The African National Congress is serious with its undertaking to root out corruption, Mathews Phosa, businessman and ANC national executive member, said on Friday night.
Phosa was speaking to minority groups in Bloemfontein at a function organised by the ANC in the Free State.
”Our new lists of candidates are proof that we took note of complaints about self-enrichment and incompetence,” he said.
Phosa said the ANC acknowledges that municipalities and other institutions have not delivered what is expected from them, but the party is doing its best to improve service delivery.
”Some have even done better,” he said.
Speaking on the role of minorities in the current democratic political system in the country, Phosa said it is important that minorities support certain principles that underline the new dispensation. ”If they do not support all of these principles, there is a big problem in the country.”
On transparent governance, one of the principles, Phosa said: ”People must feel their voices mean something when they give input to governance, the economy and education.”
He said minorities can bring a balance into the debate regarding languages.
”Afrikaans should not feel threatened. Go to any farm in the Free State and you will find black people speaking Afrikaans as if it was their mother language.”
In regard to business, Phosa said most of South Africa’s skills and know-how reside with white people.
”They can help grow and develop black entrepreneurs, create jobs and grow the economy.
”There is no one group in South Africa that can grow the economy alone.”
Phosa is also ”firmly” opposed to the importation of ”foreign labour” and ”skills” to fill critical posts in the country. ”However, if we want to import labour and skills, let’s bring our own back.
”Get them back home. If we made mistakes in transformation, we must correct them as we go along.”
Turning to black economic empowerment (BEE), Phosa said it should not be seen as a threat.
”Help us make BEE work and at the same time create opportunities for white and other entrepreneurs to safeguard their interests through partnerships that create value for white and black people,” he said. — Sapa