Moeletsi Mbeki is not one to mince his words

Moeletsi Mbeki is not one to mince his words. The straight-talking businessman was at his brutally honest best as guest speaker last week at a Chamber event, delivering an address that surely left many wondering how South Africa could stray so far off track.

It also left us pondering how best to set things right. 

Many of Mbeki’s key concerns align with our own, particularly in relation to the public service. The veteran commentator and businessman says Government’s bloated public service is a massive drain on the economy, one that partly explains why South Africa is lagging behind other developing nations in terms of growth and job-creation. Mbeki also shares the Chamber’s concerns about  anti-competitive economic policies, and how the country is losing out on investment opportunities due to capital flight: “The gap between the controllers of political power and controllers of capital is actually growing,” Mbeki cautioned.

The disconnect between Government and Business is rooted in the political dynamics of the ruling ANC, Mbeki says, with the Party apparently more concerned about appeasing its core voter base than growing the economy. He believes the priority given to black economic empowerment, at the expense of strategies supporting more sustainable growth, is another drag on the business environment.

Significantly, Mbeki also urged the private sector to be more outspoken regarding current challenges, and to actively seek solutions rather than watch from the sidelines. “It is for all of you to answer the question of Why aren’t you doing something about the situation? It is not for me to answer it, you have to answer it. You are the ones who are the casualties of this state of affairs,” Mbeki said.

We couldn’t agree more. 

Derryn Brigg
Deputy President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry