President Jacob Zuma has argued for radical economic transformation through fundamental change to the structure, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership, management and control of the economy. There was no better place to engage in such a debate than last week’s annual conference of the Black Business Council (BBC), hosted by the Industrial Development Corporation. I was eager to understand whether the BBC would take a view on these matters and radical economic transformation in the prevailing environment of state capture and corruption. The speaker line-up included ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize, who was well received and got a standing ovation at the end of his speech. He was preaching to the converted, though, since the ANC was the only political party invited, perhaps because it is in government.A more cynical view is that the BBC has been captured and repurposed in support of President Jacob Zuma — the organisation’s president was very quick to dismiss the notion th...

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