No wholesale nationalisation, says ANC
Publish date: 02 October 2012
Issue Number: 498
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: South Africa
The final wording of the ANC resolution on nationalisation adopted at its June policy conference has been made available, says a Business Day report.
It notes the wording was highly controversial during discussion at the conference, with some delegates accusing the leadership of trying to water down sentiment expressed in the plenary. In its final form, the resolution calls for bold state intervention in the economy, which must include 'state ownership'. It also calls for the more strategic use of state-owned companies, as well as strategic nationalisation, where deemed appropriate on the balance of evidence. However, delegates at the policy conference rejected 'wholesale nationalisation'. Although the issue will still be open for debate at the party's conference in December, the final wording of the June resolution gives some certainty on the ultimate outcome. The report adds for the mining sector, the resolution makes clear that most of the proposals in the ANC's state intervention in the mining sector report - commissioned last year - will be accepted in December. The proposal for a youth wage subsidy, which would incentivise employers to hire young people, survives, despite reports that it was rejected by delegates at the policy conference in June. Full Business Day report