President Cyril Ramaphosa has downplayed the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s proposal to replace South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policy, reaffirming that the government’s transformation agenda remains unchanged.
The DA’s latest call, made on Monday, proposes scrapping the current BEE framework in favour of an “economic empowerment bill” that would remove race as a criterion and introduce a needs-based approach.
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The BEE Act, implemented in 2003, was designed to address deep-seated racial and economic disparities inherited from apartheid. However, it has long been a point of contention between the DA and the African National Congress (ANC), particularly within the recently formed Government of National Unity (GNU).
BEE Policy Remains Anchored In The Constitution
Speaking during his visit to the Soshanguve home of liberation veteran Tlou Cholo—who celebrated his 100th birthday and received the prestigious Isithwalandwe/Seaparankwe Award—Ramaphosa appeared unfazed by the DA’s proposal.
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“I have not yet seen their proposals,” he said.
“Currently, we have a BEE policy that is rooted and underpinned by our Constitution, so if anyone wants an amendment to the BEE Act, they must table their proposals and they must be taken for discussion in Parliament. At the moment, BEE policies, legislation and regulation apply, without any dilution whatsoever,” he added.
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Ramaphosa’s remarks signal the ANC’s firm stance on maintaining the existing empowerment framework, despite growing pressure from the DA to revise it.
The DA argues that a needs-based policy would better promote economic growth and fairness, while critics warn that scrapping BEE could undermine decades of redress efforts.
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