The DA says it has a better plan than the ANC on creating jobs and growing the economy.
As the DA holds its federal elective congress this weekend, the party says there will be no changes to its stance on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE).
Speaking to the media on Thursday, one of the presiding officers of the federal congress, Verna Horne, told the media that while policy will be discussed at the two-day conference, the party is sticking to its guns when it comes to its rejection of BBBEE.
“In terms of the economic policy or the redress policy, there is no updated version of the policy to serve before the federal congress,” he said.
Horne said that in the last 12 months, the DA had developed its own economic policy that would also address matters of redress. They call it the Economic Inclusion for All bill. According to the party, this policy will create jobs, grow the economy, and address issues of inequality.
“We are not in favour of ANC-style BBBEE,” he said.
Horne said in this proposed Economic Inclusion for all bill, poverty is used as a criterion for qualifying for redress assistance.
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Foreign policy
Another policy issue that the DA has with its governing partner, the ANC, is the ANC’s stance on international affairs. The DA has accused the ANC of having a “schizophrenic” foreign policy direction. This is based on how the ANC has behaved with regard to tensions in the Middle East and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Horne said there is no proposal to amend the DA’s foreign policy at this weekend’s conference.
“I can confirm that there is no policy resolution that has been submitted around our foreign policy, so this will not be discussed at the federal congress.”
Horne said the DA has a policy-making unit, which is also tasked with updating policy, but he said the federal Congress is the party’s supreme policy-making body.
“We also have from time to time, policy conferences I can confirm that in fact our policy unit is in the process of updating our foreign policy but that will serve before the federal council in due course,” he said.
Leadership race
Meanwhile, the DA will also choose its new leaders on Sunday. The position of federal leader of the party is being contested by Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Sedibeng District Municipality councillor Sibusiso Dyonase.
More than 2 000 delegates will gather in Midrand’s Gallagher Estate for this congress. The party described this as their largest congress in history.
One of the spokespeople for this congress, Luyolo Mphithi, told reporters that the congress could elect the next president of South Africa. The DA is currently an influential partner in the government of national unity (GNU).
“We could possibly be electing the next president of South Africa in this congress, we do have that goal, we do believe it’s possible,” he said.
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