Johannesburg - ActionSA has called for the scrapping of BEE ahead of its policy conference.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont outlined the party’s readiness for the party’s inaugural policy conference that is set to take place from September 12 to 14.
Beaumont led a media briefing at Melrose Arch ahead of the party’s first policy conference and said the party, through its wide consultation with South Africa, would like to see an end to BEE policies.
He also said part of the party’s priorities would be to focus on immigration, the universal basic income grant, the National Year of Service, and other issues affecting the country.
"Firstly, we talk about the universal income grant as part of our economic prosperity package, which is projected by the economists to create between 1.2 and 1.6 million jobs and grow our economy at a rate of 5%. We also talk about repealing the BBEE Act of 2003 and replacing it with a new law called the Social Justice Policy because ActionSA is opposed to the act. We are not opposed to the empowerment of black people," he said.
He said the party will ensure that young people who do not have a pathway for jobs will be empowered through the National Year of Service.
"We are going to focus strongly on immigration through a package that deals with improving our border patrols and the deportation of people who are in this country illegally.
"We will ensure that young people who do not have a pathway to jobs are given a year of service. At our Policy Conference next week, we will discuss the introduction of a National Year of Service, a voluntary programme to offer young South Africans without an established path to education or employment after high school the option to serve in the public service. This is designed to equip them with marketable skills that will improve the prospects of gainful employment," he said.
Furthermore, the party said in its policies that it will focus on the police and the country’s ailing economic system.
He said the party, established three years ago, has grown, and its membership and support base in communities continue to grow.
"ActionSA is no longer the party that it was three years ago. We now have more than 2 300 members. We have branches in 35% of the wards in South Africa. It is a huge job to go and consult that widely," he said.
He added that the party’s senate has been able to put together a string of draft proposals that will form part of its inaugural policy conference later this month.
"Some of the things that have come out of this process are going to be truly revolutionary in the SA political landscape. So when you hear my colleague talk about the benefits of engaging South Africans who understand how the country needs to be fixed, you will soon realise why these innovative ways are distinct in our South African political landscape," he said.
The Star