The 384 page document entitled ‘Maximising the developmental impact of the people’s mineral assets: State intervention in the minerals sector’ will inform discussions at the ANC Policy Conference scheduled for 26 – 29 June 2012 in Mangaung.

The detailed content of the report is now expected to be closely studied by ANC branch structures, political parties, the mining sector, investors, economic and political analysts – especially since it is likely to provide greater certainty and clarity into the future policy trajectory of the ruling African National Congress and government of the day on mine nationalisation.

Download the full report and executive summary here:

ANC Nationalisation Study Exec Summary

ANC Nationalisation Study Main Report

A review and analysis, recalling the values of Dullah Omar

By Abdul Waheed Patel, Managing Director – ETHICORE Consulting and Advisory Solutions

On Thursday 16 February 2012, Former President of the Republic of South Africa and of the African National Congress – Thabo Mbeki, delivered the 8th Annual Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture hosted by the University of the Western Cape’s Community Law Centre, in tribute to the late Abdullah (‘Dullah’) Mohammed Omar. (*See the speech attached at the end of this blog post).

Themed “Reflections on peace-making, state-sovereignty and democratic governance in Africa”, the topic of the lecture was appropriately termed as a fitting tribute to the humanitarian, democratic, non-racial and peace seeking values and ethos Mr. Omar has widely recognised to have espoused throughout his life as an anti-apartheid activists, human rights lawyer, attorney and advocate, and as the steward of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in post-apartheid democratic South Africa.

The context of the speech was also timely in the aftermath of ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings, the resolution of conflict, hostilities and peace-building in central and east Africa. As the architect of the ‘African Renaissance’ and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), as well as the African Union appointed mediator and facilitator in numerous African conflict and post-conflict states (including most recently in Sudan which gave birth to Africa’s youngest country in the form of South Sudan), former President Mbeki is better placed than most to have delivered the topic of the 8th Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture through both a historical and contemporary ge0-political and economic lens, within the context of the values and ethos of Mr. Omar – having served with alongside Mr. Omar in the cabinet of three successive democratic governments, the African National Congress and the anti-apartheid struggle.

This was vintage Mr Mbeki in action – undoubtedly still one of the brightest minds on the African continent (apolitically speaking). The occasion of the speech was a rare opportunity to ‘access’ this intellectual prowess, now even formidable in my view because of his ability to retrospectively reflect on and draw on his wealth of experience as deputy head and head of party and state, as well as international diplomat and negotiator.

Foregrounding his speech against the backdrop of Dullah Omar’s widely recognised selfless spirit, Mr. Mbeki recalled his words to the first official memorial ceremony in honour of Mr. Omar following his death in March 2004. Quoting his speech on that occasion, Mr. Mbeki rcalled:

” We should speak of what it is that makes us to value Dullah Omar as we do, as an outstanding comrade and African, who belongs among the galaxy of stars that point our way to a better future…We owe it to him and others who dedicated themselves to serve the people of South Africa, ready to lay down their lives, to ensure that we eradicate poverty and underdevelopment, racism and sexism in our country, realise the renewal of Africa, and contribute to the construction of a new world order of equality among the peoples and a shared prosperity. To achieve these objectives we need the quiet courage of a Dullah Omar, without seeking fame and acclaim. We need the steadfast attachment to principle of a Dullah Omar, without expectation of personal reward. We require the unwavering focus on the interests and aspirations of the masses of the people of a Dullah Omar. We must cultivate the use of our minds and skills to advance the interests of the people as did Dullah Omar, rather than our selfish desires.”

Making the linkage with these same selfless principles as well as the lack thereof, Mr. Mbeki went on to historically, poetically and philosophically analyse the failure of African governments and governance institutions, both former and current, to successfully resolve conflict, build peace, entrench democracy and maintain their sovereignty without succumbing to powerful vested economic, political, military and imperial interests, drawing poignant empirical analogies to the hostilities and conflicts in Libya and more recently Syria. In so doing, Mr. Mbeki outlined a sobering and rare insight into the chronology of events, systemic manipulation and strategic reinterpretation of international and multilateral arrangements that brought down the Gaddafi regime, in pursuit of particular economic and political interests. Essentially this entailed explaining, clarifying and outright negating the perception that African leaders had opposed the United Nations Security Council attempt for regime change in Libya, because Gaddafi had effectively ‘bought’ the loyalty of African leaders. Instead, Mr. Mbeki explained how the rules of the UN multilateral systems had been systematically, deliberately and conveniently manipulated by powerful nations of the ‘West’ to provide NATO with the ability to empower the opposition National Transitional Council in a military campaign to overthrow the Gaddafi regime. Mr. Mbeki provided a vivid account of how the Western media has and continues to portray the unfolding of events and hostilities in Libya with a degree of inaccuracy and lack of critical examination, that denies these realities, quoting verified sources from the United States Defence Force as being unable to confirm that the Gaddafi regime was using its (the Gaddafi regime) air force to massacre civilians.

