‘It is my time to eat’ – Barbara Hogan criticises ‘entitled’ ANC government

Former Public Enterprises Minister, Barbara Hogan has expressed concern that some leaders in government are focused on serving their own interests rather than addressing South Africa’s socio-economic challenges.

Hogan was speaking at the launch of the Ahmed Kathrada exhibition at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg on Sunday, which marked the anti-apartheid activist’s 93rd birthday.

She criticised the ANC-led government, saying many leaders lived in an entitled bubble and were only looking to enrich themselves.

“When you unable to discern what is happening in your society, how people are responding, you are [living] in a bubble, believing you are God and are entitled, and you will make the decision,” she said.

Hubris

Hogan, who was married to Kathrada, said she was baffled when ANC national executive committee (NEC) member, Tony Yengeni claimed that “he did not struggle to be poor”, describing the statement as “shocking”.

“[This is] the hubris that overtook our government. This government came in with this enormous wash of trust and hope.

“This government had everything and virtually everybody behind them, and yet we have shifted to hubris. We have shifted to a world where we are right, and everyone is wrong,” she said.

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“Along with that hubris, in terms of the values that we have, comes entitlement, ‘that it is my time to eat’.

“So, I will kill to be a councillor because ‘it is my time to eat’. I will kill to get a tender because ‘it’s my time to eat’. The interlocking of this power of hubris, where you do not need to care about people’s experience on the ground… together with a sense of entitlement, has been one of the most corroding values that have infiltrated our society,” Hogan added.

She further denounced the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy, saying it needs to be reassessed.

“I think we need to take a hard look at what is excluding black South Africans from participating in the economy, but we’ve got to get beyond the creation of a black middle class we’ve got to get to where the real need is now,” she said.

South African Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Edward Kieswetter shared Hogan’s sentiments, reflecting on the damage caused by state capture.

READ MORE: State Capture: ANC government’s gallery of shame

“In the past few years, I have had a ring-side seat of the devastation that took place during the years of state capture, where institutions like Sars, NPA [National Prosecuting Authority], the Hawks and other departments as well as critical SOEs became personal fiefdoms used to serve the corrupt intent instead of all South Africans’ interests. 

“I can attest that the damage of state capture is real and those in denial are either complicit or fighting the quest to deal with state capture,” said Kieswetter, who is a former board member at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

Some reports of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture detailed how the ANC allegedly benefitted from proceeds of corruption via donations, to influencing decisions and appointments made in government departments and  state-owned enterprises (SOEs), among other things.

The reports details how the ANC allegedly benefitted from proceeds of corruption via donations, to influencing decisions and appointments made in government departments and  state-owned enterprises (SOEs), among other things.

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