Deputy President Paul Mashatile concluded that the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act 53 of 2003 has been a great success and must be implemented even more forcefully since the economy is in the mercy of the minority
Deputy President Paul Mashatile says that removing the B-BBEE will be more of turning the direction back to the apartheid era. Mashatile claimed that because majority of the nation’s economy is still controlled by a small minority, the BBBEE program, which has been a huge success, needs to be applied even more strictly. He was answering questions about whether Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) was to blame for the nation’s weak economy and high unemployment rate at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday, 11 September 2025.
Mashatile was questioned once more regarding the necessity of B-BBEE and how it could prevent more investment. He claimed that many businesses and South Africans had profited from B-BBEE, which is a transformation program rather than a race policy. The deputy president stated that the policy should be applied more strictly and that it is not possible to do away with it. “It is untrue that in a nation where Black people likely make up 90% of the population, 70% of them are under foreign rule. It cannot be permitted”, Mashatile claimed.
It will never be permitted therefore we need to change that by implementing policies. Anyone who suggests that we should do away with that is advocating a return to apartheid. Regarding youth unemployment, Mashatile stated that the government wants young people to be the ones who create jobs and that they need help coming up with ideas.
Sub-Editor: Matlala Kgaugelo
