Now the drums will sound for Radical Economic Transformation from the Zuma administration, loudly, boldly, unashamedly and without distraction. What that means is that further efforts must be made by the majority of the polity, to provide the majority of society with the majority of the economy. Simple. This differs from affirmative action, which is a type of situational preference, and from broad based black economic empowerment, which is a type of organisational preference.

I haven’t skipped ahead to the next chapter of mind bending politiconomics, where ordinary economic principles are bent to the whims of the demand to pay off ordinary black people to tolerate and continue tolerating an african nationalist government that doesn’t do very much for them; therefore I don’t know what war cry will follow Radical Economic Transformation, which itself followed broad based black economic empowerment.

I have however identified a reality that bears mentioning. That being the tripartite alliance. Being composed of SACP, SANCO and COSATU. SACP being an ideological entity has a relationship with what represents the people where they live (SANCO), and has a relationship with what represents the people where they work (COSATU). This being predicated on that basic economic principles of households and labour in the market. Notice that the ANC has a relationship with the tripartite alliance, but is not itself a member of the tripartite alliance.

Given the outcome of #ANC54, it is difficult to say whether the tripartite alliance has seized control of the ANC, although for the purposes of effecting influence the tripartite alliance is certainly in the pound seats. Leading at various positions and with great aplomb, the tripartite alliance is loudly and proudly wysing its power.

Now the drums will sound for Radical Economic Transformation from the Ramaphosa administration, loudly, boldly, unashamedly and without distraction. The fact that there’s two different sources of the same drumbeat does not somehow make it less nonsensical. It’s very simple if the majority of households are black and the majority of labour being offered on the market is black, then the majority of the economy will be black.

Given that the ANC hasn’t solved the labour problem, with its sad version of free higher education, calling for Radical Economic Transformation without the enabling conditions for black labour is just a waste of time. Perhaps if the ANC spent less time pretending to be a member of the tripartite alliance, and more time developing a real solution to provide free higher and further education, Radical Economic Transformation would be possible.

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Avishkar Govender

Avishkar Govender is the Chief Political Officer of MicroGene.

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