Black Economic Empowerment is empowering the chosen few. Yet the government is insistent on keeping the BEE as a vehicle to empower the majority of people of this country, says the writer.
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More than 30 years of our hard earned democracy, blacks continue to talk about White Monopoly Capital. Yet they are politically liberated. So, when are they going to talk about Black Monopoly Capital? Will they ever talk about it?
Only time will tell.It's a pity that blacks continue to blame whites for their economic woes. But they don't seem to have a solid plan to empower themselves economically. I envisage a situation where after 60 years of our democracy, they will still be economically disempowered. I pray for the opposite to happen.
The Somalis and Pakistanis have been in South Africa for less than 15 years. And they are dominating the township economy. Yet they don't have political power. Big retailers such as Checkers and Spar are competing with the above mentioned nationalities in as far as the township economy is concerned, but are not winning.
Whites (Afrikaners in particular) are a minority in this country. Yet the economy of the country remains in their hands. They have built a university in Centurion for their children. The university also has branches in Pretoria and Cape Town.
This the proud legacy they will leave for their kids. Clearly, the democratic government has failed to empower blacks economically. Black Economic Empowerment is empowering the chosen few. Yet the government is insistent on keeping the BEE as a vehicle to empower the majority of people of this country.
Who is fooling who? The truth is, black citizens are also responsible for their own empowerment. They do no longer have the liberty and luxury of blaming the government (which has failed dismally) for their economic misfortunes.
Therefore, taking responsibility is the first step to economic liberation. Problem is blacks work in isolation. With this practice, they will never achieve anything. It is time the black nation unite and focus on economic empowerment and liberation as a unit.
There is no Messiah coming to save them. They are their own liberators. The ball is in their own court.
Thabile Mange, Kagiso