Submission of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) and Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) to the SACP-convened National Imbizo, 19-20 May 2017, Boksburg.
Organised business (represented by BUSA and BLSA) would like to propose the following resolutions for the SACP Imbizo to consider:
Business stands for a South Africa where:
- The Constitution is the foundation of our society, polity and economy; a society where the Constitution is respected, our state and Chapter 9 institutions are independent from external influence, and the rule of law is respected and prevails.
- The state is strong and capable.
- Acknowledgment that an inclusive economy can only be built on the foundation of a thriving business sector. You can’t be “pro-poor and anti-business”.
- We are not party political, we are not anti-ANC, we are not interested in regime change, or internal ANC factional battles. Business requires political stability, and this requires a strong ANC and Alliance.
- We are patriots and are ready and willing to play our role in building the progressive vision for the country envisaged in the Constitution.
- We can only achieve South Africa’s potential if the state, business, labour and civil society work hand-in-hand.
1. We note with grave concern that:
a. Our country and democracy have been put up for sale;
b. A “Shadow State” serving the interests of a small kleptocratic elite is in the advanced stages of the systematic capture of our “Democratic State”;
c. Our democratic state institutions at all levels have been hollowed;
d. The Constitution is continuously being subverted;
e. Our economy is stagnating and we risk decline, with devastating social consequences.
f. Our economy excludes millions of South Africans who can’t find work, the level of inequality is unacceptably high, many of our people live in abject poverty and we have not succeeded in deracialising our economy.
2. Business would support a resolution that, we:
a. Reject what is happening to our democracy and not to allow the present situation to become “the new normal”.
b. Mobilise a broad civil society alliance against State Capture;
c. Call for the immediate appointment of a credible, independent judicial enquiry into all aspects of the State of Capture Report;
d. No further work is done with respect to the nuclear programme until there is an updated, least-cost IRP16 which is affordable and broadly accepted by all stakeholders;
e. Call for the dissolution of the Eskom Board, the appointment of a new credible, respected and non-partisan board led by an experienced chairperson, and the appointment of a new CEO and executive management. Although Eskom is the top priority, this process must be quickly followed by resolving the governance, management and financial challenges of SAA, Denel and the SABC.
f. Seek an agreement on how SA can achieve sustained levels of higher economic growth whilst distributing the benefits amongst all South Africans, as quickly as possible eradicating unemployment, poverty and racial and gender income inequality.
Organised business has resolved that it is not the place of business to call on the President to resign. That is a matter for the ANC and its Alliance partners and for Parliament.
ENDS
Issued by the SACP, 20 May 2017
