The Democratic Alliance has called on the ANC to immediately withdraw the controversial Private Security Industry Regulation Amendment (PSIRA) Bill which would require foreign-owned security companies to sell at least 51% of their businesses to locals. It has also urged the ruling party to honour the previous African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) deals that were signed with the US several months ago.It also called on the ANC to agree to amend the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill‚ and to produce an investment promotion Bill that re-affirmed SA’s commitment to “being an open‚ secure and attractive investment destination”.These are among the actions the DA is urging the ANC to take at its National General Council (NGC) this weekend to protect and promote current trade partnerships‚ as well as pave the way for future trade partnerships in order to grow the country’s economy.DA spokesman of trade and industry Geordin Hill-Lewis said on Friday that The ANC’s Secretary-General‚ Gwede Mantashe‚ had unequivocally stated there would not be any compromise from the ruling party on the PSIRA Bill‚ amid calls from crucial trade partners such as the US to remove certain sections of the Bill – in particular the clause requiring foreign-owned security companies to sell at least 51% of their businesses to locals.Hill-Lewis added that earlier this week the US trade mission had made it clear that SA would lose out on funding from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank if it was not willing to consider objections made by various trade partners. “Mantashe’s brinksmanship and arrogance on the matter clearly shows that the ANC’s interest in its relationship with fellow Brics countries such as China and Russia is more important than South Africa's crucial economic interests. “This antagonistic approach by the ANC is putting at risk South Africa’s access to foreign markets‚ with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as a clear example. AGOA is currently undergoing an out-of-cycle review due‚ in large part‚ to the intransigent attitude of the ANC government‚” Hill-Lewis said.While Mantashe was saying the ANC would not be ”dictated to by the US”‚ ordinary South Africans continued to be dictated to by the ANC’s foolish behaviour‚ which was putting at risk the country’s ability to grow the economy‚ facilitate trade and create jobs‚ he added.“As a developing third world country‚ SA’s ability to create jobs and grow our economy relies heavily on trade and foreign investment. To actively prevent such investment through irrational and over-burdensome regulation and irresponsible comments from senior leadership speaks volumes into the ANC’s attitude towards South Africans who cannot find a job‚” Hill-Lewis asserted...