Business associations and related organisations have been living off embattled state-owned enterprises through sponsorships, service costs and membership fees, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown admitted to Parliament. In a written reply to questions, Brown said Transnet alone had made payments amounting to R4.6m to the Black Management Forum (BMF), the Black Business Council (BBC), Business Unity SA and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Department of Trade and Industry paid out R7m in sponsorship and fees. Overall, state departments forked out R14m to similar organisations via sponsorships. The chamber of commerce and industry, the BMF and the BBC each receive at least R1m from government departments and entities for membership fees, events and sponsorship. The majority of the state-owned entities are struggling with viability and have to ask the government for bailouts. Brown said payments to the chamber of commerce and industry by Transnet over the last...

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