Powerful Africans have vested interests in protecting an unjust economic system, while the young desire what it has to offer, influential businessman Don Mkhwanazi tells Sandile Memela.
Johannesburg - In a brief conversation over coffee with Bra Don Mkhwanazi at the Hyatt Hotel in Rosebank, I asked the predictable but uncomfortable question: Why have we failed to close the gap between black and white and, above all, failed to transform the unjust economic system? Capitalism promotes greed and selfishness.
This is mundane talk. Nothing revolutionary, methinks.
He smiles and immediately wipes away tears.
He looks me in the eye, asking, “Are you really asking me that?”
I guess everyone knows the answer except me. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Change is nothing but the death of that which was before. We have racial capitalism in South Africa.
Unfazed, I said, “Yes, yes. I want to understand an insider’s account.”
After all, Bra Don has been on first-name terms with all our presidents: Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.
He has served as an economic adviser to the governing party. He is a founding member of the Black Management Forum and sits on boards. He is credited with being founder of the Friends of Jacob Zuma lobby group that saw Thabo Mbeki being yanked from office.
Although he is semi-retired and manages his private interests, he remains a key strategic driver of radical economic transformation.
His passion is the upliftment and development of communities through entrepreneurial skills development and providing educational opportunities for the disadvantaged.
Chuckling, he tells it like it is: “There is not enough political will to ensure total economic liberation and thus change the injustice and inequality. Political power without economic power means little. For this to happen it needs a strong political will.
“The way things are now is that powerful and influential African people have become part of the system with vested interests.
“The pattern is for former ministers, deputies and other top officials to join more than 17 boards of companies and even serve as chairmen.”
Without pausing, he continues: “But how can you be effective when you sit on up to 17 boards? This is a white trick to keep Africans too busy to be making the desired radical change. They are running around like headless chickens trying to please white bosses and protect interests.
“The fact of the matter is you cannot serve on more than five boards and be effective. Most African board members are ineffective, mostly passengers.
“Africans are just too busy with what does not make a difference in the country. We have lost focus of what needs to be done.
“What can we say we have changed in the past 20 years, because even our Parliament is more colonial than African?
“Look at the courts, the education system, the languages spoken in the country and how everything, including business, is run. It is not an African approach.
“There is a revolving door now between government and business. Top government ministers and officials now have high stakes in the system.
“They must protect the system as they have a lot to lose. In most instances we can say there is absolutely no value in Africans sitting on those boards except to keep the system intact.”
I am somewhat frozen by this brutal honesty and look at him. They say the truth hurts. I try to swallow the lump in my throat.
He continues: “What makes matters worse is the inferiority complex and fear of white investors in this country. Foreign direct investment is used to blackmail South Africa and its leadership. Africans are so afraid of white power that you cannot believe they are in charge.
“Yet we went to Malaysia with Nelson Mandela and met President Mahatir (bin Mohamad) in 1997and saw how to effect genuine transformation.
“It was during my earlier trip in 1995, in the bundus of Malaysia, that I was sold the 2020 Vision by a passionate taxi driver about how a country should exist for its people and not to please foreign investors.”
Clearly this man realises his truth is too bitter, too anti-establishment. This knowledge and insight just kill patriotism. Or do they? It should ignite it the way he speaks.
A small voice in me says he is part of the problem. He should take responsibility for this mess, this compromise, if you like. After all, he has been there as a big player who influences decisions.
But he quickly corrects my thoughts when he states: “Mandela taught me that hope is life itself and life is hope. There is nothing that can be achieved without hope. Without hope nations die. Thank God our people have hope.”
But something has to give. People cannot live on hope alone. They have neither jobs nor food except crumbs that fall from the master’s table.
I put it to him: “From what you are saying, the present leadership has delivered political freedom but there is no economic emancipation. And without that there is no genuine freedom.
“What is the alternative?”
Again, he wipes tears from his eyes. I’m not sure if he is weeping for the betrayal of a broken people or has an eye problem.
He sits up straight and shoots with a smile: “There is leadership in this country. We also have far too many young and talented leaders all over the place. There are sophisticated and cosmopolitan people who know what needs to be done.
“But they are disconnected from history and desire to accumulate what the system has to offer. They want the best for themselves.”
He waves his hand and I follow what he points out.
“Look around, all five-star hotel lounges are full of young African men and women, the future of the country, who are looking for deals with the corporates that put profits above human value.
“This is the country in the next 50 years. Where will we be in 2044 with this attitude?
“The economic power relations are skewed unfavourably against Africans and cannot deliver equitably and equality.”
He is not asking me questions. The deal is that he must give the answers as he has so much insight.
I look back at him with a somewhat puzzled look in my face.
This is the meaning of a dream deferred, the beginning of the end. This is the death of the Struggle as we knew it.
It is no longer about selflessness and working to improve the lot of the poor. In fact, the poor must learn to fend for themselves. The sooner the better for them.
Bra Don has to teach me this when we have just celebrated the return of the remains of Struggle stalwarts Moses Kotane and JB Marks.
It is a bitter pill. They were outstanding revolutionaries who defined the vision of the Struggle and inspired giants like Mandela, Walter Sisulu and many others.
They are back now as bones. I wonder what has happened to their spirit.
I wish to cry out for someone to help. Bra Don is killing me softly with his hush sophisticated tone and insights.
But I should know all this, shouldn’t I? It has been an open secret for 20 years.
Something in me is dying but I have to hold on... to hope. Something in all of us has died. It is every dog for himself. Even God helps those who help themselves. This may include entering into a pact with the devil.
Bra Don’s words echo in my mind: “Our role now is to protect the interests of the economic system. There is a lot to lose if you don’t.”
So it is true that we have become part of the system we fought against. You cannot fight poverty, inequality and injustice without confronting the major causes. There are no effects without causes.
My head is spinning. Bra Don brings me back to sanity when he says: “You ask deep questions. One rarely engages in this type of conversation. There is a lot at stake.
“But this is inspiring and gives one hope. Remember Mandela said hope is life itself. Without hope a nation dies.
“Thanks so much, my brother. It was so refreshing and insightful to chat to you. When frustration sets in and one thinks of giving up, this kind of talk reminds us of the work that lies ahead.
“Remember, the future belongs to those who describe it, those who see it. We are the masters of our own fate.”
He offers to buy one for the road. But he does not drink any more. As for me, I am drunk with the bitter truth.
I thank him and promise to see him soon. We have to confront our reality. There are men willing to tell it like it is.
If we must die, let us know what is killing our dreams.
* Memela is spokesman for the ministry of arts and culture. He writes in his personal capacity
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
The Sunday Independent