Johannesburg - ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has launched a veiled attack on her own party for failing for almost five years to take over control of the country's economy, despite a 2012 conference decision.
Dlamini Zuma was addressing an ANC cadres assembly at the Wilberforce Community College in Evaton in the Vaal.
A number of ANC branches in that region endorsed her for the ANC presidency ahead of the elective conference in December.
Outlining her plans to expedite the involvement of black people in the economy, Dlamini Zuma said more than 50% of people were still living in poverty and the majority of them were still surviving on social grants.
“This is one big challenge we must confront. We are continuing to add to the army of unemployment in the country. It means more people are going to depend on social grants and they can't pay taxes. If people do not pay taxes, it means in the future the country would be unable to pay the social grants. We need to deal with this situation.”
Dlamini Zuma said South Africa is “an abnormal country whose economy is in the hands of few white people”.
“I mean (a) few white people not all white people. I mean, a few white males control every sector of the petroleum industry and other sectors like finance. It is a big challenge.
“It should be addressed and could only be addressed by the ANC. The economy of the country must reflect the demographics of the country.
“The majority of its citizens are outside the economy of their own country. In 2012, the ANC took a decision to implement radical economic transformation.
“This must be implemented in the way defined by the president (Jacob Zuma).”
She said all sectors, which form the core of the economy of South Africa like mines, banks, land should be “in favour of the majority of black people in the country”.
“We are not threatening anyone.
“It is what is supposed to happen. She also lamented “the lack of transformation in the financial sector”.