Hon Kilian is now raising issues about business activities of members of the ANC, rather than Chancellor House. I want us to be clear about that. These are now individual members of the ANC who are in business, or who have interests in business entities. That is a very grey area for the simple reason that South Africans have a right to partake in the economy of the country without exception.
At certain times, the relatives, or individuals, or friends, or acquaintances of people who hold political office are reduced to automatons that have no lives, skills, and experience of their own. They are regarded as people who can only benefit from the fact that they are blood relatives or friends to political office bearers. This is a very difficult area. I would like us to look at it in a just manner which also takes into account that individuals grow differently. Even if people are born of the same mother, they may pursue completely different paths as they develop. Then later, by virtue of having someone in the family or within your circle of friends who is a political office bearer, you are debarred from all other activities.
I think it is a bit of a challenge. I do know that perhaps what should be helpful in such instances is that - and I don't think this would be a difficulty, although it's a prejudice, but it may be helpful - where such individuals who are relatives of prominent office bearers succeed in life, in one way or the other, there should be a body - perhaps the Public Protector or somebody like that - that will be allowed to check whether or not something untoward has happened. If something untoward has happened, then we take steps to correct it. If there has been undue facilitation, it must not be allowed.
However, when people succeed on merit, of their own volition and on their own initiative, and if they are cleared by a body such as the Public Protector, then there should be no insinuations and innuendos. Even though, on the one hand, we want to fight against corruption - which is a serious problem - on the other hand, if everything is called corruption, then that is a problem.
For example, I have seen my name attached to somebody who was a member of the trade union when I was the general secretary. People raised concerns that this person and the Deputy President were in the same union at some point. Bear in mind that the person in question has been in business for many years, and so on. I am just saying that there are those kinds of things that do not help us to zero in on the nub of the problem.
What we should be dealing with is how we shall ensure that there is no undue manipulation and influence of processes, so that the law or tender processes apply, and people have equal access to these. I think that is the issue that we must look into. Thank you. [Applause.]