By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile said on Thursday (11 September 2025), the B-BBEE policy is not to blame for the high unemployment rate in South Africa.
Mashatile was responding to a question in the NCOP by Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Paul John Swart on why the government persists with “job-killing policies” like B-BBEE.
“B-BBEE is not a failed policy. In fact, I think it must be implemented more rigorously. [It] deals with the empowerment of those who have been disadvantaged in the past, “Mashatile said.
“It is not correct that in a country where black people are probably 90% of the population, but 70% [of the economy] is controlled by others. It will never be allowed,” he added.
The Deputy President said, that unemployment is not a unique problem in South Africa, but rather a widespread issue that occurs when the global economy is not performing well.
Mashatile also said that the conditions of the current geopolitical situation have a role to play.
So, we must look at this holistically, but I will not agree with anyone who says black people don’t need to be empowered.”
Mashatile took an even firmer stance when Freedom Front Plus MP Tamarin Breedt labelled B-BBEE as “racially based legislation”.
“B-BBEE is not a racial policy. It’s transformative legislation, “Mashatile said.
Breedt cautioned Mashatile against making “populist statements” by saying that doing away with racially based legislation would mean the return of apartheid.
“I spent more than 40 years of my life fighting apartheid. I’m not going to allow it to come back. Not in any form.
South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 33.2 percent in the second quarter of 2025, from 32.9 percent recorded in the first quarter. According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), 159,000 more people entered the workforce between April and June 2025. However, only 19,000 were employed during this period, while 140,000 remained unemployed.
Mashatile said the government is implementing a range of initiatives, including skills training, work experience, entrepreneurship support, and wage subsidies.
He highlighted the role of labor-intensive schemes such as the Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP), Public Employment Programs, and the Community Work Program, which provide temporary jobs and income support.
“This is to ensure that we provide temporary employment and income support, especially to unemployed young people in sectors like infrastructure, environment, and social services,” he said.
The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) has exceeded its target of reaching 5 million young people and has provided 1.5 million earning opportunities.
Deputy Minister in The Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli highlighted that more than 234 000 opportunities were accessed by young people through the National Pathway Management Network (NPMN), between April and June 2025.
“These results reflect the collective efforts of government, private sector, and civil society partners to link young people to meaningful pathways into the labour market. A major highlight of the quarter was the launch of Phase 4 of the Revitalised National Youth Service (NYS), which will provide 40 000 paid service opportunities to young people across the country,” the Deputy Minister said.
Implemented by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) under the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, the NYS promotes active citizenship by engaging young people in structured service opportunities that contribute to their communities while building their skills, work readiness, and sense of agency.
Mashatile further explained that his life was transparent and he had even made a declaration of where he lived and how the house was owned.
“I didn’t say it for the first time. I said it last year. I still live where I was living last year. So my declaration could not have changed.”
Mashatile said a journalist wrote a story that was now being followed up that in his declaration he owned a house he did not own.
“I mean, how foolish can I be? Ownership of property is something that is on record. You can go to the registrar of properties, you’ll find which properties I own, “he said in reference to a Cape Town property that is among the three he disclosed in his declaration of financial interests.
“If I own it, there will be a record that shows I’m the owner of that property,” he said. “An honourable member knows the truth, but they listen to journalists who work with them to come and ask us questions here that are funny. There is nothing I wish to further disclose,” he said.
MK Party Mmabatho Mokoena quizzed him on whether he accepted his lapse in transparency in the declaration of assets and disclosure of interests, inevitably weakened confidence in his office and risked loss of public trust.
In July, the Ethics Committee recommended to the National Assembly that Mashatile should be reprimanded and fined R10,000 for failing to declare a diamond gift to his wife in the confidential part of his financial and registrable interests register.
Mashatile had told the Ethics Committee that he was waiting for the appraisal of the diamond to determine its value before making the declaration and that he had surrendered the gift to the National Prosecuting Authority.
On Thursday, Mashatile said he accepted that the Ethics Committee did not uphold his submission on the matter.
“As a disciplined Member of Parliament, who respects the rule of law and the integrity of this institution, I have decided to comply with the decision, and the funds will be deducted from my salary, “he said.