Mr. Mbeki went on to draw the all-important conclusion that for African leaders and governments to be successful and effective in building and maintaining peace, state sovereignty and democratic governance in their countries and on the African continent, they fundamentally need to remain loyal to the ordinary people of their countries, the continent and the world, saying that:

“To be part of that ‘great brotherhood’, and indeed sisterhood, surely means that we must conduct ourselves as Dullah Omar did, and remain loyal, in word and deed, to the objectives which inspired him throughout his life, to serve the ordinary people of our country, of Africa and the world. Dullah understood the intimate relationship between, and fought for the realisation of the integration through our efforts as Africans, of the objectives of democratic rule in Africa, the construction of sovereign developmental African states committed to serve especially the interests of the poor, and the achievement of peace among the Africans, regardless of race, colour, gender, religion and historical origin. I know that Dullah Omar shared with the Afrikaner youth I met 14 years ago, the vision that – ‘Yesterday is a foreign country – tomorrow belongs to us!’ As his movement, and ours, the African National Congress, celebrates its Centenary, and honours the memory of Dullah Omar, it will have to ask itself the simple yet challenging question – does it, as it advances into its second century, remain loyal, still, to the dream to whose realisation Dullah Omar dedicated his life, up to his last day on earth, as a committed and unwavering Pan-African revolutionary democrat, ever-faithful to the clarion call that was made by the 1st Pan African Congress, 112 years ago?”

In vintage style as we had become accustomed to witnessing of Mr. Mbeki during his term in public office, he quoted and referenced both the Irish poet William Butler Yeats and the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe’s poems “Things Fall Apart”, to describe the resultant effect when the essential elements referred to above are absent and forgotten by leaders of states. Mr. Mbeki then went on to describe the importance of the African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance as a framework to be fundamentally and deeply understood, and uncompromisingly subscribed to and implemented by all African leaders and peoples to be able to:

• reinforce democracy and respect for human rights;
• develop our own capacity to resolve conflicts;
• defend the right to self-determination;
• structure individual and collection global relations; and
• rely on the resources and cooperation of African states to strengthen regional and continental organs.

It is not often these days that we are afforded with the regular opportunity of ‘accessing’ and tapping into the intellectual thought leadership of Mr. Mbeki since he has left public office. Its rare. Yet he portrays an even wiser character, sharper insight and somewhat more imposing statesman figure. This was a rare glimpse of a former statesman (yet as statesmanly and commanding in presence as ever) comfortably and graciously easing his way into the mould of elder, wise statesman.

Mr. Mbeki’s contribution was a fitting tribute to Mr. Omar and a stark reminder of how much more still remains to be done to entrench a society of non-racialism, equality, justice, fairness, good governance and self-less public purpose, the ideals of a society which Mr. Omar so dearly cherished, stood and fought for as his life’s purpose.

Note:

The Annual Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture is hosted by the Community Law Centre of the Western Cape to honour the late Abdullah Mohamed Omar as a fighter for human rights and democracy, as the driving force behind the establishment of the centre as a centre of research and advocacy on human rights and democracy. In 1990 he became the director of the Centre. Under his leadership, the Centre became a major contributor to policy formulation for South Africa’s democratic constitutional order. Mr. Omar was an anti-apartheid human rights lawyer who provided legal counsel to trade unions, people victimised by apartheid laws, political prisoners, civic and religious organisations. At the height apartheid, he played a key role in the formation of the United Democratic Front. With the normalisation of politics in 1990, he became the Chairperson of the African National Congress in the Western Cape and participated in negotiations for the new democratic Constitutional order. Her served as the first Minister of Justice in President Nelson Mandela’s Cabinet (1994 – 1999) and later as Minister of Transport under President Thabo Mbeki from 1999 until his passing on following a battle with cancer in March 2004. He is survived by his wife Farieda, sons Kemal and Rustum, as well as daughter Fazlin.

