Questions for Oral reply - President

20 MARCH 2013

PRESIDENT

In the National Assembly today during questions to the President, Cheryllyn Dudley MP ACDP said the following:

Mr President, the question I am asking is a serious question which I am not taking lightly – I know our history and I know the damage that was done!s gr

Is Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action (AA) solely for purposes of economic empowerment or is there an element of retribution – if so, do BEE and AA satisfy that need?

Should this important aspect - an often unacknowledged need for retribution – be researched and better understood in order to be responded to?

Response (my words):

The President responded at length, earnestly saying that BEE and AA were there to redress the past – they were not “against anyone” but for “those who were disadvantaged”. 

I know this President to be a man who generally does not dismiss things and it is my hope that he and others will give this issue some thought.