The statement by the office bearers; 'leadership' of YCL is a setback to<br/> our lasting revolution. The 'leadership' of which by the way David is<br/> part; does not dispute nor challenge the truths inherent therein but<br/> resorts to a cowardice tact of patching the bruises and wounds that the<br/> target may have sustained as result of the article in a hope of providing<br/> an undeserved solace. Neither does the 'leadership' refuse that BEE has<br/> truly degenerated to becoming nothing but an instrument to advance the<br/> economic interest of the selected few!<br/> <br/> To assert that Cde David should have canvassed his views within the<br/> organisation is a totally farfetched desperate effort by the leadership to<br/> gag members from raising own opinions. Let us hypothetically presume the<br/> outcomes of the membership votes on this matter if we were to be asked<br/> whether we agree or disagree with the sentiments echoed by the Cde his<br/> article? Certainly we could hate having this discussion...The 'leadership'<br/> must desist from degenerating to efforts of PR gymnastic and focus on<br/> building the organisation. Cde at the end of his article stated who he is<br/> and his credentials; correctly so. He owes no one a disclaimer that he<br/> writes in his personal or official capacity; any way that is too<br/> conventional!<br/> <br/> Cde George<br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> ><br/> ><br/> > City Press<br/> ><br/> > *<br/> > BEE has evolved into a family affair: ZEE*<br/> ><br/> ><br/> > *David Masondo, City Press, Johannesburg, 5 September 2010*<br/> ><br/> > There was cautious optimism among many leftists in the ANC that the<br/> > ousting of Thabo Mbeki in Polokwane might mark a shift towards a much<br/> > more egalitarian economic policy, including Black Economic Empowerment<br/> > (BEE).<br/> ><br/> > Instead, BEE is increasingly becoming too narrow, amounting to ZEE --<br/> > that is, Zuma Economic Empowerment.<br/> ><br/> > The recent multibillion-rand Arcelor-Mittal BEE deal involving Duduzane,<br/> > President Jacob Zuma's son, is another example of how BEE has become too<br/> > narrow.<br/> ><br/> > To crown it all, the president's nephew, Khulubuse Zuma, seems to have<br/> > suddenly become an African imperialist, amassing oil resources in the<br/> > Democratic Republic of Congo.<br/> ><br/> > ZEE is not only an assault on the Young Communist League and South<br/> > African Communist Party (SACP) resolutions -- which called for the<br/> > nationalisation of monopoly industries -- it amounts to a burial of the<br/> > Freedom Charter.<br/> ><br/> > Only a few can be misled to believe that there is no link between Zuma's<br/> > rise to the presidency and his family's rise to riches.<br/> ><br/> > One's leadership position in a political party, particularly the ANC,<br/> > allows one to gain and/or retain access to the institutional power that<br/> > makes one the preferred candidate for white business to select to be<br/> > part of its established enterprises.<br/> ><br/> > These politicians rely heavily on the control of organisational power to<br/> > generate wealth. Access to the state provides politicians with leverage<br/> > to select those who can acquire shares in white-owned firms.<br/> ><br/> > South Africa's political system is based on a multiparty electoral<br/> > democracy.<br/> ><br/> > Access to state institutional power is achieved through elections.<br/> ><br/> > Consequently, many politicians are interested in party politics.<br/> ><br/> > Since they rely on organisational power for wealth accumulation,<br/> > potential and actual entrepreneurs find it rational to contest directly<br/> > or indirectly for political organisational leadership positions as an<br/> > entry point to the state and its economic resources.<br/> ><br/> > However, not every political party matters.<br/> ><br/> > Because the ANC is backed by the SACP and the Congress of South African<br/> > Trade Unions -- not to mention its history in the national liberation<br/> > struggle -- it is highly supported by the electorate and, therefore,<br/> > matters.<br/> ><br/> > Individuals acting within and through the state have the power to decide<br/> > who gets state-owned resources.<br/> ><br/> > However, the fact that individuals in the state have this institutional<br/> > power does not mean we will know beforehand which black politicians will<br/> > secure access to these resources.<br/> ><br/> > This is mediated by a dominant political party in government.<br/> ><br/> > The BEE model is structured favourably for politically connected<br/> > politicians and their proxies to enter into business through the state.<br/> ><br/> > The state owns key economic resources required by business that can only<br/> > be accessed with state permission. The state acts as a purchaser of<br/> > services from the private sector.<br/> ><br/> > Through its financial institutions, the state acts as a money lender.<br/> ><br/> > It is also a grantor of licences for, among other things, mining rights.<br/> > Through privatisation, it acts as a seller of its assets.<br/> ><br/> > Business can gain access to state-owned resources through a BEE<br/> > criterion that requires black people to be owners and managers of<br/> > enterprises.<br/> ><br/> > White businesses can use black people who are politically connected to<br/> > gain access to these resources -- and more recently, as a means to<br/> > deflect ANC Youth League calls for nationalisation.<br/> ><br/> > This explains why certain black millionaires associated with the<br/> > liberation movement have been cherry-picked by white businesses.<br/> ><br/> > The BEE model has promoted competition among politicians for access to<br/> > institutional power and co-option by white business.<br/> ><br/> > This competition finds expression in political conflicts within the ANC<br/> > and the state.<br/> ><br/> > We are indeed on the wrong economic redistribution path.<br/> ><br/> > BEE has become a family affair.<br/> ><br/> > Children whose parents are not politicians will have to lift themselves<br/> > out of poverty by their own bootstraps.<br/> ><br/> > The youth's cynical acquiescence of ZEE may find concrete expression in<br/> > non-participation in political activism, including voting.<br/> ><br/> > After all, why vote if voting means empowering politicians to empower<br/> > their children.<br/> ><br/> > * *Masondo* is chairperson of the Young Communist League<br/> ><br/> ><br/> > - City Press<br/> ><br/> > *From:<br/> > http://www.citypress.co.za/Columnists/GuestColumnist/BEE-has-evolved-into-a-family-affair-ZEE-20100904*<br/> > * *<br/> ><br/> ><br/> ><br/> ><br/> > --<br/> > You are subscribed. 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This footer can help you.<br/> Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message.<br/> You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership.<br/> To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .<br/>
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