance;
Political and business leaders present;
Members of the Black Management Forum;
Ladies and Gentleman.
Colleagues and friends, I will be amiss if I do not start my address by raising the issue of the political situation that is currently gripping our country. Many of us are as committed to the principles, values and traditions of the ANC as they were when the ANC was founded in 1912. While others are preaching disunity and forming splinter groups, we as loyal cadres of the ANC shall always preach unity and embracing all of our people because unity was the foundation stone on which the ANC was founded.
As I speak, some of our former comrades have stated on record that they will call a National Convention on the 2nd of November this year. The African National Congress has, as it is in its tradition, called on these individuals to raise their concerns within the structures of the movement as our constitution dictates.
Let me quote just a section of the pledge which some of these former comrades had sworn to when they joined the ANC:
“ “ I am joining the organisation voluntarily and without motives of material advantage or personal gain, that I agree to respect the Constitution and the structures and to work as a loyal member of the organisation.”
I appeal to all those who are members and supporters of the ANC to read the Constitution of the ANC so that we are not misled by those who seek to selectively quote the Constitution of the African National Congress.
As members of the ANC we still abide by the letter and spirit of the Freedom Charter as adopted by our people in Kliptown in 1955. The Freedom Charter consists of ten clauses beginning with a preamble that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, both Black and White and that no government can claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people. I again appeal to our members and supporters of the ANC to read the Freedom Charter so that we are not misled by those who choose to selectively quote the Freedom Charter.
As defenders of democratic values for which many paid a supreme sacrifice, we as the ANC pioneered the adoption of the South African Constitution in 1996. How can we now be taught by those who claim that they can defend the Constitution better than the ANC itself? I again appeal to members and supporters of the ANC to re-read the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa’s letter and spirit. With a two-thirds majority, we would have chosen to discard this Constitution if we felt it was irrelevant to addressing the needs of our people.
In December 2007 at the historic Polokwane Conference, we again adopted the policies and resolutions that will guard the ANC and the people of South Africa for the next five years. I again request that we re-read the Polokwane Conference Resolutions to see whether the values of the ANC traditions, the spirit and letter of the Freedom Charter of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the policy priorities and to ascertain whether we have veered in any way.
Ironically, one of the dissidents was presiding over the Polokwane Conference. Since when has this newest discovery been made? Is it deviation from policy priorities if the Polokwane Resolutions talk about job creation as the overriding policy approach of the leadership?
We gather at a time when the world is facing financial crisis as a result of the domino effect of the sub-prime rates in the United States. While this contagion is catching up throughout the world, the economic fundamentals of our country has helped us to weather the storm.
The India, Brazil, South Africa trilateral negotiations currently underway in India which is attended by a huge South African delegation led by the President of the Republic, Comrade Kgalema Motlanthe, has identified aviation and maritime transportation as vital to linking the three partners. We call South African businesses and professionals and the Black Management Forum in particular, to take full advantage of the business opportunities offered by the trilateral relationship.
Through our foreign policy thrust of creating a better continent and a better world, we are pleased that our relentless efforts of improving the global governance system are bearing results. As President of the Republic, Comrade Kgalema Monthlante has noted, we as South Africa welcome the announcement that the United Nations will begin the debate on the restructuring of the United Nations security system. We hope this will be the precursor for the restructuring of the global financial governance of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
This gathering also takes place at a critical time in our country’s history. Although we have consistently stated it before, we wish to state it again in this august gathering that the policies that have served us well since 1994 will not be changed. Any perceptions or fears that are being peddled that the new leadership will change policy without due consideration of intended or desired impact is mischievous in the extreme, and is aimed at creating uncertainty in our markets and confusion among business. We will relentlessly implement the Polokwane Resolutions, and if there will be change it will only be in relation to the quick speed with which we want to implement these resolutions.
The most overriding policy priority of the Polokwane Resolutions is job creation and to roll back poverty and to focus on education and training and heath for our people.
In addition, the other policy issues are as follows;
§ Creating an institutional centre for government wide economic planning
§ Integration and alignment of planning and planning across all spheres of government including the development finance institutions and state owned enterprises.
§ Establishing a uniform high entrance requirements and standards of employment in the public service.
§ Shaping the key sectors of the economy including the mineral and energy complex and the national transport and logistic system
§ Exploiting our natural endowments such as land, water, minerals and marine resources.
§ Strengthening the role of state-owned enterprises to be financially viable while at the same time responding to the public mandate.
§ Building and strengthening the development financial institutions so that they respond to the high demands for small and micro enterprises.
§ Financing skills development to meet our growing economic needs while at the same time using this as basic redress in economic participation by the previously disadvantaged and therefore helping break the vicious cycle of poverty amongst specific communities.
