Is the ANC taking heed of Mboweni’s truth?

One of the curious things about some in the ANC leadership is that, 30 years after the fall of the Soviet Union – the greatest failure yet of Marxist-Leninist “scientific socialism” – many of them still cling to that outdated ideology.

Many of those screaming loudest for socialist-type policies are those who live fat capitalist-type lifestyles.

It should be comforting, in a way, that those espousing ideologies based on Marx and Lenin don’t actually believe in them enough to live them. However, the ideology is being deployed to suit the populist ends of politicians, who care little about the ordinary people they need to manipulate to stay in power or to grab power.

So, it is refreshing to see Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s public thoughts about the ruinous path down which some in the ANC seem determined to take us in the name of “radical economic transformation”.

Mboweni has criticised the ANC policy decision that the Reserve Bank should be nationalised, because he realises – as does the rest of the world, including ratings agencies and investors – that this would be a financially suicidal path to take.

He was criticised by the ANC – no doubt inspired by the faction plotting against President Cyril Ramaphosa – which accused him of ill-discipline. In response, although he didn’t name names, Mboweni clearly hit back at his comrades, pointing out that calling people ill-disciplined was “an old Stalinist way of politics”.

He said those clinging to such ways were in danger of becoming irrelevant and, he warned, “new political forces emerge and replace you”.

No doubt, his attackers will say he has been “bought” by “white monopoly capital” or is advancing a “neo-liberal” agenda.

We believe Mboweni is speaking the truth – but we wonder if the ANC is listening.

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