Karima Brown And Hajra Omarjee
4 December 2008
Johannesburg — AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) head of policy Jeff Radebe last night called on the black middle class to become "activists" to help the governing party usher in economic emancipation.
Addressing a forum of black professional organisations in Sandton, Radebe, who is also transport minister, went after the ANC breakaway party, the Congress of the People (COPE), saying those who were campaigning against black economic empowerment and affirmative action needed to go back and "read the history" of the liberation struggle.
Recently, COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota said affirmative action had to be deracialised.
Radebe also moved to reassure black professionals about the "consistency" of ANC economic policy development. He said policy processes were democratic and transparent.
This was in response to concerns that ANC leaders were often sending mixed messages on what would be retained and what would be changed at economic policy level.
The ANC's well-clad and wellheeled turned out at the function in droves to talk economic policy with a host of black professional organisations spanning accounting, legal, engineering and entrepreneurial associations.
Among the crowd were ANC national executive committee members Tony Yengeni, Ayanda Dlodlo, Ngoako Ramatlhodi and Nomvula Mokonyane.
Gauteng's premier and ANC chairman in the province Paul Mashatile also put in a showing.
Mashatile was flanked by Radebe and President Kgalema Motlanthe, who is also the ANC's deputy president.
Radebe also took a swipe at COPE for not having yet presented its policy positions days before it launches the party and its electoral challenge on December 16.
Radebe said the ANC had enjoyed a long history with black professionals and that they had a home in the party -- another dig at insinuations that the ANC was not ready to hold on to its middle class constituency.
Radebe said the black middle class was linked to poor South Africans because they shared the same concerns around issues such as education and support for small business.
The ANC's Gauteng province has been at the forefront of mobilising the black middle class following allegations that the party was turning away educated and middle class blacks.
The gathering was organised by the ANC's Sandton branch. Many ANC bigwigs, especially those in business, are members of the branch. COPE leader Smuts Ngonyama was an active member before he jumped ship.
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