LETTER: Nyati’s views on empowerment rules are reckless

The Black Business Council (BBC) strongly condemns the irresponsible and reckless utterances purported to be those of Mteto Nyati regarding transformation and localisation. Mr Nyati is quoted in the Business Times as saying that to save Eskom, empowerment rules must go ("To save Eskom, empowerment must go", October 30).

The purported views deliberately omit to mention corruption that was committed by white-owned companies at Eskom, as highlighted by the Zondo commission. These purported utterances come just a few weeks after the board was reconstituted.

The BBC is of the view that the purported views, presumably mandated and on behalf of the Eskom board, are a deliberate diversion from achieving an electricity availability factor (EAF) of 75% and supplying South Africans with a reliable electricity, as well as decisively dealing with the incompetently proven CEO and COO of Eskom, who are not black and are therefore assumed to be competent.

The BBC expects responsible and patriotic South Africans, especially those who grew up under the cruel apartheid systems and are beneficiaries of our progressive employment equity legislation, to support and improve the economic transformation and localisation rules so that we can change the patterns of ownership and create local jobs in order to deal decisively with the record-breaking unemployment and grow the economy.

Mr Nyati’s purported views dismally fail to comprehend the basics of transformation, localisation, industrialisation and empowerment in that they project that blacks are done a favour in their own country, where they are in the majority.

The participation of black- and women-owned companies in the mainstream economy through public procurement legislation is key to socioeconomic justice and redress, as per section 217 of the constitution, and should be unapologetically implemented by the state and all its organs without any excuses. It is nonnegotiable. The role of the board is to monitor compliance and ensure that all current provisions of the constitution are implemented, not to encourage noncompliance.

The BBC has heeded the Eskom chair’s call that it be given space and time so that the board can conduct a thorough and proper analysis of the challenges at Eskom, and suddenly the board wants to do away with government policies and legislation, without following due process.

The BBC has requested an urgent meeting with the Eskom board to seek clarity on the interview and to understand whether Mr Nyati’s purported views represent the views of Eskom. A way forward will be determined after this important meeting.

Kganki Matabane
CEO, Black Business Council

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