There is a clear need for business to step into the political arena, to stand up and make its aggregate voice heard as South Africa faces a “leadership vacuum” amid economic and political turmoil.

This clear message emerged at the second South African Real Estate Investment Trust (SA Reit) Association conference, held in Sandton, on Thursday.

Business had a vital role to play in garnering State support – either through lobbying or action – and while, for the most part, business had steered clear of the political environment, the leadership vacuum had now made it necessary for the private sector to intervene, Vukile Property Fund CEO Laurence Rapp said.

Moderating a panel at the conference, he stated that it was now about “what can we do; what should we do?” to rally and get South Africa back on track.

“[There is a] need to galvanise as a force in the bigger debate,” he commented.

AKA Capital chairperson Dr Reuel Khoza added that business could be a “force of political nature”, and despite business traditionally indicating that they were not political, there was a need for industry to enter the debate.

“You cannot allow this country to continue to drift . . . bureaucracy needs to step out of our way,” he stated, adding to Growthpoint Property executive Shawn Theunissen’s view that leaders needed to come from the business arena.

South Africa was experiencing a migration of private sector business as incentives, support and growth were “taken away”, said Bruggemans and Associates Consulting Economists chairperson Cees Bruggemans.

The “heavy lifter” in the economy was the private sector, which had the capacity, the talent and the capital; and business required a public sector that supported, not obstructed, it.

Business in South Africa was now awaiting the “realignment” of the paradigms that existed in the country, as it experienced political turmoil that “impacted everyone”. The recapture of the State was coming into focus, Bruggemans said.

He previously said South Africa faced clashing, competing paradigms of struggle versus economics 101, traditional versus modernists and public versus private.

Institute of Race Relations research fellow Sara Gon said business had to accept that “everything is political”, opining that business seemingly did not often “stand up” for something.

“Business needs to say we are here, we are strong, we are proud,” she urged.