International relations & co-operation minister Ronald Lamola says black-owned businesses have a social responsibility to safeguard and promote SA’s transformation agenda, warning that key policies aimed at redress and economic inclusion are increasingly under threat.
“Where are the black solidarity movements to stand up and defend the rights of South Africans? Where are the black organisations when government is taken to court to challenge some of our transformation laws?” Lamola said at the Black Business Council summit on Thursday.
“The revolution will not defend itself, as the advanced detachment of our society, you should act as the vanguard of the constitution when is under attack, particularly the transformation laws or anything that threatens our social cohesion such as the apartheid flag still be raised, the Nelson Mandela foundation stood alone on the courts in this regard.”
Lamola’s remarks come amid government deliberations on a policy directive by communications minister Solly Malatsi concerning BBBEE and the potential involvement of Elon Musk’s Starlink in SA.
His comments also come amid growing criticism of the trade ministry proposed R100bn transformation fund, aimed at scaling up public and private sector financing for black-owned businesses.
The initiative, led by the department of trade, industry & competition, has drawn scrutiny from business groups, the Centre for Development and Enterprise and the DA.
The government is also preparing to tighten BBBEE legislation to enable stricter compliance from firms.
Only a third of JSE-listed companies and 95 of SA’s hundreds of public entities submit reports on their BBBEE performance to the Broad-based BEE Commission as required, making it difficult to measure progress.
“[Black-owned business] have got a role to play to defend and protect our constitution and you will see their policies like NHI, the Bela [Act] and many others that will not like bring money into their pockets but they have got a social responsibility as black business to participate in shaping and building and also defending our National Cohesion,” Lamola said.
On the sidelines if the summit, Lamola added that during discussions with SA’s trade partners, including the US, the importance of maintaining transformation policies as a constitutional imperative has been underscored.
“We have clarified that to [the US] and we also continue to clarify it to all our developmental partners ... but that discussion should not compromise the constitutional imperative for transformation,” Lamola said.
“We still have to ensure that we are complying with our transformative imperatives in terms of the constitution, within the context of trade and that discussion.” '
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