THE MADNESS BEHIND THE BEE CONCEPT.

TURNING BACK THE CLOCK MIGHT BE THE SOLUTIONS TO SOUTH AFRICA´s PROBLEMS.

As we mark the death of protesters marching for their cause in the "New South Africa" and  the blame game continues amongst the vested shareholding interests of the "nouveau rich";  it´s time to refocus the spotlight on the almighty empowered and BEE concept.

As THE MEN FROM MARIKANA make their short walk to freedom, and a pressurised Jeff Radebe begins the process of finding a scapegoat, we have to exam another catalyst in this corrupt and corrupting animal called the ANC. That is the old guard, remnants of the previous apartheid government who remained in key positions in government departments and now produce the finishing touches (pieces of paper) to perpetrate the continuity of mining grabs.

According to WIKIPEDIA
"Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a programme launched by the South African government to redress the inequalities of Apartheid by giving previously disadvantaged groups (black Africans, Coloureds, Indians and some Chinese)^[1] of South African citizens economic privileges previously not available to them. It includes measures such as Employment Preference, skills development, ownership, management, socioeconomic development, and preferential procurement." 

We are not sure why this landmark categorisation of asset class would include "some" Chinese".  What criteria was used to include which "Chinese". 

Then according to the above text it would include the son of the Spaza Shop owner, if indeed he was so disadvantaged. But owning and mining company in the 80´s in South Africa and studying a law degree is hardly disadvantaged.

It is time to revisit the country and the lucrative BEE concept. As the son of the Spaza Shop owner Patrice Motsepe had become super wealthy as well as his super wealthy sister Bridgette Radebe, (Jeff Radebe´s spouse) who at the age of 28yrs or so, was running some kind of mining operation within an apartheid government! At that time, most white people could not run such an operation without having serious connections in the corrupt apartheid government, so her achievements are lacking in footnotes.

So how did these people become super wealthy super quick, when scions like Donald Trump and Matha Stewart spent decades building their empires, Patrice and his sister Bridgette managed to do so in a space of a decade and a half.

Bridgette Radebe  also participated in the design of the South African Mining Charter and present mining legislation. In most democratic countries that would be considered a conflict of interest due to her and her brothers downstream benefits. So why is she absent, being a leading light, from all  the goings on at Marikana?  Why not revisit the Mining Charter to actually rate the transformation process so far (including her contribution to local communities on whose land she has mining stakes in?)

Ever wondered if Brigette Radebe´s mining companies needed a BEE component? How could her company itself become a BEE entity, since it was no longer disadvantaged! I mention this as I have not seen one rags to riches story in recent times after the BEE concept was deployed.

If the BEE concept was never implemented would the historically disadvantaged people be any worse off? If the BEE concept was for (HDSA´s) allowing them an opportunity to build a company or a mining company how come there are no new success stories outside a handful of selected and connected people.

What about the land claimants with minerals underlying their properties, would they not automatically be the natural choice in the immediate mining area. Why would a wealthy BEE some five hundred kilometers away have rights over another land owners area? If so, what is the BEE´s direct obligation to ensure development in the community and region.

What was the purpose of the BEE concept, when clearly it had nothing to do with rural upliftment or social and labour obligations. All it has done, is make it uneconomical for investors.

 Many investors are looking at projects where they take 100% ownership and pay their taxes directly to the governments which is then responsible and accountable for redistribution of these proceeds.
This way the assets get developed properly or they get resold to another commercial investor.

It is time to scrap the BEE concept and let business opportunities be available transparently and not via a third party broker (such as BEEs). If not, there will never be any up and coming Martha Stewart´s or Donald Trumps in the New South Africa.

How do these BEE´s justify their new found wealth, while their comrades are still living in squalor rummaging in the garbage.  If this is what the struggle was for....we have all been conned.

 Even the bishop had us fooled, since we have discovered he has substituted his bishops clothing for ANC colours and is now attacking the very politicians who took up his cause.

If Aung San Suu Kyi received a Nobel Peace prize for exposing ongoing corruption in the Burmese Government.  Nelson Mandela won his peace prize for his LONG WALK TO FREEDOM. What can  "THE MEN FROM MARIKANA" expect for their bravery while demanding a better life for themselves, their families and their colleagues. 

We can also commend the women, the mothers, the daughters "South Africa´s on Pussy Protesters"  who rose up against the new regime in of support of their men, their sons and their fathers with their messages written on the cardboard boxes which they probably found on the garbage heap.


Written by: Ginny King.