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| Photo by Yusuf Hassen – Awardees Max du Preez, Ferial Haffejee, Judge Albie Sachs, and Prof Ben Turok with members of the Congress of Business and Economics Board and Awards Committee. |
By Fakir Hassen
The true cost of the damage done by state capture, including the destruction of institutions and lives, is unquantifiable, said Yusuf Moosajee, the Executive Director of the Congress of Business and Economics, at the annual Gala Awards evening of the Congress of Business and Economics.
The Ahmed Kathrada Excellence in Leadership Awards were presented to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, Judge Mahomed Navsa, Judge Albie Sachs, Professor Ben Turok, and journalists and authors Ferial Heffejee, Max du Preez. Special citations were also presented to the families of the late leaders who signed the historic pact uniting the Transvaal Indian Congress, the Natal Indian Congress and the African National Congress in the fight against apartheid oppression, respectively Dr Ahmed Dadoo, Dr Monty Naicker and Dr Alfred Xuma.
“The relevance of this, our 5th edition of what started as ‘A Tribute to Our Heroes’, which has fast unwittingly become ‘Champions of Democracy’, has importance in that our country is witnessing its biggest challenges post democracy,” Moosajee said of the awards initiated by the revived erstwhile wing of the Transvaal Indian Congress.
“The challenge that faces us is that in the short to medium term the trajectory of politics is likely to be characterised by multiple contestations over material opportunities, political power and symbolic representation. This will give rise to an increasingly volatile, unstable and violent political space.
“Yes, the fact of the matter is that there are still rotten apples in government. Can president Ramaphosa remove them or is his power precarious in the ANC?” Moosajee questioned as he called for mobilisation of organisations as seen during the United Democratic Front era to heal the country and ensure that the events of the past will never again be allowed to fester and thrive.
“We owe this to our grandchildren to start changing the narrative and altering the course of history. Civil society, business, journalists and judges have to start this movement,” Moosajee said.
“In celebrating these leaders with the Ahmed Kathrada Excellence in Leadership Award, we aim to inspire others to continue with his ideal of always speaking truth to power.”
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