African Renewal Movement calls for an end to BEE, BELA & NHI…to unite the nation

South Africa has to get rid of policies with “race-related objectives” that “seek to divide us as a nation”. That is the call from Mawande Gqotso, the Founder of the African Renewal Movement (ARM). In this interview with BizNews, he says: “… we need to do away with all the current policies, the Black Economic Empowerment, the Affirmative Actions, the BELA, the NHI, all the things that seeks to divide us and look at more what needs to unite us.” Gqotso says the initial high hopes that the Government of National Unity (GNU) would make a difference in the lives of ordinary citizens, are being dashed because “the two major players are fighting amongst each other”. He says for South Africa to go forward, “we need a clear definition of what is government and what is opposition. And I believe that the current set up doesn't allow that…this arrangement is derailing us as the nation”. Slamming the Budget impasse and the proposed VAT hike Gqotso says: “…it shows a government that has run out of ideas and concepts on how to take the country forward”..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here:.Listen here:.Edited transcript of the interview. Chris Steyn (00:00.992)Repeated disunity in the Government of National Unity has South Africans on edge. Let us hear from Mawande Gqotso, the founder of the African Renewal Movement. Welcome, Sir. Mawande Gqotso (00:13.398)Thank you, thank you for having me. Chris Steyn (00:18.296)So what difference has the Government of National Unity made to the lives of ordinary citizens? Mawande Gqotso (00:29.193)The Government of National Unity was formed with much fanfare and we were hoping that it would actually make the difference in the lives of ordinary citizens. But due to the premise with which it was founded, it's actually the reason why most of the things that we were hoping to see are not happening. There's too much talk and less action. And this talk is actually the bickering between the two main parties that form the GNU, as you've seen with the policies and everything. But the GNU, the people were hoping that it would create something. And there was hope that the economy would rise. There was hope that the policy direction and certainty in the country would be established. But unfortunately, we are not seeing that. Simply because the foundation of it was not from the grassroots, but something that politicians decided themselves, amongst themselves, without the consultation of everybody. The GNU, there is no single vote to the GNU from the citizens of South Africa. It's a concept that's designed by politicians to enrich themselves. Hence we see with the bloated cabinet and everything else. Chris Steyn (02:29.282)What do you think are the biggest weaknesses of the GNU as it is currently comprised? Mawande Gqotso (02:40.785)Uhhh...Unity is the first thing. The fact that it's the Government of National Unity and unity is not part of that government is the reason for concern because they presented to us the Government of National Unity as political parties and players within that formation. Yet the unity part, they haven't worked out what unity really means for them. And yeah, it's a sad situation because we are a clean ball in terms of the policy direction. We are a clean ball in terms of the economic direction and everything that we are trying to achieve that we were hoping would be achieved as the country has been stalled because the two major players are fighting amongst each other. So what I want to say is that in as much as we are hopeful that maybe it can be better, but the things are not happening at a speed we would like them to. And yeah, that goes back to how it was formed. Chris Steyn (04:10.37)What configuration of parties would be able to govern more effectively in the interest of the majority of people? Mawande Gqotso (04:20.944)The configuraton is this: in government you have the governing unit and you have the opposition. Within the GNU setup, it's hard to define who is the opposition and who is the government. The president will say this, the minister on the other party is saying a different thing. And there isn't unity. The best configuration is the winner must take all and the loser must sit on the opposition benches. And the fact that South Africans, in their majority, they never voted for a GNU. They voted for Government. And their vote were not saying we request a Government of National Unity. That was not the case. They were saying we are tired of the old guard, we want new. And what I'm seeing now is that instead of the new being best, we are being stalled. Mawande Gqotso (05:38.177)We are being stalled. The new is not coming and the old is resisting to die. That is the challenge. And, South Africa, for South Africa to go forward, we need a clear definition of what is government and what is opposition. That is very critical for us going forward. And I believe that the current set up doesn't allow that..Read more: BN Briefing: DA in fierce battle to stop 1 May VAT increase, Zuma's MK Party wins a first. Chris Steyn (06:15.896)How do you feel about the ongoing battle for the Budget and the likelihood of a VAT increase? Mawande Gqotso (06:26.054)You know, the thing is, the Budget is clearly showing the reasons why the things are not happening. It's showing the divisions blared to everybody, that we are unable to go forward with the current system of the GNU. And the Budget, as it is, and that that increase, it only hurts the poor, whom they are, whom they want to help. And I believe that for the government to proceed from this, that impasse, we need unity and we aren't seeing that, we're seeing people fighting. I am also view that in as much as we were hoping, know, this arrangement, this arrangement is derailing us as the nation. The only people who are benefiting is the few that already have the means to sustain themselves. The VAT increase will impact the poor. And they want the VAT increase because they want to be able to pay the bloated cabinet, the bigger public service spending that they want to pay. And that has nothing to do with the poor. And I am also view that this GNU arrangement, the poor is the victim. Mawande Gqotso (08:32.858)And it shows a government that has run out of ideas and concepts on how to take the country forward. That's what this impasse is all about. The government doesn't have ideas on how to take the country forward and the GNU as it is, it shows that there was no prior consultation even before the elections in terms of how are we going to go with this. So for me, and we are not a nation we are supposed to be because of the flaws that happened in the past. And the Government of National Unity and this Budget shows that we are rehearsing the very same policies that have failed over the years. Chris Steyn (09:36.438)Lastly, I want to ask you about the aims of the African Renewal Movement, a movement founded by yourself. Mawande Gqotso (09:47.744)The African Renewal Movement aimed is to is not to please people. It is for the majority of the poor that they might benefit. The objective is to look into The Constitution. There are two off-springs of the constitution that have led to what South Africa is today: The most unequal society in the world, where the poor, are the victims. The African Renewal Movement will look into One, they do away with policies that seek to divide us as a nation and as people and create policies that will be fostered by the way of educating the masses first about the policies and their impact. Because if you were to look at the BELA Act, the NHI, the Black Economic Empowerment, the Affirmative Action. All those policies, they have race-related objectives. And what we need, we need the nation that is united… Mawande Gqotso (11:29.006)…in our diversity as what Nelson Mandela was saying. We need a nation that has inclusive society, inclusive growth… Mawande Gqotso (11:45.229)…and that will enable our society, our people to try - and we need to do away with all the current policies, the Black Economic Empowerment, the Affirmative actions, the BELA, the NHI, all the things that seeks to divide us and look at more what needs to unite us. So the aim of the ARM is to unite people and it's for inviting people to join hands with us in building a society that is much better. Chris Steyn (12:33.496)Thank you. That was Mr. Mawande Gqotso, the founder of the African Renewal Movement, speaking to BizNews and I am Chris Steyn. Thank you, Sir. Mawande Gqotso (12:45.38)Thank you very much..Read also:.Worldview: MK’s Shivambu sparks outrage with visit to fugitive preacher BushiriVAT wars, political shifts, and economic storms: Dawie Roodt unpacks SA’s fiscal futureBN Briefing: SA G20 exit talk; Frans Cronje on stormy US relations; Le Roux slams racial hiring law

African Renewal Movement calls for an end to BEE, BELA & NHI…to unite the nation

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