The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the African National Congress (ANC) to abandon Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and all race-based policies if it wants its newly announced economic plan to succeed.

In a statement released on 7 October 2025, the DA argued that South Africa’s economic recovery will not be possible as long as the government continues to prioritise race over merit and growth.

The DA’s finance spokesperson said the country needs a: “genuinely inclusive, merit-based growth strategy” that removes BEE requirements and other policies the party believes have failed to address unemployment and inequality. The statement comes after the ANC unveiled a new plan to tackle low growth and high joblessness.

The DA maintains that the government’s focus on race-based transformation has deterred investment and failed to create enough jobs, warning that more of the same will: “only repeat the failures of the past.” The party urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to seize the opportunity to shift towards a policy framework that rewards effort, expands opportunity, and puts skills and growth at the centre of economic recovery.