The premier Mr David Mabuza has called on the business sector in Mpumalanga to advise government on public investment in order to make wise decisions. Speaking at a business breakfast meeting on Wednesday in Secunda, he said it was important for this sector to advise on public investment as government was also using its money. The meeting was part of the programme, “taking the legislature to the people”.
He said businessmen cared less about official matters as they concentrated on running their affairs, whereas their input would assist government to invest public funds. “As you run your business, you should also stand up and advise the government on its public investment, as it is your money too. As a sector, you are also investing separately in the province. As government we are doing the same, therefore we are bound to talk – you must tell us how we should use your money,” said Mabuza.
He explained that as the country was celebrating 20 years of democracy, government should be commended for having created an environment conducive to business. He said there was stability and peace in the country as well as in Mpumalanga.
“With all our great achievements in the past 20 years, it does not mean that we do not have problems as a government, but regardless, we still have a future as a country and it is going to be bright. Those who are optimistic about the good future, simply have to support this government.”
Mabuza voiced his concern about “forgiveness and unity” and asked whether the citizens of South Africa were building the kind of a society in which all would enjoy their human rights as enshrined in the constitution.
He asked if South Africans had truly forgiven one another, or whether they were not continuing living in small silos in racial groups. He added that as South Africa was celebrating 20 years of democracy, citizens needed “to come out of their cocoons” and deal with the hatred they had for one another.
He said it was disturbing that, after 20 years of democracy, tribalism was still a big issue even in his administration, adding that people still referred to one another as “us and them”.
“We have not done well politically – racism still rears its ugly head, but guided by certain principles, this government has tried hard to ensure that this country belongs to all of us. We need one another and we have no choice but to live together. We must always be mindful of the fact that anything other than unity will definitely destroy our own country. Going forward, we want to see all groups uniting and building this beautiful country.
“The current government may have had its short comings, but we are still here and we have peace. Countries elsewhere envy the kind of a country we have built. There is no magic; we have done it as South Africans. Racism is a demon that threatens to destroy this beautiful country. This is our country, we must be proud of it. We must co-exist, respect one another, in that way we would confirm that we are a united rainbow nation,” said Mabuza.
He also challenged the women to utilise the resources availed by government to ensure that their co-operatives functioned properly. He was responding to a question posed by a businesswoman in the mining sector who said they lacked capacity building and government support. There were many financial institutions created by government to assist small business; however women in particular were not well organised.
“We are worried about them. We want to help them to be productive, but the sun is about to set and there is no indication of improvement,” he said.
He added that government had spent money teaching them how to run successful businesses, but each time it left them to survive on their own, the co-operatives collapsed.
“These financial institutions are not just going to give you money unconditionally. They will lend it to you so that you will work hard and pay it back. There is a wrong mentality out there that there is too much money in government and that it must be given away. How on earth are we going to move forward as a country if we do not repay our debts?
He told the meeting that he had received correspondence from a group of people who had borrowed money from the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency asking him to take an executive decision to “write off” their debt.
“We are very reckless if we do not want to teach ourselves how to manage our businesses. Maybe our focus is skewed, we cook the very chicken that must lay our eggs,” he said.
Responding to the taxi industry which complained about poor roads and that the provincial government did not partner with them as a sector. He conceded that certain roads were indeed terrible. He said the good story his provincial government was telling, was that the situation had improved – five per cent of the roads were in a poor sate.
“Our roads are better than yesterday. This government has built the state-of-the-art taxi ranks and that industry is paying nothing, not even for water or removing refuse. It is our view as a government you should not worry about many law enforcement agencies, but should concentrate on developing your industry and becoming real business people.
