‘What do you want? Blacks to stay poor?’ – Ramaphosa hits back at BEE critics

Ramaphosa

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly defended South Africa’s broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policies, reaffirming their purpose of promoting economic inclusion for the country’s historically disadvantaged Black majority.

He emphasised that the policies are not hindering economic growth, but rather correcting structural imbalances caused by apartheid-era exclusion.

Responding to questions in Parliament in Cape Town on Tuesday, Ramaphosa expressed his bafflement at claims that BBBEE stifles the economy, arguing instead that the real obstacle is the continued concentration of economic power in the hands of a privileged minority.

He cited studies by the World Bank and IMF that support this view, noting that more than 30 years after apartheid, White families still earn nearly five times more on average than Black families.

The president also dismissed accusations — mainly from critics like former US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk — that the laws are racist or discriminatory against White citizens.

He condemned the spread of conspiracy theories, such as the false claim of a White Afrikaner farmer genocide, as baseless and damaging.

In a firm rebuttal to critics, Ramaphosa asked whether South Africans want Black people to remain confined to roles of laborers and consumers or to be empowered to take ownership and participate fully in the economy.

“This is what baffles me… those who are opposed to black economic empowerment, I say ‘what do you want to see happening? Do you want to see black people continuing to play the role of labourers, drawers of water… and consumers only? Why an’t black people be made to own productive aspects of our economy. Why can’t they be rich as well? That’s what needs to happen,” the president said.

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