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Trade union Solidarity demanded today, the last day for public comment on the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI’s) proposed new broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) codes, that the proposed codes be retracted in their entirety. As a precautionary measure, Solidarity also submitted its comment in the form of a critical document on the proposed codes today.
 
Johan Kruger, Solidarity’s spokesperson, says the trade union maintains that the codes were incoherent from the onset, giving rise to several questions about their implementation. ‘The DTI’s decision last week to retract the changes to the BBBEE codes for socio-economic development contributions shows that the proposed codes were ill-considered. Solidarity’s view is that the proposed codes must be revised completely and published for comment again, as the retraction of the BBBEE codes for socio-economic development contributions may have implications for the rest of the proposed codes. The public cannot be expected to comment on codes that were amended while the period of public comment was still open.’
 
Kruger says Solidarity’s analysis of the codes shows that, contrary to the DTI’s opinion, they would, in reality, not promote broad-based black economic empowerment, but would, even more than in the past, only benefit a black elite. ‘The proposed codes would also exponentially increase the administrative burden on companies, without creating any additional wealth.’
 
The DTI retracted the proposed new BBBEE codes for socio-economic development contributions last week, after Solidarity had received more than 11 000 protest messages concerning the codes during its StopRob campaign.