Justice Malala in his Monday Morning Matters' column (Zuma sells his soul for Mugabe), I find him wanting on some facts, but I am more interested in his take on indigenisation policy enacted in the previous week by the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe.
The indigenisation of the Zimbabwe economy is very important and perhaps one of the most progressive legislations ever enacted in the land of their ancestors. Many Zimbabweans continue to live below the poverty line while multinationals profit from their misery.
You have to look no further than South Africa to see how inequality of the haves and the have-nots is bringing this country to its knees to understand that we cannot continue to live in a country that protects a few hundreds at the expense of millions to understand the impact of this legislation.
BEE, a measure for economic redress but now just cheap government dressing, has backfired on its implementers as many non-Africans have found ways of dressing up their domestics and illiterates as majority shareholders so that they can profit from state-issued tenders and work. Our crime levels are out of order and have been rampant to the extent that it is now a matter of when and not why you have become a victim of an aggressive crime.
We have the highest gini-coefficient in the world and it will not stop until we take a hard step and stance to reverse this. EE has no bearing in changing work opportunities for the majority of under-skilled, under-employed and under-paid Africans in the private and public space. The majority of organisation still lack true transformation and the mooted "name and shame" stunt by Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana has failed to scare companies to comply.
Sometimes to be good, you have to be bad. The Zimbabwe's Indigenisation policy as enacted in 2008 aims to give 51% of companies shares to the indigenous people of Zimbabwe, is therefore another one of the fundamental methods of redress and is something I would support if it were to happen in South Africa. It will serve no purpose for me to delve into history to justify the reasons, but the present situations cannot be left to its own devices.
Markets and their captains continue to pay lip service towards de-racialisation of the economy but most of it finds its way to the back pockets of politicians, their families and a few enclaves of connected people.
Everyone knows that the pillars of every democratic system are: 1) Land for the people 2). Economic participation by all 3) A vibrant private sector and 4) A functional, independent judiciary. I truly hope this act would be followed to the letter and that the people of Zimbabwe would receive the greatest benefit.
Mugabe is not a friend of mine and I am not his apologist, but I believe that with the land redistribution and now with the indigenisation of the economy he has hit the sweet spot, while Tsvangirai continues to dither with no alternatives for the Zimbabwean populace.
I wouldn't be too surprised if Zanu-PF decimates MDC in the next election as the octogenarian has positioned himself and his party for a fresh mandate from the people!
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Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.