ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has called for the transformation of economic policies and for the systematic barriers that perpetuate inequality to be dismantled.
Mashaba was speaking at the party’s inaugural policy conference currently under way in Ekurhuleni.
Over 600 delegates are in attendance and will deliberate on 11 key policy proposals.
Among them will be the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act of 2003.
The party has called for the Act to be repealed but the ActionSA leader says they will work towards addressing racial exclusion.
“In addressing these challenges, we cannot be colour blind in our approach. While working towards a non-racial future, we must proactively work to address the legacy of racial exclusion. ActionSA affirms our commitment to the empowerment of Black, Coloured, Indian and Asian South Africans while unequivocally aligning behind the repealing of the BBBEE Act of 2003 which has never been broad-based in nature.”
Mashaba says his party will introduce the ‘Opportunity Fund’ aimed at empowering historically disadvantaged communities.
Mashaba says the Fund will do what the Act failed to do.
“Included in our proposal is the establishment of an opportunity fund, an unprecedented fund contributed to by South African businesses that will invest exclusively in grassroot opportunities generation in Black, Coloured and Indian communities that have been historically disadvantaged, as well as those that have been disadvantaged by 29 years of ruling party mismanagement and neglect.”
