SA business must find the courage to speak its mind

The past week has been remarkable for Business South Africa - if only because a few businessmen have at last found their voices.

The Times Editorial: Last week, Bobby Godsell and Michael Spicer raised their concerns about political utterances by the ANC Youth League. They warned about the long-term effects of rash comments about nationalisation.

The other "serious" business voice to have been heard was that of Pick n Pay's Gareth Ackerman, who recently spoke out against the Protection of Information Bill.

But the black elite - the Patrice Motsepes and Cyril Ramaphosas - have been noticeably silent.

Perhaps they would say that they quietly engage the ANC on all matters relating to economic policy.

At the league's conference two weeks ago, its president, Julius Malema, broadened his nationalisation drive to include the banking industry. But not a peep from South Africa's four major banks.

What, for instance, does Jacko Maree think of Standard Bank being a target for nationalisation?

The ruling party continues to say that nationalisation is not its policy and that the youth league does not decide for the ANC.

The uncomfortable silence of business - as a vital part of South African society - is disconcerting in the extreme.

When will its leaders find the courage to speak up? When the Malema steam train finally arrives at the doors of Luthuli House?

This rectitude is so reminiscent of the old apartheid affliction from which business suffered.

One day, when things have gone badly wrong, maybe then these mighty men and women from corporate South Africa will tell the world that they had, privately, always disagreed with the ANC's policies, and with the motor-mouth who seems determined to consign us all to an awful future. Just like they did after apartheid?