THE Sizwe Ummah Nation (SUN) party has announced Rasheed Gutta as its number one candidate on their list to Parliament.
Gutta, a businessman who grew a furniture manufacturing trade and design business from nothing to a business that employs over 1200 people across the country, said South Africa is in dire need of economic policy reform.
The SUN party is a play on the words Sizwe, Ummah and Nation. All three words mean nation.
Gutta said the current economic and social policies cannot assist South Africa’s growth.
“THE ANC-led government under President Cyril Ramaphosa has mismanaged the country and continues the pillaging and looting unabated.
“The continued load shedding, water shortages and collapse of Transnet, among other state-owned entities, have had a devastating effect on the economy and living conditions of the people in this country, yet the very ANC-led government wants to be given another opportunity.
“The smooth running of essential services such as electricity, water, healthcare, road infrastructure, sewerage, education, and security are in dire straits and leave much to be desired.
“Our own complacency as citizens, including our world-renowned Constitution, has also failed to prevent the ANC-led government from corrupting and mismanaging the country, which has now gone on for almost 30 years unabated,” he said.
Gutta said the big parties have failed South Africa and the notion that voting for smaller parties cannot assist democracy and governance is dangerous propaganda.
“The big parties have destroyed South Africa. They are not different. Whether it’s Ramaphosa or the DA’s John Steenhuisen, none of them have the capacity or interest to change South Africa for the better. A party that considers itself a party for whites or a party for the middle or lower class or a party that looks for the support of a particular grouping or religious society.
“My approach is simple, we need radical economic transformation to depict what South Africa direly needs to solve the inequality pandemic facing our country at present.
“Unfortunately this beautiful slogan has attracted a negative connotation, because it has been abused and exploited for political gain by various parties or factions thereof. In fact the slogan has been hijacked and looted and we, the people of South Africa, want it back…
“We want it to be restored to its rightful beneficiaries. We need immediate structural reform.
“We need genuine transformation of ownership in big business (mining and associated raw industries).
“Many industries from mining to associated raw industries in South Africa are controlled by a few companies and individuals who have benefited unequally and at the expense of workers and the broader society.
“The mining industry, for example, has traditionally been one of the largest contributors to the country’s economy and GDP.
“The mineral resources belong to the country and therefore it makes sense that the people of this country must benefit from its exploitation and not only a limited bunch of politically connected individuals and high net worth individuals/companies.
“At the same time, there must be an incentive for the private sector to see a benefit from investing in this highly lucrative sector which creates jobs and brings in revenue for the country. There must be an equal reward for the risks being taken to venture into this business.
“Everyone recognises that the current ownership in a few hands is not sustainable.”
Gutta said the state should receive revenue in the form of a percentage of income tax (for example, 15%) and not double tax industries like the mining sector with a royalty tax as well.
“The Constitution guarantees the security and rights of each individual. We urgently need to change the status quo of ‘It pays to do crime’. We need to instil a culture of ‘Hard work leads to success’ by punishing crime very harshly and consistently to all wrongdoers irrespective of their status or position in society.
“Unfortunately the lack of effective policing is resulting in the destruction of the moral fibre of our society where dishonest people are winning versus honest law-abiding citizens,” Gutta said.
Phathiwe Ndleleni, the SUN movement’s national spokesperson, said as a movement championing the promotion of a godly government, equality, and making sure that poverty was rooted out, they wanted a representative of similar ideals.
She said having garnered experience and learning from countries such as China and Singapore, Gutta was more than ready to impart the knowledge and experience he had acquired on how these countries had turned their economies.
“This is why the SUN movement has chosen him to lead the party, and bring the light to the lives of the poor South Africans.”