Open letter to Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) was taken aback by statements made by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber in its letter to the president, as reported by The Herald on June 17.
Business is not politics and politics is not business — and it is important not to blur or cross the line between the two.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber can express its commitment as much as it wishes, but it is not going to determine the political agenda of Nelson Mandela Bay.
It appears the chamber has made its public remarks and written to the president to win political points.
These actions raise questions about whether the chamber is a subsidiary of the DA, judging by the points it is raising, which were initially raised by the DA’s provincial leader, Nqaba Bhanga.
Have they now been reduced to being a mouthpiece of the DA?
The chamber should be careful not to [meddle] in political agendas and government affairs, with which it is not familiar.
SA is facing one of the biggest economic and social crises in its recent history and the chamber is looking to blame politics instead of proposing programmes that could be implemented to support the many businesses on the brink of closing down.
Is it sticking to its functions as the chamber or performing a political role?
Thousands of people are hungry and tens of thousands who’ve never experienced food shortages must now rely on receiving food parcels.
On a daily basis, we face those who are hungry and poor and certainly can’t be part of any business chamber.
On a daily basis, we are faced with those who have been retrenched.
The political leadership of this city faces rising levels of poverty and inequality daily, perpetuating the ongoing legacies of the apartheid regime. As politicians and activists, our task is to help our communities, which includes the business community — but not to the detriment of other communities.
We are not going to allow the chamber to dictate and lead the political agenda of this city.
We are therefore telling the chamber to back away from politics and focus on what it is supposed to be focusing on: assisting its members to navigate their way through this difficult period in partnership with local government and city society in general.
To blame the current crisis on politics alone is immature, irresponsible and unbecoming of the constructive role the chamber is meant to play in our city. If the chamber continues to [meddle] in politics, we will fight it until it stops pushing the apparent political agenda of the DA.
If the chamber isn’t capable of legitimately representing business — not political — concerns, then it should stop pretending to represent the Bay’s business sector and own up to what it appears to have become: a serious lobbyist with an agenda that has little to do with business and a lot to do with politics.