Business and politics do need each other

The ACDP has noted the recent discussion around business and politics, and whether the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has overreached in its core function by writing a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ideally, one should separate business and politics, and let the politicians do the politicking and the business people do business.

However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge that for the city to thrive, both of these spheres need each other to be fully functioning and operating at maximum capacity.

The vision of the business chamber, according to its website, is “being the voice of business”, to be achieved by “lobbying, advocacy championing, partnering with civil society coalitions and pressure where appropriate”.

In its letter to the president, the business chamber requested an intervention to prevent further job losses and to ensure that the municipality’s budget is tabled by a duly elected executive mayor to ensure compliance with legislation.

With unemployment set to skyrocket as a result of the national lockdown, this seems to be a sensible thing to want.

To me, this is merely business ensuring that business can continue as normally as possible in these abnormal pandemic times.

It shows that the business chamber has an understanding of local government and what the impact of not having a duly elected mayor and a council-adopted budget could have on business and this city at large, already reeling from three months of “lost” business.

Need the ACDP remind you that the National Treasury could withhold large portions of our grant funding if the city is found not to comply?

With Nelson Mandela Bay being as grant-dependent as it is, and with this not being the first (or, indeed, second) time that the National Treasury has indicated this, the ACDP would not want to poke the figurative bear too much if it were part of the ruling coalition.

Now, because the business chamber has raised concerns similar to those raised by opposition parties (ACDP, DA and COPE) in council, this does not mean in my view they are a “mouthpiece” for these political parties.

Both the opposition parties and the chamber raise some very real concerns.

These concerns have been acknowledged by the current coalition government in various articles in recent times.

No-one seems to be labelling their utterances of similar sentiments as being reduced to a mouthpiece of another party.

The interim mayor has been quoted in The Herald as saying: “There had not been a commotion when he oversaw the passing of the adjustment budget in February. There is no difference between the adjustment budget and a budget. Both speak to the funds of the municipality.”

On the mayoral vacancy, the interim mayor said, “As the government we agree it must be filled.” (“Business chamber asks Ramaphosa to step in”, The Herald, June 17).

The interim mayor is correct that, in theory, there is no difference between the approval process for an adjustment budget and a new financial year’s budget. However, in February, when trying to pass the adjustment budget, this city thought the appointment of an executive mayor would follow shortly.

Now, four months after the adjustment budget has been passed, and almost seven since the interim mayor took office on what was believed to be an “interim” basis, the current coalition government has failed to entertain talks of appointing a mayor, let alone putting an item for debate on a council agenda.

If there really was an agreement that this position would be filled, would we be waiting seven months for a debate and an appointment?

Councillor Marlon Daniels, the political head of economic development, tourism and agriculture (EDTA), said: “Business is not politics and politics is not business — and it is important not to blur or cross the line between the two.”

Councillor Daniels’ role as MMC for EDTA is to create economic opportunities for this city.

Perhaps business and politics have more in common than one thinks.

ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom, Nelson Mandela Bay