The ANC owed Avis R6 million and wanted its debt written off because it was the ruling party

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse CEO Wayne Duvenage said the ANC is so arrogant and extractive that it expected Avis to write off R6 million in debt.

He shared this information during an interview with Newsday, in which he discussed the African National Congress.

Duvenage is best known as a civil activist who leads the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), which successfully stopped e-tolls.

However, before he became involved in fighting corruption and maladministration, he was one of South Africa’s top business leaders.

He served as the chief executive of Avis Car Rental South Africa and the president of the South African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA).

Duvenage was also a director of the boards of Tourism Marketing SA (TOMSA) and Tourism Business Council SA (TBCSA).

He said that during his tenure as Avis CEO, the ANC rented cars from the company and accumulated millions in debt.

“The ANC didn’t pay its bills and expected us to just write them off. Their debt was approximately R6 million,” he said.

However, despite the ANC being the governing party and wielding tremendous power over companies, Duvenage refused.

“I told them that we have provided the service to them and that they owed us the R6 million,” he said.

“However, their attitude was that they were the ruling party and that if you made their life difficult, it was not right.”

Duvenage argued that it is that arrogant and extractive mindset that makes it challenging to work with the ANC.

“They have an attitude that, because you made their life difficult, they will now make your life difficult.”

“However, you did not make their life difficult. All that happened is that they used yourt services and did not pay for it.”

“I have met many businesses which have decided to stop doing business with the ANC because of this mindset.”

The ANC lost control

Duvenage said that what he sees playing out is the ANC using its muscle to evolve into an extractive entity to pay its own bills and fund the party’s administration.

That builds a more powerful ANC. When you have a bigger network, you can start influencing decisions with money. That’s what happened,” he said.

He said that the next step was the ANC beginning to manipulate procurement decisions for its own enrichment.

“There was always a cut that had to go to the party, plus a couple of middlemen who needed to be fed, so prices were inflated to cover all those needs,” he said.

The ANC ultimately lost control. “They don’t know how much money is being stolen from them through this patronage network and procurement manipulation,” he said.

“The 10 or 15% cut they would normally receive from a deal is now being taken by middlemen, like the cadres who manipulate these systems.”

“There are so many deals happening at local, provincial, and national government levels where the ANC doesn’t even realise procurement is being manipulated.”

He said that in the past, they would have taken their cut. However, because it is so chaotic now, they don’t.

“Corruption has become so rife that it isn’t even a structured party patronage system anymore. It’s outright plundering by individuals in positions of power,” he said.

“Whenever a procurement contract or project comes up, such as installing security cameras, anyone with authority rushes in to demand their share.”

“The ANC has lost control, and that is the state of anarchy and corruption unfolding today, and it isn’t getting any better.”