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Mail & Guardian
27-05-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Ramaphosa: Racial redress is not stunting growth
President Cyril Ramaphosa.(@PresidencyZA/X) Racial redress is not a hindrance to Ramaphosa told Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder he failed to understand how those who questioned affirmative action could not see the real problem is black people do not own a big enough share of the means of economic production in the country. 'I am rather surprised and taken aback when I hear that policies of black economic empowerment militate against the growth of our economy. That, I find quite surprising because I work from the starting point that our economy was held back over many years by the racist policies of the past,' he said. Apartheid prevented the majority of South Africans from playing a meaningful role in the economy, he continued. 'Black people were brought in as hewers and wood and drawers of water and they were just brought in as labourers. They were not even seen as consumers. They were not seen as active players in the economic landscape of our country.' Mulder had suggested that the government should rewrite economic policy to create growth, and in that process abandon affirmative action and the concept of expropriation without compensation because it was not serving the country. Ramaphosa countered that the reality of apartheid, including the wholesale exclusion of black South Africans from the economy, could not be forgotten as if it were merely 'a bad dream'. 'You would never see a black person being made to advertise either soap or milk or anything. Today every advert you look at has got black people because it is now being realised that it is black people who are the consumers.' But, he added, there must be a realisation that black South Africans must moreover command the levers of the economy to reduce inequality and poverty. 'So I am really baffled, I am baffled by people who still hanker for policies of the past and to have you, Sir, say black economic empowerment is holding our economy back,' he said. 'It is the partial and exclusive ownership of the means of production in our country that is holding this economy from growing. 'Why can't black people be made to own productive aspects of our economy, why can't they be rich as well?' The national debate about affirmative action has been revived by the The Democratic Alliance's court challenges to the In Tuesday's question session, MPs from the Patriotic Alliance (PA), uMkhonto weSiswe party and African Christian Democratic Party challenged the president about the racial classification in South Africa 30 years after the end of apartheid. The PA's Marlon Daniels demanded to know why coloured, Indian, Khoisan and white South Africans were not deemed African. Ramaphosa said it was regrettable that racial classification endured, but that the very aim of redress was creating a society where it no longer had any place. 'It is most unfortunate that the classifications that we have inherited from apartheid have tended to continue and our clear intent that we should see those classifications of our people withering away because we are all Africans, we are all South Africans. 'To rid ourselves of that form of classification we do need to take steps to say this group, and that group and that group were previously disadvantaged and we therefore have to take steps to ensure they are put in a better position.' It did not imply discrimination, he said. 'There should never be a sense that there is any group that is more special than any other, we are all equal. As we move forward, our objective is to consolidate the unity of our people as one people, as Africans.' He said those who argued against affirmative action were trying to put a plaster on the deep wound inflicted by apartheid. 'That sore does need to be lanced, it needs to be properly repaired and to repair it you need to go to the depth of it … you've got to name everything for what it is because unless you do so, you will never be able to rid our country of the legacy of the past.'
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Trump exposed the truth about SA to the world'
Freedom Front Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder Image: Freedom Front Plus THE Freedom Front Plus says US President Donald Trump has exposed the truth about South Africa and the ANC to the world, following a tense meeting at the White House. The party's leader Dr. Corné Mulder said with the whole world watching, South Africa was exposed as a country plagued by violence, with a struggling economy, collapsing infrastructure and overall stagnation. 'It was painful to watch,' said Mulder. 'I warned a week ago that, in light of President Trump's statements about South Africa and the recall of South Africa's ambassador, rushing into a meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump would be premature. 'The meeting should have been preceded by talks between lower-level political officials to pave the way for a meaningful conversation. Apparently, President Ramaphosa did not think it was necessary.' Mulder added that after the meeting 'the entire world knows that South Africa is a country where calls to kill Afrikaners and farmers ('Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer') are publicly and frequently chanted'. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Ramaphosa was forced to fend off claims of white genocide in South Africa when his US counterpart ambushed him with videos and articles to prove his narrative that white farmers were being targeted for their land. The unexpected stunt turned the usually staid diplomatic setting of the Oval Office into a stage for Trump's contention that white South Africans are being persecuted. 'The world knows that South Africa is a country where Afrikaners and other minorities are bullied, oppressed and marginalised by race-based legislation,' Mulder said. He added that Ramaphosa has remained silent on this matter and does not confront or contradict EFF leader Julius Malema whose remarks were played in the video. 'President Ramaphosa's attempt to reach out and strengthen economic ties with the United States should be welcomed. It is essential to obtain investments and capital injections to save the South African economy from further stagnation. 'It is clear, though, that those investments and capital injections will not materialise as long as President Ramaphosa and the ANC cling to trite, failed and race-based economic policies, such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), Affirmative Action (AA) and the expropriation of property without compensation.
Eyewitness News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Political parties in Parliament differ on whether whites-only settlements should exist
CAPE TOWN - Political parties in Parliament have differed on whether whites-only enclaves like Orania should be allowed to exist or should be integrated with the rest of society. They were taking part in an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)-sponsored debate in the National Assembly, which called the enclaves like Orania and Kleinfontein "a threat to nation building, non-racialism and social cohesion". EFF MP Carl Niehaus kicked off the debate and said that the settlements posed a threat to the country. READ: 'You'll find racists everywhere': Orania 'growing' 30 years into democracy "These are not mere settlements, they are deliberate hateful strongholds of racial segregation meticulously designed to fracture our nation and sabotage non-racialism." But FF Plus MP, Dr Corné Mulder, said that the communities of Orania and Kleinfontein did not originate overnight and had every right to exist. "They are the products of a long, negotiated process between responsible leaders. These negotiations led to the signing of an accord on Afrikaner self-determination on the 23rd of April in 1994."
Russia Today
18-04-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
South Africa lauds progress in talks on VAT hikes
THE African National Congress (ANC) says it remains committed to fostering 'inclusive and principled dialogue' as part of efforts to ensure effective governance and safeguard South Africa's democratic gains. This follows a meeting between the ANC negotiating team, led by secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, and a delegation from the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), headed by Corné Mulder. According to the ANC, the engagement was constructive. It was previously reported that the FF Plus and the Democratic Alliance (DA) were among the parties that voted against the passing of the national budget in Parliament. Their opposition was largely due to concerns over the 0.5% Value-Added Tax (VAT) increase, which is expected to come into effect in May. The DA has also filed papers in the Western Cape High Court challenging the legality of the 2025/26 national budget process. The ANC described the meeting with FF+ as 'cordial' and 'forward-looking' , with both parties recognising the urgent need to address South Africa's fiscal and governance challenges. 'There was broad alignment on the importance of the recently adopted Fiscal Framework, particularly as a foundation to stabilise public finances, maintain essential public services, and promote sustainable economic growth,' said ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri. The discussions also underscored the need for strong parliamentary oversight, efficient public spending, and decisive action against financial mismanagement. Over the weekend, the ANC also held high-level talks with the DA in Johannesburg. DA Federal chairperson Helen Zille confirmed that 'a negotiating team appointed by the Federal Executive of the DA met a delegation from the African National Congress (ANC)' . Bhengu-Motsiri noted that GNU partners must 'be guided by mutual respect, common purpose, and disciplined cooperation in the national interest.' She added that these engagements are part of the ANC's broader effort to deepen multiparty consensus and democratic accountability within the GNU. The ANC reaffirmed its commitment to 'inclusive leadership, stability, and the advancement of the country's developmental agenda' as it continues discussions with various political stakeholders. First published by IOL
