Publications
Partners
After threatening to contest the general elections, a fast-growing youth economic development organisation will now rally behind the ANC.
Formed in Mpumalanga about two years ago – and now boasting branches in Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Free State – the Practical Radical Economic Transformation of South Africa (Pret SA) came into prominence when it rallied support among Mpumalanga ANC branches for deputy president David Mabuza’s campaign at Nasrec in December to be in the ANC top six.
Mabuza had endorsed and backed Pret SA, and before vacating his position as Mpumalanga premier, he ensured the organisation signed a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government to unlock business and job opportunities for youth in both the public and private sectors.
Mabuza’s cosy relationship with Pret SA’s president, Themba Sigudla, rattled ANC branches in Mpumalanga, which branded the organisation as “Mabuza’s EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters]”.
ANC branch members have accused Pret SA of interference in ANC matters and taking over the party’s programmes.
However, some in Mpumalanga ANC structures have seen Pret SA as a solution to keep watch over the unemployed, who were disillusioned with the ANC, and ensure they do not take their vote to the EFF and other organisations.
“That’s the reason Mabuza supported Pret SA. He felt it was better to have the unemployed organised rather than have them on their own,” said an ANC member who is close to Mabuza.
Pret SA recently convened its first policy conference in Pretoria.
Sigudla said its differences with the Mpumalanga ANC, which almost led to a legal tussle over the government’s breach of the memorandum of agreement, has now been resolved.
“Some of our leaders were working with certain individuals in the ANC provincial executive to undermine Mabuza. It was not a collective decision to contest the elections, but these individuals wanted to bring about instability, such as in North West,” Sigudla said.
The organisation has, however, said it would still pursue legal action if the Mpumalanga department of economic development and tourism failed to implement the memorandum of agreement.
Departmental spokesperson, Thomas Msiza, said: “The matter is sub judice. We are not able to respond to your questions.”
Sigudla said Pret SA’s policies were aligned with those of the ANC, but accused the ANC of failing to create jobs.
“The ANC is failing to implement its own policies and create jobs, so the people on the ground will do so,” Sigudla said.
The Pret SA policy conference resolved:
• To act as an implementing agency for the resolutions of the ANC made during the 54th conference, such as the expropriation of land without compensation, the nationalisation of banks and radical economic transformation;
• That the construction of RDP houses, which are “denigrating to the dignity” of South Africans, must stop;
• That mortgage bonds for people who are on a salary scale between R4 000 and R18 000 a month should be scrapped, and they should instead qualify for housing loans to be serviced in less than six years;
• To ensure the poor have access to opportunities in the 717 state-owned entities (SOEs) in the country, which are collectively administering a budget of about R600 billion per annum;
• To force private sector companies, through the courts, to disclose their contributions to Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programmes, and unmask senior politicians who have become a buffer for transformation in private companies because they have been co-opted as active or silent partners; and
• That government, both at provincial and national level, should be a director, assessor and evaluator of CSI funds.
“Resources in the SOEs and the private sector deserve to be in the hands of the poor and the downtrodden. The contribution of CSI is bigger than the budget of the province and the country,” Sigudla said.
Sigudla said Pret SA would campaign for the ANC in next year’s elections, but he condemned the culture of gate-keeping and political killings within the organisation. He said Pret SA was aiming to enlist 15 million unemployed people throughout the country.
TALK TO US
Do you think Pret SA has real appeal for unemployed South Africans, and will succeed in gaining the support of 15 million unemployed people ahead of next year’s elections?
SMS us on 35697 using the keyword PRET and tell us what you think. Please include your name and province. SMSes cost R1.50
