... for one moment, hon Marais, that we can run an effective economy that draws its leadership and entrepreneurial capacity from only a small minority. It does not make economic sense either, those of you who have studied anything. [Interjections.] We have dealt with fronting and I have already explained that this is pure, plain fraud. Hon Minister, I hope you build another jail for these fraudsters. [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
Looking at clause 13(a), let me tell you that we all agreed to this clause at the time. It's amazing what happens. I wonder what they serve in our committees. We all agree, yet when they come here, they start changing their minds. [Interjections.] Pure, plain water! On at least three occasions in the committee, we tackled this clause on fronting and we said, you know what ... [Interjections.] You're quite right, it was longer.
It could be that people make mistakes about the information. One can forget what one's name is, one's colour and all of that. [Laughter.] What it says is that you must knowingly do the following. You must knowingly furnish false information. It's very, very important. We all know that the organs of state are subject to administrative action, etc. You cannot simply act in a cavalier style at all. We do know that, and you probably know it more than anyone.
Yet again on the point of fronting, what we do need to remember is that many of us have what is called the tick-box mentality, and I am not referring to agriculture. You get these huge forms and you just tick, tick, tick, and then say that you have complied. You've just ticked! This aims to do away with that kind of mentality and compliance.
We should not forget, and I think the ANC needs to remember this as well, that fronting deprived our black managers of the appropriate authority of their positions. That is very, very important. Let us call you a manager or a finance director, but it is actually an indictment on our language.
Do not forget that I have mentioned the 10 years to you. The other thing we ought to remember, though, is often forgotten. It is most unfortunate that there has been an impression that has been cultivated and nurtured that the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Bill has destroyed all opportunities for whites. Well, I can assure you that that is utterly fallacious. [Interjections.]