There might well be surface-level overtures that cadre deployment will be changed. But at base, the party’s guiding ideology requires precisely such tools. It would no longer be the ANC if it abandoned cadre deployment at the first opportunity.
Chris Hattingh is Executive Director at the Centre For Risk Analysis (CRA). With a special focus on trade, investment, and economic matters, as well as foreign policy, Chris serves on the Executive Board of the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance, sits on the advisory council of the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity and holds the position of Senior Fellow at African Liberty. Chris holds an MPhil (Business Ethics) degree from Stellenbosch University. In his role at the CRA, Chris leads strategic engagements and briefings to clients across South Africa, as well as globally.
The governor was correct in highlighting that, in the context of inefficiencies and constraints that undermine and inhibit job creation, ‘pushing harder on monetary policy is like pushing the accelerator to the floor on a curvy, icy road over a mountain pass’.
Private investors are being asked to sink billions into locomotives, network maintenance and infrastructure upgrades, but Transnet has the ultimate say.
Mining and agriculture have been two of the few bright lights for the South African economy, but with the possibility of declining or at least somewhat lower commodity demand and prices, the country cannot hedge all its future growth on these areas.
The ongoing strike at Transnet has only exacerbated its problems. Poor planning, state capture and corruption had brought Transnet to its knees.
The 12-day strike by some 40,000 Transnet workers may have a lasting and undesirable impact on the country's ports. Most such facilities functioned at between 12 and 30% of daily capacity, with the mining sector losing around R1-billion a day.
Growth prospects have deteriorated across the continent, including for SA.
Patronage networks will not surrender their access to resources without a long, costly fight.