‘ANC believes in state capitalism’

Cape Town - 101101 - DA Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry Tim Harris outside Cape Town Police Station in Buitenkant Street where he is about to lay a charge against Tony Yengeni - Photo: Matthew Jordaan

Cape Town - 101101 - DA Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry Tim Harris outside Cape Town Police Station in Buitenkant Street where he is about to lay a charge against Tony Yengeni - Photo: Matthew Jordaan

Published Nov 25, 2012

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The dominant faction of the ANC believes in state capitalism, Democratic Alliance MP Tim Harris said on Sunday.

“...The state acts as the dominant player, and uses markets for their own political gain,” he told delegates on the second day of the party's federal congress in Boksburg.

“This is the version of Malusi Gigaba and Ebrahim Patel's New Growth Path and the motivation behind the idea of a state mining company, a state bank and a state housing company.”

He said the DA's vision was for an open society.

“The DA would give more money and more power to the competition authorities than this government does,” said Harris.

The opposition wanted to break up the most monopolistic companies in the country.

“Yes we would break up parastatals like SAA, parts of Eskom, the SABC and Denel and distribute the shares to ordinary South Africans through the 2.5 million stokvels across the country.”

He said the DA had three main critics, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, Pallo Jordan, and Blade Nzimande.

“To Mr Gordhan I say: 'we have never promoted unfettered markets....' “To Mr Jordan I say: 'Shame on you for questioning the role Helen Suzman played as the lone opposition voice in the apartheid parliament.'

He said Nzimande had also squealed about how the DA was a party for whites.

“He's like the frog in the pot of water oblivious to the rising temperature. To Mr Nzimande, I say: 'Watch your back.” - Sapa

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