South Africa’s biggest party defends black economic policy

An African National Congress official says the party will not abandon its transformation agenda despite pressure from the US

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of lobbying against South Africa’s transformation policies abroad, saying it has led to US tariffs and sanctions threats targeting the leadership of Pretoria’s biggest party.

South Africa faces a potential 30% tariff on exports to the US. 

He warned the ANC would not abandon its transformation agenda, including Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), despite pressure from Washington and its political allies.

Addressing the media in the post-NEC briefing on Wednesday, Mbalula said the ANC is not prepared to abandon its economic transformation policies to appease the United States. ”You must understand that the tariffs imposed by the United States of America are going to negatively affect our economy,” he said.

Mbalula accused the DA of lobbying during US visits to have policies like BBBEE scrapped, which he said aligns with longstanding imperialist attitudes.

”You can’t, for national interest, say undo BEE to appease the United States of America because, among others, this is what the US wants of us, that we must do away with certain policies which, for us in terms of transformation, are not going to assist us,” Mbalula said.

He recalled how, during apartheid, the US under President Ronald Reagan labelled the ANC a terrorist organisation. ”Now we are in a democratic dispensation, and then the US says on the basis of videos the whole of our nation must be punished, despite the fact that facts say something different,” he said. 

READ MORE: Trump moves forward with 30% tariffs on South Africa

“Even if it means we’re going to suffer through sanctions as leaders of the ANC, let it be.

“We’ll never beg imperialists to subvert our democracy, to subvert our sovereignty,” Mbalula said. “We will never forsake our country, which we fought for its liberation. Not this ANC, not this leadership."

Mbalula further criticised what he called a “right-wing fringe” in South Africa that travels abroad to undermine the country’s democratic policies, drawing parallels with the US-Cuba tensions under Fidel Castro.

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He also rejected US attempts to decide the country’s rules and laws. ”You are asking us to abandon what we stand for. You are asking the ANC to stop struggling and then close shop and become something else.

”We are not DA, the DA will address that because they do not want affirmative action, they don’t want redress, they don’t believe in transformation,” Mbalula said.

He further criticised the Trump administration’s decision to grant special status to some white South Africans, framing it as part of a broader narrative to portray South Africa as a racist state.

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”Donald Trump called for whites here, gave them special status in America. 49 car guards arrived in America. They didn’t leave this country, South Africa. They are still here,” Mbalula said, claiming the narrative pushed by the US was misleading and misinformed.

Mbalula defended BBBEE and transformation policies as essential for equity and redress in an economy he said remains “male-white dominated”. He said the ANC would not submit to the agenda of “a party of anti-transformation.”

“If they want to bring sanctions on us, let them bring them. This country, South Africa, and all its citizens, know that it’s a democratic country, it’s a liberated country and we are still transforming this country in order to achieve equity.

”If we are punished for advancing and defending South Africa, that should be the case,” he said. 

First published by IOL