Black empowerment in South Africa : evaluating the progress since 1994

M.Comm.Black Advancement and Affirmative Action are concepts which became identified with endeavours in South Africa to increase the participation of black people in business and the mainstream economy. In recent years, a more all-encompassing construct, combining the objective and attributes of both Black Advancement and Affirmative Action, has gained popularity. This new construct is Black Economic Empowerment. Black Economic Empowerment is a concept, which is broadly accepted in principle, but is still controversial in its meaning and practice. This report looks at the commonly, agreed and understood meaning of Black Economic Empowerment. It also examines the role that the government, private sector and labour unions have played and will play in the empowerment process. The parallels between the Afrikaner empowerment in the fifties and sixties and Black Economic Empowerment and the similarities between Malaysia's empowerment initiatives and South Africa's current situation are examined as an example that encourages the need for Black Economic Empowerment. The study will also look into the need for Affirmative Action, the state of Black Business and its historical development and its contribution to Black Empowerment. The successes of Black Economic Empowerment are contrasted against the failures, while the report examines the criticisms levelled against Black Economic Empowerment as well as the perception that such a process is open to manipulation. The findings of the study concluded that Black Economic Empowerment is essential to the economic development of Black people. The responsibility is all encompassing, yet government must be seen to act as the facilitator of the process