/ 18 December 2008

Cope clarifies position on affirmative action

The Congress of the People (Cope) on Thursday denied that it is against the country’s black empowerment policies, saying its position on affirmative action has been ”misinterpreted”.

”Cope has noted various media reports that seem to have misinterpreted our policy positions on black economic empowerment (BEE) and affirmative action — Cope believes strongly in affirmative action and BEE as necessary instruments of the change we profess,” the organisation said in a statement.

This was after the Black Lawyers’ Association (BLA) had launched an attack on Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota for suggesting affirmation action should be scrapped.

However, Cope, which released its entire BEE policy to the media on Thursday, said its concerns about BEE and affirmative action were around the manner in which it was being implemented, and not the policies’ intentions.

”Because of the skills distortions in the economy, policies intended to redress the past, notably affirmative action, have
generated unintended consequences,” Cope said.

There was a need to address the unintended consequences of affirmative action and related equity policies.

”These unintended consequences include nepotism and cronyism in the public service, exclusion of minorities from the public service and using race as a sole criterion of employment rather than looking at the potential,” the organisation said.

Other South African groups such as coloureds, Indians and those of Chinese origin have at times been overlooked for appointments.

”This has had an adverse impact on race relations and generates inefficiencies in the economy and the public service,” Cope said. — Sapa