![\"Dawie](\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Dawie-Roodt.png\")
<\/a>Dawie Roodt<\/p><\/div>\n
Leave business to business<\/h3>\n
According to Efficient Group Chief Economist, Dawie Roodt, BEE policy has not done the South African economy any favours.<\/p>\n
“BEE policies are not going to help government achieve what they set out to do – government should not be making decisions on behalf of businesses.”<\/p>\n
According to Roodt, the way level the employment playing field in South Africa is to firstly “upskill” people, especially women, and secondly to give them access to jobs.<\/p>\n
The recent Women Empowerment Gender Equality Bill, adopted in the National Assembly, speaks to the growing need for gender diversity in business.<\/p>\n
The Bill calls for at least 50% of decision-making posts in businesses to be held by women.<\/p>\n
However, Roodt said that the nature of the Bill, much like BEE quotas, is “just wrong”, and serves only to uplift the well-connected few through tokenism, while ignoring the vast majority of people in the country.<\/p>\n
“Don’t tell business how to do business,” the economist said.<\/p>\n
Roodt has been vocal against policy which seeks to simply “create jobs”, and insists that the only way to create real jobs in the country is through growing the economy.<\/p>\n
Unemployment entrenches inequality<\/h3>\n
Chris Hart, strategist and economist at Investment Solutions, noted on social media – in a greater discussion about employment and poverty in the country – that political weight in the country should be about service, not patronage, corruption, or the view of “it’s our turn to eat”.<\/p>\n
According to the economist, South African policy has been overemphasizing poverty alleviation, “and we are making very little progress in (reducing poverty),” he said.<\/p>\n
He said that inequality is entrenched through unemployment, and that could only be alleviated through job creation.<\/p>\n
“Anyone who can must be encouraged to create jobs…pro-business is also pro-poor. All wealth in society is originated through some business or enterprise activity.”<\/p>\n
Hart indicated that simplifying tax and labour laws in the country would help small and medium enterprises navigate an already complicated business environment, which would ultimately help the economy, and South Africa to grow.<\/p>\n
The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NAFCOC) and the Black Management Forum (BMF) were asked for their views on intensified BEE policies, but did not return comment by the time of publication.<\/p>\n
More on BEE in SA<\/h3>\n
Zuma to step up affirmative action<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n New BEE codes \u201cnot just about ticking boxes\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Only a few have benefited from BEE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n BEE \u201cfronting\u201d unforgivable: Zuma<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n