Voorsitter,
Minister, under the stewardship of the ANC this country’s mineral resources have been plundered under the guise of transformation, productivity has become an afterthought and one of the greatest commodity super cycles was a non-event in our mining industry. This has happened all the while the workers and the country was paying the price for the enrichment of the few mining magnates and their BBBEE comrades.
Die politiek in Suid-Afrika het ‘n manier om mens nooit teleur te stel nie. Net as ‘n mens dink dit kan nie erger gaan nie, dan word jy uit die bloute verbaas deur ‘n minister of senior ANC-lid of een of ander ANC-familie konneksie. Dit is natuurlik die aard van die verhaal in die mynwese in ons land. Die rykes word ryker sonder dat hulle waarde toevoeg, behalwe dat hulle nuwe vriende bygekry het wat deure kan oopmaak. Die armes word armer. Die departement is geteister deur skandale en die grootste daarvan is natuurlik die geheimsinnige wyse waarop die Guptas se ICT maatskappy ‘n aandeelhouding verkry het in die mynregte van Kumba se Sishen-myn. Gelukkig het die grondwetlike hof teen die Guptas beslis.
However, just as you think the Guptas can’t sink any lower than the Kardashians, in comes Minister Zwane swinging the bat on behalf of the Gupta family. This time around it is not enough to merely issue a mining license or two in a mysterious manner, but the honourable Minister takes some personal time to accompany the Gupta family to Switzerland to persuade a company to sell its mine to the family. Now, I must admit. That is service for you. We in the opposition can never again complain that this government is not serious about business, but unfortunately it is that type of business that you regularly find just south of the Swiss border, you know, where the family likes to operate.
Dit bring my natuurlik by die operasionele gedeelte van die familie-besigheid. Die Guptas kom natuurlik nie as buitelanders in aanmerking vir swart ekonomiese bemagtiging-status nie, maar ons besigheidstelsel funksioneer so goed dat jy sommermeer ‘n bemagtingsvennoot gegee sal word – en nie sommer enige iemand nie, maar ‘n persoon met ware invloed: ja, die president se seun! En siedaar jy is skielik bemagtig. Ek moet sê die diensvlakke oorskry alle verwagtinge.
Maar dis nie al nie. Die beleggingspakket word net beter. Volgens die minister se bemagtingsvoorstelle sal jy in staat wees om al jou aandele te verkoop teen ‘n heerlike wins en kan dan weer kan aansoek doen om bemagtig te word en sodoende weer aandele en regte bekom teen ‘n appel en ‘n ei bloot omdat jy ‘n Gupta is en jou vennote hoë-vlak swart ANC-gekonnekteerdes is. Hierdie is waarlik die ware geskenk wat aanhou gee!
So minister, I have only one question I wish to ask: I wish to buy a mine in South Africa, but the seller needs some convincing. Will you join me on a trip to Liechtenstein to apply some pressure on the mine’s owner. It is for a good cause as it will create jobs. Or am I not Gupta enough for you?
Dankie Voorsitter.
;