I will seek your indulgence to mention without claiming any Solomonic wisdom, some of the areas in which we as a movement and as business can consolidate our mutual relationship going forward.
§ Firstly, both government and business share a common customer- namely society at large. It is therefore in our mutual interest that those solutions which we as a movement devise to address societal anxieties are also shared by business. To the extent that the societal ills and anxieties afflict to a large extent, the black majority, an organization like the Black Management Forum should be at the headway of this strategic partnership between our movement and business.
§ Secondly, the large amount of infrastructure investment that has been made by the State should of necessity benefit black business people and historically disadvantaged professionals. We urge the Black Management Forum and its associates and members to take full advantage of these opportunities so that when we celebrate the legacy of this bold investment by government they too should create economic sustainability of their investment in their businesses.
§ Thirdly, our continental foreign policy has been aimed at creating a Continent at peace with itself. There is no doubt that the South African Government has invested both financial and human resources. Once peace is consolidated in any part of the continent, the issue of economic revival becomes paramount. The opportunities for a compassionate non exploitative economic follow through by South African business needs to be considered, and I am certain that government would not like to see it’s political investment in peace in the continent, not being supported by economic follow through that will benefit both the investing companies and the citizens of the host countries and businesses in the continent.
§ Fourthly, our movement’s preoccupation with addressing the plight of our poorer citizens would need to find support from businesses social responsibility programmes. Perhaps black business should consider fully embracing philanthropy as part of their business practice.
§ Lastly, the BMF should assist in the retention and creation of skills by arresting the kangaroo syndrome of managers and professionals hopping and jumping from one company to another. We need to create a staying power that will ensure that enough experience and sustainability is attained, and that through this process, the BMF will create the necessary bedrock for the multiplication of strong Black businesses and industries.
In order to bring to fruition all these above-mentioned suggestions allow me to state the following:
§ Firstly: no plausible reasons have been given to us as movement and government, and no cogent argument has been proffered to make us to alter our policy on affirmative action. Until such time that we are persuaded otherwise, affirmative action is still the policy of our movement and our government as part of our comprehensive response to the legacy of apartheid.
§ Secondly: the issue of employment equity is highly contestable. Indeed, debates rage on airwaves and statistics, counter-statistics, and sometimes lies become part of the discourse. There has been no decision taken within our movement to reconsider this strategic intervention. Indeed, if it has not achieved its objectives, the only avenue opened to us would be to find ways and means of enforcement and acceleration rather than reviewing it with a view of its cancellation.
§ Thirdly: our preparation for the 2010 FIFA Word Cup and the Confederations Cup that will precede it are well on track. Our brand new President of the Republic Comrade Kgalema Monthlate has moved with amazing speed to close the vacancies that were created by the unfortunate resignation of some members of Cabinet who were in the Local Organizing Committee. We will continue to rely on the support that business gives us, in this great continental extravaganza. I am convinced that the BMF will continue to be a large partner in our preparations for the sports extravaganza.
Allow me your indulgence finally to raise some issues where we as a movement and government, and the Black business can create the sustainability both economically and politically that we will propel this country forward.
§ Firstly, the issue of fronting by certain members of the Black business class has got to be dealt with decisively, and the issue of using people without their knowledge, such as household assistants and others, should be dealt with viciously from the side of government.
§ Secondly, there is a need for the BMF to continue to protect itself, as its constitution states, as a forum for all businesses, including extending its footprint among female entrepreneurs. In addition, the issue of incubating young business and professionals in academic institutions need to be enhanced as we seek to expand our activities beyond ourselves into the future. The rural poor should be brought into the fold and people with disabilities should be part of our transformational agenda
§ Thirdly, immerse yourselves into the South African socio-economic political melting pot. I am therefore heartened by the BMF’s involvement into social issues such as the one that you did when you honoured the star cricketer Makhaya Ntini on 21 April 2007 and many others that I cannot mention for today.
§ Fourthly, a good hunter is the one who hunts in unfamiliar and unfriendly territories. While you unearth Black pearls managers and professionals in the private sector, it may also be strategic to hunt for the potential within the public sector in order for the Forum to grow. The reality that while business has been debating the issue of skills development – career-pathing and retention strategies, government went ahead and implemented these important interventions. As it happens, the State now sits with a cadre of professional managers and administrators, who should by instruction of our movement’s leadership continue to man their posts. However, they are not lesser than any manager or professional in the private sector.
As I conclude, I am sure that by now the BMF, whether severally or individually, received invitations to the launch of the Integrated Transport Black Economic Empowerment Charter on the 31st of October 2008. I am looking forward to a healthy working relationship towards the advancement of Black business in the transport sector that will be triggered by this launch.
I thank you
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