White South African business should "share" more with blacks or risk Zimbabwe-style seizures, the country's leading black businessman has said.

Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, a senior figure in the ruling African National Congress and chairman of the TML media group, told the BBC that too much of South Africa's economy was still in white hands despite efforts at "black economic empowerment".

"If we don't do anything, if we don't move quick enough, yes, [Zimbabwe-style attacks on white farms and business] could happen. That is a fair warning," Mr Ramaphosa said.

"We want the white private sector in this country to heed that warning. Let us all be aware of the responsibility and share. Share what we have."

Zimbabwe has announced the seizure of 90per cent of white-owned farm land in an attempt to head off growing popular opposition to the 20 year-rule of President Robert Mugabe.

Eight white farmers have been killed by self-proclaimed liberation war veterans organised by Mr Mugabe's party. Another is in critical condition following an axe attack at his home on Monday.

In recent months South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki has been criticised at home and abroad for failing to condemn attacks on whites and opposition supporters in Zimbabwe.

This year Government supporters, who call themselves veterans of Zimbabwe's war of independence, have spread their intimidation campaign from farms to white-owned businesses and foreign aid agencies. Foreign investors' fear of "contagion" from Zimbabwe has contributed to the South African currency's big slump on international markets.

Mr Ramaphosa said previous efforts to boost black participation in the private economy had not gone far enough. As chairman of the Black Economic Empowerment Commission he recently called for new legislation to force white business to share more of its wealth with black business people.

Mr Ramaphosa, formerly leader of the National Union of Mineworkers, quit active politics after losing out to Mr Mbeki in the contest to succeed former president Nelson Mandela.

He became one of South Africa's wealthiest blacks through the first round of post-apartheid "black empowerment" deals, in which white-owned conglomerates sold off chunks of stock to well-connected black entrepreneurs in supposed "sweetheart" deals.

Although at one point the resulting "black chip" corporations controlled 10 per cent of the Johannesburg stock market, this has slumped to about 2per cent.

Mr Mbeki has again baffled doctors and AIDS activists by declaring that violence rather than the AIDS epidemic sweeping Africa is the main cause of death in his country.

Official figures show South Africa with one of the highest murder rates in the world, with 22,000 of its 40 million people murdered each year. Another 10,500 die in road accidents. However, the United Nations estimates 7million South Africans will die of HIV/AIDS in the next decade, an average of 700,000 a year.

It is estimated that one in 10 people carries the virus.

Asked if he accepted that AIDS, rather than racism or corruption, was the greatest threat to his country, Mr Mbeki told the BBC that he had learned that more than half of South Africans who died between the ages of 16 and 64 were killed by violence.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/0108/08/world/world1.html

Comment

From Jim Mortellaro Jsmortell@aol.com
8-14-1

We agree. And "we" are the white peoples against black obfuscation. The time has come for us, the white race, to bend, grovel and be so sorry for the sins of our forebears. Hell, were it not for our forbears, we wouldn't be here, have evolved into the people we are. Selfish, white and richer than rich. We _should_ share. Tithing is not enough. We should give all which we've worked for to give to those we've taken from.

Makes sense to me.

Listen. Here in the United States for example, most of the people who came here were from other countries. My own family is from Italy, Sicily to be more accurate. Another side of the family are Sephardic and from Budapest. And dad's great, great grandparents were from Spain. I myself am a product of intercourse between Sicilian peoples and:

Spain Hungary Greece Northern Italy Northern Europe Black Africa The Middle East

And that horny soldier during World War One what boinked my great aunt Crugifixa. Boy I understand that she was a looker. With a set of ... well, she was very attractive. Heh, heh.

Now to get back. And to be serious. Any people who take from others, who want what they've not earned, are anathema. Doesn't matter the race, color or creed. Truth be known, here in the States we tried to cater to minorities who suffered from persecution of all kinds. Except of course our own people, the American Indian. Them, we really screwed, blued and tattooed. Poor NATIVE Americans still suffer today. Although I must admit to their modest success at taking our money at the gaming tables. Not mine. Don't gamble. But other rich Americans. See? Maybe Black Africa should attempt the opening of gaming. That'll assure sharing.

Sorry, I said I would be serious. Well, there is some truth to the satire.

Right in the community in which I've lived for nearly 20 years, the one we are leaving shortly for the North country, I've seen South American people grovel .. but not take, to give. Of themselves. Never have I seen such a desire, no, a PASSION, to work. They assemble at a local small park and wait for general contractors to come take them to various jobs. They wait tables. They clean latrines. They do ANYTHING to work and feed their families.

Wanna know something? These people, Colombians, Peruvians, Mexicans, Argentineans, etc., etc., are now LIVING here. In decent homes. They've graduated from the lousy apartments in lousier neighborhoods and went American.

How?

By working their asses off. Working for what they have. Working to become Americans. Having recognized well in advance that in America, people live free enough to work. Can't find a job? Bullshit. There is always a way to work. However menial, there is work. If it is beneath you, then you are beneath being here. Get back to from where you came. You are one of those "useless eaters" the intellegencia call the rest of us. Only this time, the shoe fits.

My grandfather came to this country during the depression. He made a pushcart, learned how to buy fruits and veggies and went into business. He made a living. Saved some money and went back to Sicily where he grabbed gramma by the scruff of the neck and brought her here as his bride.

They had six children. They lived in Germantown in New York City. They were certainly poor by anyone's standards but they worked. All the children became hardworking and productive citizens. Gramma and Grampa sent their children to school and made CERTAIN that they worked at getting decent grades. Gramma stayed home and was the best mommy ever, next to mine of course. And Grampa came home with the living. And if it was a bad day, he came home with fresh fruit and vegetables for the family. They suffered, my aunts and uncles, because of their poverty at an early age. "Guinea Bastards" the Irish called them. One uncle contracted TB. Lost one and a half lungs. Smoked Chesterfield Kings all his life until lung cancer took him. Still smoking them butts on the way out. Way to go uncle Sal. I love you.

I digress. I hope you see my point. Other than the one on the top of my head. There are only several things a man can do in this world to be successful. And that requires two other things. Hard work and common sense.

Well, I guess we are lost. We seem not to have much of either these days.

Jim Mortellaro