Fair comment

The relative beauty of most of these empowerment deals is that they generally involve unlisted entities of listed holding companies, with dual listings, and foreign interests that the new ‘shareholders’ couldn’t get anywhere near.

In itself this is not the issue. But to couch it in economic empowerment terms is a bit of a joke.

Why not sell them – the previously disadvantaged, that is - the equity in the holding company, the one that is listed locally, or internationally.

Why not sell them something of true value, which can be paid for in real cash, and none of these simple, transparent, empowering transactions, involving structuring and preference shares, that we all hear so much about?

Which in fact are so complex that the inventor of the ‘Rubick’s Cube’ would have problems resolving, let alone explain.

And rhetorically, one wonders why a portion of the black business community is taking/paying for the equity?

Let me answer the question as a business person. If someone offered me a share or interest in a business for knock-down prices with financing deals that exposed me to no risk – well, I’d be an idiot to turn it down.

I would also carefully consider whether I would allow myself to be paraded in front of the local business media as the next newly empowered person/grouping or consortium. I would want to quietly get on with the business of adding value to the business in which I had just taken an interest.

And when I had something to talk about, like signing a significant new deal – well then – I would say something.