Stafano Forte addresses the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce in Centurion. (Photo: Elaine Krige/Maroela Media)
South African business people are going to have to pave their way to success and economic growth themselves, because the government is not going to help them. This includes making as much noise as possible about the ANC’s discriminatory practices so that the international community can see what is really going on in South Africa.
This was the message during a breakfast held by the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce in Centurion on Thursday. During the event, business people were among others addressed by Stafano Forte, president of the New York Young Republican Club in the USA.
“I know you Africans don’t complain easily. You build instead. But now is the time to complain productively. Our president (Donald Trump) has put the spotlight on your community and you now have everyone’s attention. You need to launch an effective information campaign as soon as possible to show the rest of the world what is really going on in South Africa.”
Forte and his colleagues are currently visiting South Africa with the aim of determining first hand the challenges white South Africans are facing. Among other things, the delegation will meet victims of farm attacks and also pay a visit to Orania.
Vlnr is Esma Kurtlu, Marina Fergusen, prof. André Duvenhage, Stafano Forte and Fergus Ferguson. (Photo: Gazzaroo)
Forte said on Thursday that the American government does not trust the ANC and that American businesses do not want to invest in South Africa, among other things because of the narrowing of property rights. “Your government is not interested in helping (white business people). You need to make a plan to get the message out to the right people in the US and we will be only too happy to help you.”
According to Forte, it is also necessary to send more delegations of Afrikaner leaders to the USA to engage in discussions with stakeholders there.
Prof. André Duvenhage, political expert attached to the North-West University, also said that the business sector in South Africa plays a very important role in bringing about constructive change in South Africa and finding a new way forward.
“We increasingly see the emergence of parallel or hybrid systems driven by private institutions and communities, where the state fails. The private sector has the opportunity to create order, security and stability, with or without the help of the state.”
He says South Africa is currently at a political crossroads similar to the end of apartheid.
“The difference is that our political leaders then knew there had to be a change. The government’s transformation policy is causing economic, political and social instability, but there is no indication that the ANC is going to stop this.”
Stafano Forte addresses the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce in Centurion. (Photo: Gazzaroo)
Fergus Ferguson, the president of the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce, says, however, that this does not help business people to become discouraged and negative about what is happening in South Africa. “We have to find a way around discriminatory policies such as black economic empowerment.”
