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Johannesburg – The ANC is not prepared to sell its soul to be a darling to international funding institutions, said National Executive Member Nathi Mthethwa.
Presenting a report on the balances of forces at the National General Council, Mthethwa said, “Do we want to subject ourselves to be given money with our cap in hand and be dictated to what to do, and what not to do, and who to associate with as friends?
“No, it’s not going to happen, not from the movement. We are committed to Brics and Brics has got to be an alternative to the status quo."
Mthethwa said the global progressive forces stood a better chance in the world to challenge the status quo and each time the progressive forces of the world came together through different organisations in the regional economic blocks, drive home the point that South Africa was in a better space.
“We see the arrogance of both the United States and its European allies in emphasizing unilateralism, militarism in global politics.
“And we say that in our case we are observing that indeed that Brics and its emergence is a true economic and political counter measure to the status quo and we seek to strengthen our position in Brics.
“Whilst we continue the interaction with the north but also emphasising the prospects and projections into the future.”
He said in the continent, the prospects of economic growth were very positive.
“We understand some of the weaknesses we have in the continent and elsewhere around the world especially among the developing states, when it comes to issues of capacity of the state when it comes to organisational and leadership in parts of the continent.”
Big brother, young brother
Mthethwa said in the 10 fastest growing economies in the continent, seven were in the African continent and South Africa should take advantage of that.
“If you look at the relationship of developing nations of the world with the multilateral institutions, it is a big brother, young brother relationship.
“In times of need, people go to the World Bank or the IMF for assistance so that they can get back on their feet to deal with the challenges in their countries.
“That has gone mainly with the sovereignty of countries, if you are going to get funding from the UN of the Bretten Woods Institute, there are conditions.
“This means that your policies are dictated to by the monetary support you are going to get. The Brics approach is a developmental approach. The Brics bank is not a World Bank, it is going to be a developmental interaction between nations between nations that see each other as equals.
“Although they are not equal in size. Brics agreed that even the regional bank should be opened in South Africa. Part of the problem in the hyper power on balances of forces, is that the world, which is the US and its allies in Europe, is that they have countries that are emerging is one thing that would not go well in the status quo," said Mthethwa.
