Look at your mess, Pityana tells Zuma in 'real SONA'

Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma reversed the gains South Africa made from 2002 to 2007, when it saw the fastest economic growth in the black middle class, Sipho Pityana told the People's Assembly in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Speaking 100 metres away from where Zuma will give his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, Pityana told a packed St George’s Cathedral that Zuma must look at his mess.

“We can say, without fear of contradiction, that the period 2002-2007 saw the fastest growth in the black middle class, an economy that was beginning to reduce unemployment, an unprecedented economic growth of over 4.5%, a systematic reduction in poverty, a stable debt to GDP ratio, controlled inflation, a healthy balance of payment,” he said.

Pityana is the convenor of Save SA and chairperson of AngloGold Ashanti.

“We had a black economic empowerment strategy that saw the emergence of shining examples of new black business,” he said. “Yet, under your leadership, President Zuma, all these gains have been reversed. Look at your mess.

“Please don't invite us to your altar of fools by promising to do better,” he said. “All you have to offer us now is the word ‘radical’.”

Zuma has upped the ante on radical economic transformation in recent months, with hints that Treasury is blocking the path for multi-billion rand projects like the nuclear procurement programme to start.

Pityana said the “grip of state capture rips the soul out of state-owned companies, encourages gross financial mismanagement, and promotes unfettered looting”.

“It is getting even tighter as Zuma and his cronies line up the biggest tender-grab ever: the nuclear energy deal, which best epitomises the current phase of state capture.

READ: If Zuma gets hands on Treasury, it's game over for SA - Pityana

“We have to stop this. We have to harness our collective energy, as ordinary South Africans, as members of organisations, and as people with influence, before it is too late.
 
He told Zuma: “The real state of your nation (is that) it is being torn apart by nepotism, corruption and state capture. And you are at the centre of it all.

“You do nothing about the governance crisis, mismanagement and corruption in state-owned entities, which has become a major destabilising factor in the economy. When are you going to make good on the promises you made last year to restructure these institutions?

“You talk glibly about promised radical economic transformation through a black industrialist programme - and we expect you to do the same again tomorrow night. Yet the result of your work so far is that the richest black person is now Mr Ajay Gupta.

READ: Pityana: Dirty money at the centre of Zuma delaying Fica Bill

“Ultimately, day by day, your focus is on making sure that South Africa’s economic agenda serves your own personal interest, as well as those of your family members and your cronies.

“We must loudly reject looting, theft, corruption, the abuse of power, the contamination of state institutions, the distortion of the justice system for political gain, and the complete disrespect for our constitution.”

He then pointed to the example set by former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, who resigned following the public protector’s State of Capture report in late 2016.

“Shouldn't you be taking a leaf from Brian Molefe who resigned, as he put it, in the interest of Eskom, following the State of Capture report? Shouldn't you be resigning in the interest of the country? Or is it because you have no conscience?”