There was for me an early glimpse into the machinations of politics. I had just returned from London, where my attempt to raise venture capital for my South African based business was greeted on Bond Street with derision. I was shown television footage (not seen on South African televisions) of South Africa burning, riots in the streets and police everywhere. I was forced to look internally for venture capital opportunities and funding.
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‘A certain Dr Huishamen from Port Elizabeth sought out the Venture Finance Company to find capital for various projects to which he had access. The dynamic medical practitioner, turned property developer, had previously been instrumental in the construction of the prominent |
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Greenacres development in Port Elizabeth and purportedly had much sway with the old Transkein Development Corporation and then Transkei Homeland Government. He was an intrepid entrepreneur and after several meetings at our offices and the watering hole the 'Bulls & Bears' - a hop, step and jump away in the Sandton Sun - he proposed that we inspect his several projects in Mossel Bay, Umtata, Butterworth and Port Elizabeth first hand. |
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Using a private executive plane, we were able to traverse the entire region, sometimes landing at recognised airports and, at yet other times, landing on all but the roads. The excursion was for me a fascinating glimpse into the affairs of the independent black democracy created within the bounds of Apartheid dominated South Africa.
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We first met with Homeland Leader General Bantu Holomiso. His offices were in the only multi storied building in Umtata. His secretary was an impeccably attired army captain sporting an automatic rifle. The affable General Bantu Holomiso, now a party leader and respected member of the South African Parliament. General Holomiso turned out to be both |
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smart and approachable. He showed a very good business brain and delivered his agenda in a warm and humorous manner. The visit promised several new, interesting and lucrative ventures including a prominent site in central Umtata, in exchange for building a new soccer stadium for the budding Homeland. Does this not sound familiar? |
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Our next port of call was to Butterworth and the headquarters of ousted Paramount Chief Kaiser Matanzima. The facility lacked the garrison of brave, spear toting impis of my overactive imagination but was littered instead with the gutted shells of motor vehicles, vagrant chickens and shuffling, unsmiling subjects.
The meeting venue was intriguing. We sat in dilapidated chairs in what was obviously the lounge. We gazed up at a table and chairs, in what was clearly the dining room built at a much higher level. The dining room chairs were arranged to face the subjugated audience in the lounge. Next, a number of individuals, introduced by their portfolios, filed in to perch on the dining room chairs. The shadow Minister of Finance duly welcomed us and then introduced (the blare of
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trumpets was missing) the Paramount Chief himself. And in strode Matanzima in full tribal regalia complete with feathers and skins. I avoided the sheer craziness of the unfolding tableau by removing some non-existent lint from my sleeve. This drew a severe rebuke from the Paramount Chief himself who insisted that I gaze attentively at him on his dais (the dining room chair) at all times. I had never before been chastised by royalty, so I naturally responded with great humility as any lowly financier should. |
As a budding venture capitalist, it was a double blow. In raising the capital for Southern Africa, while the International Media was running bulletins on the necklacing and mayhem in that region, I had drawn derision and rebuke from European financiers. Now intended recipients were displaying similar scorn.
We saw evidence of Taiwanese Development Funding on our visit. It was visible in dry and untended agricultural lands and manifested itself in the many derelict tractors that littered the landscape. And in acres of frames for what obviously had been tunnel farming ventures and also in now defunct overhead watering systems. The pattern of Africa squandering resources and foreign aid lay sketched before us in a classic textbook microcosm. And the hungry eyes that peeped out at this scenario from dilapidated huts, told the old story of unstoppable corruption, lack of education and greed. Does any of this again sound all too familiar?
Writing this today I honestly believe that Nelson Mandela, because he was incarcerated and out of daily touch with his fellow African National Congress colleagues, never saw the avarice, greed and opportunism brewing in the bellies of his fellow objectors. These same post-Mandela kleptocrats are today sadly in charge of a nation on the road to ruin.
Later in our project we would again meet with the Paramount Chief at our Sandton offices. The Paramount Chief arrived in two white stretch limousines with his entire entourage. He forwent the usual lift access to our offices choosing instead access through the Sandton Hotel which boasted a spectacular escalator route. With much pomp, ceremony and waving to low bowing and ululating waiters and sweepers, the large entourage presented themselves at the meeting.
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It was not a long meeting. We had found that Transkeian properties freely offered as collateral for the development funding belonged, in fact, not to the Paramount Chief nor to the Transkeian Government but to other unsuspecting and reluctant minions in the kingdom. My co directors were also not impressed by the R50,000 fee demanded by the Paramount Chief for the pleasure of his company. So, to much low bowing |
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and ululating, the Paramount Chief and his shadow cabinet once more descended the escalator to their limousines, to be whisked off into the night. |
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Kaiser Daliwonga Matanzima was born in 1915 and became the Prime Minister of the first independent Black homeland in 1976. His brother, George, became the Minister of Justice. The International Community viewed the creation of the Transkei as being a publicity stunt of the Apartheid Regime and regarded it merely to be a Puppet State of racist South Africa.
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He was a chief of the Thembu chiefdom and was Nelson Mandela's nephew by law and custom. He and Madiba were friends at the University of Fort Hare and both vied for the hand of Winnie Madikizela. However, in Matanzima accepting leadership of the Apartheid created Independent Black Transkei Homeland, he was labelled as a 'sell out' by Madiba. The two former friends never spoke to each other again. Madiba would later be jailed for twenty six years for these beliefs and his opposition to the Apartheid Regime. In 1979 Matanzima became State President and his brother George the Prime Minister of the |
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Transkei. Despite minor investments from Israel and Taiwan the rest of the world refused to accept the Transkei's sovereignty and saw itmerely as a puppet state of the Apartheid regime in South Africa. Matanzima continued to be regarded as a traitor by Mandela and others true to the struggle for Democracy in South Africa. |
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In 1986, facing evidence held by the South African Government on crimes of corruption, Kaiser Matanzima was forced to retired from the Presidency. He was succeeded by his brother George, who in turn, was later arrested and interred overseas on charges of corruption. This movie is still popular today’’.
----- Extract from ‘A Bridge Too Far’ by Bryan Britton
This experience spurred my interest in African Kleptocracy and caused me to realize that it was only a matter of time before, despite being the most advanced nation on the African Continent, South Africa would become the fifty fourth decolonized state to slide into Kleptocracy.
