Gordhan ‘accused BBC of trying to capture Treasury’ – report

The Black Business Council (BBC) has reportedly confirmed Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan accused the lobby group of trying to capture the National Treasury.

According to a Business Day report on Tuesday, the minister is said to have accused the BBC council of representing the interests of a single wealthy family, believed to be the Guptas, without divulging names at a tense meeting at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), as part of post-budget engagements with the business sector.

However, the business daily, reported that the meeting turned sour when the BBC criticised Gordhan over what it said was a national budget that fell short of President Jacob Zuma’s promise of radical economic transformation in his State of the Nation Address earlier this month in Parliament.

The council has reportedly agreed to meet Treasury to discuss the way forward.

Council general secretary George Sebulela confirmed Gordhan had made the accusation against the BCC but said their “disagreement” was over the meaning of radical economic transformation.

“We still stand on the position presented by the president on radical transformation. We raised those issues.

“Over the past two decades, the Treasury has failed to champion the cause of radical economic transformation,” the BBC said in a statement.

The BBC expressed concern there was no mention of practical programmes to implement radical transformation.

Business Unity SA (Busa), which was part of the meeting, is said to have welcomed Gordhan’s budget, saying it had touched on creating inclusive growth for all South Africans.

“We are pleased that the finance minister sees business as a key partner to unlock growth and grow small to medium enterprises to alleviate unemployment and inequity,” said Busa president Jabu Mabuza.

Former government spokesperson Mzwanele ‘Jimmy’ Manyi, who is part of the BBC, is reported to have said Busa and the council were “poles apart”.

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