There is no question that under apartheid, certain companies had an unhealthy hold over the state. There’s also no debate that this influence grew with the advent of sanctions, leading to the emergence of de facto monopolies in business.Of course, it is also trite to say big business the world over tries to sway government policy to its advantage. In the US, for example, lobbying is part of a formal process, an accepted part of the free-market system. And while corruption is, of course, a universal phenomenon, laws exist to fight it and prevent the emergence of cartels.So it was disingenuous of President Jacob Zuma’s cronies, during last week’s no confidence motion, to try twist the debate on state capture into a fight about "white monopoly capital".Despite growing calls from within the ANC for its compromised leader to quit, the party predictably closed ranks to defeat the DA’s motion of no confidence in the president in parliament.In truth, it was a silly gambit by the DA, seeking...
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