Are you black enough for South Africa’s BEE policies?

How black do you have to be to benefit from South Africa’s BEE policies?

Indians and coloureds could in future be blocked from state contracts of more than R50-million in KwaZulu-Natal if an audacious move to shake up the empowerment landscape is accepted.

The bid to reshape BEE policies to benefit “black Africans” is being spearheaded by KwaZulu-Natal economic development MEC Sihle Zikalala. The proposal was sent to National Treasury Director-General Dondo Mogajane in August.

It is being seen as a possible template for sweeping change in empowerment legislation to incorporate the objectives of “radical economic transformation” being touted by President Jacob Zuma.

KwaZulu-Natal’s attempt to redefine “black” is at odds with legislation and practice, which regard Indians, coloured people and Chinese who were in South Africa before 1994 as “black”, and eligible to benefit from laws and initiatives on BEE.

The KwaZulu-Natal request, according to documents sent to the Treasury and seen by the Sunday Times, makes it clear the aim is “to ensure there is economic transformation to benefit black Africans in the province”.

Zikalala said the provincial ANC would advance its view at the party’s national elective conference in December. “We must know who is an African and [who are] blacks in general.”

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