Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action (AA) legislation do not really empower anyone in South Africa, in fact, it disempowers people.
It also has the unforeseen consequence of motivating the young people from minority groups, against whom the legislation discriminates, to excel despite government policy.
The FF Plus has been pointing out since 1994 that such exclusive legislation creates new forms of discrimination and makes no contribution to economic growth.
Just a small group of politically connected individuals benefited from it and amassed great wealth in the process, while the greater part of the population has fallen into poverty.
It has brought about a culture of self-enrichment and corruption with appointments in the government sphere, which merely accelerated the public service’s general decline.
The realisation that this legislation and ANC policy pose a real threat to the country’s future has by now dawned on many.
Economists and academics, like Moeletsi Mbeki and William Gumede, have stated numerous times that the policy ought to be abolished and that free economic growth and entrepreneurship must be promoted.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also cautioned South Africa in a recent report against undermining economic growth through restrictive labour legislation and an over-regulated economic environment.
The IMF pointed out that it also contributes to the large divide in terms of wealth in the country.
While the ANC government was establishing an environment of overall decline through government dependence and deterioration, a large number of young people recognised the foolishness of government policy and found innovative ways to start building their own future.
Minorities in general and young entrepreneurs in particular are already making a disproportionately large contribution to economic growth and job creation.
Therefore, the unforeseen consequence of the ANC’s racially driven policy was a response of self-empowerment among minority groups in South Africa.
The FF Plus will continue to promote minorities’ self-empowerment in all sectors and on all levels of government for the entire country’s benefit.
With its racially driven and socialist policy directions, the ANC government finds itself on the wrong side of history and is thus jeopardising the future of everyone in the country.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Fanie du Toit on FF Plus
