South Africa needs to urgently address issues such as black economic empowerment and land reform as well as invest in education to avoid going the way of Zimbabwe, said Mail & Guardian CEO Trevor Ncube on Friday.
Addressing the Black Management Forum (BMF) conference in Cape Town Ncube, a Zimbabwean, warned that South Africa must guard against repeating Zimbabwe’s mistakes.
”South Africa is currently in a honeymoon phase full of positiveness. But reality will sink in and it is important that the foundations should be set quite firmly when that happens,” he said.
He said that it was important that South Africa quickly afford good education to all people.
”You might not like Mugabe but there’s one thing you cannot take away from him — he invested in education. I get depressed when I hear of the 50-million South Africans who cannot be made productive. South Africa must do something now to make education available to all.”
With regards to black empowerment he said the country had to guard against promoting those with political connections rather than those with good ideas.
”You can empower someone who had political connections to you but will he be able to operate in the global arena? South Africa must empower those who are the best. Those who are independently minded.”
Ncube said that if issues around black empowerment were ignored it would be one of the first steps towards a Zimbabwe-like situation.
”If you delay black empowerment you are digging your own grave because that will create another Robert Mugabe.”
White South Africans had a responsibility to ensure that empowerment and land reform happened as fast as possible. In Zimbabwe whites and blacks all agreed that land reform was required but the method of returning land to blacks was problematic.
”There can be no excuses. If you delay dealing with this now it will create problems later.”
He also warned against turning a blind eye to corruption when it involved those who had taken part in the liberation struggle.
”There is a tendency to excuse things. In Zimbabwe Zanu-PF could do no wrong because they liberated us. We looked up at President Robert Mugabe because he liberated us. We forgot we liberated ourselves.”
While Ncube admired the ANC, Nelson Mandela and President Thabo Mbeki they were not as important as the institutions of government.
”What is important is the institution not the person. Today it might be a Nelson Mandela or a Thabo Mbeki. But we don’t know if there is going to be an Idi Amin or a Mugabe next week.”
He said there had to be a clear division between party affairs and political affairs.
”The ANC must not be confused with government. South Africa must create institutions not personalities. Look at Zimbabwe, Mugabe is hiring and firing judges. People do not want to go to court even for a divorce.”
He also urged that the freedom of the press be guarded. ”The media, no matter how violently you disagree with it, must be protected. During hard times you will miss it.”
The Zimbabwean government recently closed The Daily News and The Daily News on Sunday. Nine journalists from the Daily News were also charged.
With the closure of the independent press in Zimbabwe, debate had also been closed.
”South Africa can continue to be a land of milk and honey but there are challenges that need to be dealt with straight away,” Ncube said. ‒ Sapa