GNU won’t be scrapping BEE, Cabinet lekgotla reveals

The Government of National Unity (GNU) has held its first ever Cabinet lekgotla, where ministers gathered to develop a national policy agenda.

Policies such as National Health Insurance (NHI) and many others were up for scrutiny and discussion.

It was also decided that Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) would remain under the GNU, whose main priority is economic growth and job creation.

A number of parties in the GNU campaigned for the idea that affirmative action policies like BEE were hurting the country’s economic potential, and needed to either be scrapped or repealed.

However, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, said transformation could not be sacrificed for the sake of economic growth.

"Included in our priorities in relation to social justice [is] equity, and redress, therefore, these are parties that have come together on the basis of addressing transformation, because we have committed to redress in the foundation principles.”

Tau said while policies like BEE had their issues, government could scrap them altogether.