South African politicians, activists and business people have voiced their views about State Capture and corruption within the government, just weeks ahead of the ANC Elective Conference. In a televised debate, Ann Bernstein, who heads the Centre for Development and Enterprise South Africa, says well established white businesses have accepted responsibility for the negative effects of apartheid on the country and black people. She says focus should rather be placed on moving forward.
“We are 23 years into a democracy, I’m interested in how we move forward and deal with poverty today. But we can’t deal with poverty withouth acknowledging that the people who benefited have not done their bit to transform our society. Big mining companies benefited greatly under apartheid, they did pay their taxes by the way which is more than what we can say for some other people. I think established businesses went to the Truth Commission and a lot of them apologised for what they have done,” she said.
However, businessman and head of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie, strongly criticised Bernstein’s statement, saying she is in no position to urge black people to move on from apartheid.
” Ann you are Jewish, you are a Jew. You cannot come here and say to us black people we must move on if you are still celebrating the holocaust every year. How will you feel if I tell Jewish people they must move on? So you must desist and refrain from telling black people to move on from today on. I want to make it very clear to you.”
Watch video below:
