THE DA continues to stand firm on its view that Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) should be scrapped.
Responding to President Cyril Ramaphosa's reply to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate on Thursday, 19 February 2026, the party said the policy benefits only a politically connected few.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said they won't back down from their fight to replace it with empowerment that genuinely lifts all South Africans out of poverty.
"We reject the protection of BEE, which has benefited only politically connected elites at the expense of the poor, who remain trapped in poverty, locked out of employment, and with little hope of climbing the opportunity ladder. We will continue to fight for an alternative that creates a more inclusive economy for all," Steenhuisen said.
He stated that it's for this reason the DA has tabled the Economic Inclusion for All Bill.
Steenhuisen, who serves as Agriculture Minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), emphasised the party will relentlessly pursue the replacement of BEE with a policy that focuses on addressing poverty.
He said: "South Africa stands at a critical juncture. There are encouraging signs of stabilisation under the Government of National Unity, including improving economic fundamentals and renewed investor confidence.
"Most recently, the Quarterly Labour Survey reflected employment gains in certain sectors and provinces (most notably the Western Cape). This progress reflects the value of cooperation, reform pressure, and the injection of competence into government."
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He pointed out that stability is not the same as prosperity, adding that the gains are slow and aren't felt evenly.
"South Africans are still living with severe unemployment, crime, failing municipalities, and economic growth that is far below what is required to create jobs at scale," he said.
He said the DA remains committed to the GNU because it's helping to stabilise Mzansi after years of governance failure, and because it serves as a bulwark against instability and extremist policy alternatives.
Steenhuisen was clear that participation in the GNU doesn't mean passive support.
"It means driving reform from within, fighting corruption, and holding the executive accountable where urgency is lacking," he said.
The DA leader stressed that the party remains resolute in its call for urgent reforms, including improving "our ports and rail through accelerated private concessions, ending cadre deployment and enforcing merit-based appointments, accelerating energy market reform and the unbundling of Eskom, and pro-investment policy certainty".
He said these are practical economic reforms, not ideological positions, and they're essential to achieving sustained growth.
