Quinton Mtyala
ANC veteran and former MP Ben Turok has slammed the government and President Jacob Zuma for their management of South Africa’s economy, saying the country’s leaders could do more to encourage growth. Turok was speaking at the Cape Times Breakfast yesterday about his new book, The Changing Colour of Capital, which is a collection of essays on SA’s political economy.
He said Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu had reported that R26 billion of public funds were lost through “irregular spending”, but the government had earlier told students it did not have R3bn to make up a funding shortfall at South African universities.
While Zuma and the ANC insisted SA was not experiencing a crisis, the situation on the ground was akin to “turbulence, instability and social trauma”, according to Turok.
“The whole country is suffering from trauma, a series of upsetting experiences which cause great stress. I think that explains a great deal of what’s going on around us and its one of the reasons for the book,” said Turok.
He said this year’s protest by university students, which culminated in their march to the steps of the National Assembly on October 21, and disruptions by protesting Nehawu members at Parliament, was “unique and unexpected”.
Turok said the ANC and its leaders were under so much trauma and stress that their responses to protests from students, workers and communities were often irrational and inexplicable.
He said the appointments like those of SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni, who trained as a teacher, and suspended police commissioner Riah Phiyega, who is a qualified social worker, caused stress among subordinates and the public.
“Who appointed them? The media always attacks Ms Myeni, and says she is this and that and the other, but why don’t you ask ‘who put her there?’,” he said.
Turok said the paralysis, and the inability of the ANC to be decisive on the issues which plagued SA, impacted on the country’s confidence and this could cause stagnation.
@mtyala