Johannesburg - South Africa’s state-owned enterprises were not in crisis, African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee policy subcommittee member Lindiwe Sisulu said on Monday.
“It is not true that the state-owned enterprises are in crisis. This matter was responded to by deputy president [Cyril Ramaphosa] in Parliament and he made a very important point that we have 700 state-owned enterprises, the ones that are in your face are probably in difficulty right now, but all that are functioning well are never mentioned,” Sisulu told journalists during the ruling party’s release of discussion documents of the upcoming National General Council (NGC) conference in October.
Sisulu cited state arms manufacturer Denel, which she said was doing well, but was left out when criticism was meted out.
“No one talks about Denel because it is doing so extraordinarily well. I think it is important that we do not mix up the numbers and take that which is in our faces as the norm… it is not the norm,” she clarified.
Parastatals such as power utility Eskom, national airline South African Airways (SAA), the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (PRASA), and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have been marred by mismanagement and financial losses in recent years.
Eskom has been unable to supply uninterrupted electricity due to plant maintenance issues and diesel shortages, which has had a knock on effect on South Africa’s struggling economy.
The discussion documents would be posted on the ANC website for everyone to access. The upcoming conference had been postponed previously, which the party said was due to conferences of sister organisations such as the ANC Women’s League and the ANC Youth League being organised.
The party’s NGC conference would be held between 9 and 12 October in Midrand, Johannesburg.
ANA