Thabo Mbeki-speech_DullahOmar Lecture

Links:

University of the Western Cape Community Law Centre

Thabo Mbeki Foundation

Despite the debate commencing on Valentines Day, there was no love lost between opposition political parties and ruling African National Congress and Government of the day. The debate continued on Wednesday 15 February 2012. The President responds to the debate on Thursday 16 February 2012.

You can view the excerpts from the debate here, all visuals courtesy of the South African Broadcasting Corporation. You can also view it on the ETHICORE YouTube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/ethicoretv under the State of the Nation 2012 Playlist.

All visuals are courtesy of the South African Broadcasting Corporation and also be viewed on the ETHICORE YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/ethicoretv under the State of the Nation 2o12 Playlist.

The video is also available on ETHICORE YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/ethicoretv in the ‘State of the Nation’ Playlist.

On 9 February 2012, President Jacob Zuma delivered his 4th State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provincial of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.

The State of the Nation Address is a significant and landmark event on the national political calendar for a number of reasons. Its is one of the few occasions on which the President addresses a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament and the broader South African public, to report on Government’s achievement on the goals and targets it has committed to, as well as to outline Government’s program of work for the year ahead. In so doing, the address provides citizens and Parliament with a yardstick by which to oversee and hold Government to account.

The central focus and prioritisation of catalytic infrastructure development and investment for economic growth and job creation, and fighting the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality underpinned the 2012 address.

Download the the 2012 State of the Nation Review here: State of the Nation 2012 Review3

Download the full State of the Nation Address delivered by President Jacob Zuma to the Joint Sitting of the Houses of Parliament (the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces) on Thursday 9 February 2012, here:

State of the Nation Address 2012

Some thoughts and observations of the public relations implications of the Muslim Judicial Council’s interview with ETV 3^rd Degree, 31 January 2011

 By Abdul Waheed Patel – Managing Director, ETHICORE Consulting and Advisory Solutions

31 January 2012

General comments

• Whereas the initial enquiry into the Orion debacle broadcast by ETV 3^rd Degree raised emotions and concerns, the one on one interview with the ETV 3^rd Degree will in contrast raised more speculation and unanswered questions.
• Despite valiant efforts and attempts to provide clarification and answers, the MJC was totally unprepared for the interview and underestimated the interviewers preparedness and directness.
• This once again points to the dire need for the MJC to have its disposal competent, capable, proficient and experience public affairs and strategic communication practitioners and advisors across the communications mix to provide it with strategic counsel, guidance and services, and who are religiously, political and emotionally mature, sophisticate and intuitive.

Leadership and organisation

• Someone at the pinnacle of the leadership in the MJC should have conducted the one-on-one interview. Whilst the Deputy-President (who does serve as a trustee of the MJC Halaal Trust) was interviewed on the issue of the MJC’s audited financial statements, this was a secondary aspect of the interview. The primary interview with Moulana Abdul Fataagh Carr of the MJC Executive Committee was not convincing despite his best and most sincere attempts. The inability to have the interview conducted with someone at the pinnacle of the leadership in the MJC or the MJC Halaal Trust will raise questions about the level of leadership in the MJC itself; the confidence in the leadership and the confidence of the leadership, not to mention how seriously the leadership is taking the enquiry into the Orion issue in the first (despite public pronouncements confirming the severity with which the MJC takes the allegations), or simply trying to wish it away.
• It is public knowledge that much as Moulana Abdul Fataagh Carr is a member of the MJC Executive Committee and a respected and learned Islamic scholar, he is not an official spokesperson for the MJC on halaal issues. This raises further questions about the level of organisation, structure and administration in the MJC (which is already in doubt in the public mind), as well as the ability of the MJC Halaal Trust current trustees to serve as its official spokesperson.
• There is a need to better explanation the separation in the operations and legal form of the MJC and the Halaal Trust and the relationship between the two.

The Halaal certification and inspection process

• There is a desperate need to better explain the thoroughness of the halaal certification and inspection process, end-to-end at every step and stage in the process (an info-graphic and video) may be useful? Broad, reactive and unsystematic responses do not help, as was the case in the interview and in previous clarification and explanations. These clarifications and explanations have up to now always been provided in response to media enquiries and the pressure under which these situations take place. The result is that the MJC always comes across as defensive, unsure and apologetic.

