DURBAN: Premier Willies Mchunu has lamented the lack of social cohesion in KwaZulu-Natal and has made a passionate plea for businesses to join the government in fighting the scourge.
“Recent studies and consultation processes that have been undertaken in our province have confirmed that economic marginalisation and exclusion are some of the leading factors to rising tensions and outright conflict between different sections of society. That’s a reality,” Mchunu said.
“As people scramble to try and eke out a living they angle those who have and they will start disrupting to achieve the same status.
“We are not condoning it, but we are saying let’s all work together to address it. How can we close that gap?”
He said the government alone would fail. “And we will tell you that it is only because of your absence from the equation,” he said.
The underlying tensions had the potential to become extremely disruptive and would undo the province’s gains over the years, Mchunu cautioned.
He was speaking during a breakfast hosted by the KZN Growth Coalition at the Coastlands Hotel in uMhlanga, where he was flanked by Economic Development MEC Sihle Zikalala.
Zikalala, who also leads government business in the province, urged big business to open space for emerging entrepreneurs.
“Big businesses are closing space for emerging businesses, that’s why the government is not backing down on its radical transformation programme,” he said.
Zikalala and Mchunu also used the breakfast to allay fears of political instability amid the current leadership being taken to court over the legitimacy of the provincial elective conference that ousted former chairperson Senzo Mchunu.
Mchunu assured the captains of industry there would be a smooth transition, even if the court ruled against the current leadership. The matter was heard in the high court this week and judgment was reserved.
The newly appointed president of the Durban Chamber of Commerce, Musa Makhunga, said: “Each one of us has a role to play to make sure that we become the honest broker in dealing with this matter. We need not shy away from these issues because if you do then you’re not going to be able to find solutions.”
Makhunga said the tendency of shutting down people who raised issues was not helpful.
Ebrahim Patel, the president of the Minara Chamber of Commerce, said business involvement was important.
Asked what big business could do to curb racial tensions, Patel said: “I think we need to look at ways and means in which business can support emerging entrepreneurship so that we address the issue of unemployment in various parts of our province.
“We must look at diversifying the investment that takes place in moving growth not just in urban areas but to peri-urban areas.”
The co-chairperson of the KZN Growth Coalition, Moses Tembe, said there were opportunities despite the challenges. “South Africa shall rise to the occasion and KZN will be a model province if we all put our hands as social partners on the deck.”
Speakers agreed that doors should be opened for the previously disadvantaged. However, they warned that disruption of business would not be tolerated because it affected development.
The Delangokubona business forum has been on a rampage, stopping various developments in the eThekwini region. It demanded to be included in the projects.
Construction companies have turned to the courts for protection.
ANC national treasurer- general Zweli Mkhize warned against pointing fingers at one race group, saying it was a recipe for disaster.
“Once you start saying all Indians are like that and all whites are like that, you are running into a very dangerous situation which is not in keeping with the spirit in what we are trying to achieve.”
EFF leader Julius Malema recently told his supporters during his party’s fourth anniversary in Durban that some Indians had a monopoly in the KZN economy and exploited African workers.