African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a staunch defense of controversial and racially based Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) on Monday, declaring the controversial policy will never be scrapped. His address came during the opening of the long-delayed 27th ANC Youth League National Conference at the University of Limpopo.
The conference itself got off to a rocky start, plagued by logistical problems. A disorderly registration process and the late arrival of numerous delegates forced President Ramaphosa to wait nearly three hours before taking the podium to speak to the gathered youth wing members.
Ramaphosa’s speech directly countered growing calls, including from within some business circles, to dismantle B-BBEE. Critics argue the policy has primarily benefited a small, politically-connected elite rather than fostering broad economic inclusion.
“The calls to get rid of the policy continue to be amplified, with some arguing it benefits politically connected elites,” Ramaphosa acknowledged before dismissing the notion outright.
“We will continue to refine and improve the broad-based black economic empowerment policies to broaden their reach and to deepen their impact,” he stated. “And those who are saying we must do away with BEE are dreaming. It will never happen.”
The ANC President anchored his argument in the nation’s foundational law, asserting, “For that policy is deeply embedded in our constitution. It is actually in our bill of rights. A bill of rights that was crafted to deal with the damage that was done in the past, to redress all the bad things that were done in the past.”
Shifting focus to the conference’s youth demographic, Ramaphosa identified the mining and agricultural sectors as critical frontiers in the battle against youth unemployment. He highlighted agriculture’s recent growth and called for a significant influx of young people into the sector as trained extension officers.
“What I want us to do is to make sure that they bring in many young people as extension officers, to train them, to prepare them and to give them the skills and then to spread them around the country to work with farmers,” Ramaphosa said, outlining a plan to boost agricultural output and spark youth interest in farming.
Despite the chaotic start to the proceedings, some voting delegates expressed hope for a smooth and productive conference.
“It becomes a great moment for us as history that will be making as young people here,” said one delegate, who wished to remain unnamed. “The expectation is that this conference comes out united and peaceful and ensure that everything goes smoothly without any fights or anything.”
In a sign of potential internal consensus, sources indicate that all top six leadership positions in the Youth League are expected to be uncontested as voting gets underway. The conference continues amid high expectations from young ANC members seeking a clear path forward on economic participation and employment.