• There is also a need for better clarity on the types of halaal certificates issued by the MJC e.g. manufacturing and production; storage and transportation; ingredients etc (perhaps info-graphics and videos need to be customised for each of these certification types).

• The levels and processes in the halaal inspection procedure need to be better explained and clarified. There is now a clear impression that:

1)    The MJC does not have sufficient inspectors;

2)    The inspection process is not thorough;

3)    That there exists a conflict of interest between inspectors employed by the MJC but possibly paid by the company that has been certified halaal; and

4)    There is confusion between the roles of inspectors employed by the MJC and those employed by the halaal certified company.

Messaging and communication

• Then MJC does not come across as confident, convincing, compelling and articulate in their messaging, communication and responses to media enquiries. This is creating doubt about the MJC and its ability to defend itself and its positions credibly with finesse and without being defensive. This is a function of:

1)    A lack of preparedness, research and possibly even simulating the interview conditions and environment;

2)    Absence of key messages and themes prepared in advance;

3)    An inability to anticipate complex, difficult, challenging and confrontational questions; and

4)    Lack of effective spokesperson, media and public relations know-how.

• The MJC took the bold step of making its audited financial statements and those of the MJC Halaal Trust publically available in the wake of the first broadcast of the Orion debacle. However, in the follow-up 3^rd Degree interview the MJC was unable to convincingly answers detailed questions about the financial statements, illustrating and creating a public perception of:

1)    A lack of understanding of the financial accounts; and

2)    The in appropriate selection of the people to comment on the audited financial statements;

3)    Doubts about the accuracy of the financial statements itself, despite them being independently audited and as a result bringing into question the integrity and thoroughness of the auditors.

• In all communication and the various forms of communication, unless it is absolutely so required and necessitated, the MJC should refrain from focusing on Deborah Patta as a ‘target’ and instead focus on responding to accusations, allegations, enquiries and questions on a factual and informed basis. The adage of “play the ball, not the man” holds true. Patta is an investigative journalist. Had it been another investigative journalist, there is no guarantee that their conduct would have been much different. Personalizing an attack on her will only worsen matters for the MJC and further empower Patta and others not sympathetic to the MJC with a reason to believe that the MJC is deflecting attention from it by attacking her character. This will only create a negative and downward spiral effect with MJC sympathizers following suite and Patta sympathizers and MJC opponents responding in return.

Abdul Waheed Patel is Managing Director at ETHICORE Consulting and Advisory Solutions – a niche, ethically focused public affairs and strategic communications agency. He has more than 12 years of international market experience and expertise in governmental, legislative, public policy, regulatory, strategic communications, public and stakeholder affairs. He has held various analyst and senior positions as a strategic communicator, policy maker, political strategist and advisor, campaign strategist and lobbyist in both the public and private sector. He holds qualification in governance and political science, public management and public policy from the University of Cape Town, the Commonwealth Enterprise Competitiveness Program and as a Fellow of the Public Policy Partnership of South Africa (administered by the Woodrow Wilson and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, USA). He resides in Cape Town and works extensively in South Africa and internationally.

Email: awpatel@ethicore.co.za

Facebook: abdulwaheedpatel

Twitter: @AWPatel

Download the full PDF here: Thoughts & observations MJC 3rd Degree interview_31Jan2011(2)

On the day that South Africa’s Official Opposition (the Democratic Alliance) announced its Shadow Cabinet, read our analysis and think-piece entitled “Opposition parties do make a legislative difference” published in the Business Day (1 February 2011), co-authored in collaboration with Business Unity South Africa’s Parliamentary Office.

Read it here: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=163850

Download the PDF here: Opposition parties do make a legislative difference

With 10 days to go until President Jacob Zuma delivers the annual State of the Nation Address to the Joint Sitting of the Houses of Parliament, we at ETHICORE have launched a Facebook Page, as an interactive platform to engage in critical dialogue, debate and information exchange on the State of the Nation Address. The page is available on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/StateoftheNation2012

On an annual basis, the President of South Africa convenes a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament (namely the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces) to deliver the annual State of the Nation address. The event also serves as the official opening of Parliament. The State of the Nation Address is utilised by the president of the country to outline government’s programme of work for the remainder of the year.

The State of the Nation Address is scheduled to be delivered on Thursday 9 February 2012 from 19h00.