Free SA has launched a national campaign calling for the full repeal of South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act and related legislation, following government’s announcement that it will merely “review” the existing system. The campaign follows recent comments by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, signalling a review of race-based empowerment laws without a clear timeline or objective.
Free SA rejects this vague and inadequate response to a long-failed policy. For over 20 years, B-BBEE has not only failed to alleviate poverty and unemployment, but has entrenched corruption, elite capture, and racial division in South Africa.
“We do not need another technical ‘review’ behind closed doors. South Africans know that B-BBEE has failed – it is time to repeal it entirely and replace it with a new empowerment model based on need, not race,” said Reuben Coetzer, spokesperson for Free SA.
Free SA highlights five critical failures of B-BBEE:
- No Broad Benefit: Despite its name, B-BBEE has primarily benefited a small, politically connected elite, while millions remain unemployed and marginalised.
- Economic Damage: The system distorts procurement, deters investment, and prioritises point-scoring over performance and innovation.
- Constitutional Tensions: Remedial action under the Constitution cannot be indefinite. Without a sunset clause or measurable criteria, B-BBEE oversteps its legal bounds.
- Corruption Enabler: The legislation has facilitated fronting, inflated tenders, and patronage networks – undermining clean governance.
Free SA is calling for a replacement framework that:
- Prioritises need-based empowerment to address real poverty and unemployment.
- Targets structural exclusion, irrespective of race.
- Aligns with constitutional principles of fairness, effectiveness, and time-bound remedial action.
- Ensures policy is subject to regular review and democratic oversight.
Free SA will formally submit its demand for the repeal of the B-BBEE Act to Minister Parks Tau on Friday, 10 January 2026. Citizens can add their name to the submission here.
“This is a defining moment for South Africa’s future,” added Coetzer. “We must end race-based patronage and build an empowerment system that works for everyone, not just the connected few.”
