Ramaphosa on BEE: We must integrate black businesses in value chain at any cost
Speaking at the Inaugural Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference in Sandton on Wednesday Ramaphosa reiterated government’s support for the policy.
- Cyril Ramaphosa
- BEE
JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa has again snubbed critics of the contentious Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy.
Speaking at the Inaugural Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference in Sandton on Wednesday, Ramaphosa reiterated government’s support for the policy.
His belief is that BEE remains a viable solution to transform the country’s economy despite some public pushback.
Ramaphosa hopes deliberations at the conference will yield commitments from the private sector to procure more from black business, as well as to support their integration into the value chain.
He advocated strongly for this, adding the integration of black businesses into the value chain should come at any cost.
Without BEE, Ramaphosa warned, the country runs the risk of a private sector that makes little contribution to empowerment.
“Forget what others are trying to do to fight against broad-based black economic empowerment. There can be no inclusive recovery and reconstruction unless broad-based black economic empowerment is at the centre of our efforts.”
Last month, Ramaphosa appointed a panel of business experts to lead the BEE advisory council in a bid to bolster transformation efforts.
The appointment of the 14-member council comes as the country nears 20 years since the policy was promulgated by government.
