PRESS RELEASE: Transformation Before Growth a Recipe for Failure, says Referendum Party

Transformation Before Growth a Recipe for Failure, Says Referendum Party

Race-based policies have divided the nation, driven skills out of the economy, restricted economic growth, and caused unprecedented levels of unemployment. Precisely as the Referendum Party (RP) had predicted, rather than taking stock and reversing course, the President announced that the GNU would be doubling down on South Africa’s failures.

It appears that President Ramaphosa lacks even a basic understanding of economics. To claim that transformation policies will unleash economic potential is patently untrue. Driving economic growth by encouraging everyone in the economy to contribute, regardless of their race, will quite obviously produce more economic growth and employment than excluding a section of the population because of their race. Not only is race-based policy immoral, it makes no economic sense whatsoever.

You cannot fix the legacy of racism by being racist yourself. We do not need to argue this point; we have 30 years of data to prove it.

The RP will shortly be presenting its Non-racialism Bill to Parliament, where it hopes that GNU parties other than the ANC will stand with the RP against this economic insanity, and in doing so, ensure that South Africa finally lives up to its founding value of non-racialism. If the Bill passes, it will lead to increased growth and more jobs.

DATE: 6 February 2025

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Transformasie Voor Groei is ’n Resep vir Mislukking, sê Referendum Party

Rasgebaseerde beleide het die nasie verdeel, vaardighede uit die ekonomie gedryf, ekonomiese groei beperk en tot ongekende vlakke van werkloosheid gelei. Presies soos die Referendum Party (RP) voorspel het, het die President, in plaas daarvan om die situasie te evalueer en rigting te verander, aangekondig dat die RNE  sy mislukte beleide gaan verdubbel.

Dit blyk dat President Ramaphosa nie eens ’n basiese begrip van ekonomie het nie. Om te beweer dat transformasiebeleide ekonomiese potensiaal gaan ontsluit, is bloot onwaar. Om ekonomiese groei te bevorder deur alle Suid-Afrikaners die geleentheid te gee om by te dra – ongeag hul ras – sal duidelik tot groter ekonomiese vooruitgang en werkskepping lei as om ’n deel van die bevolking op grond van ras uit te sluit. Nie net is rasgebaseerde beleid immoreel nie, dit maak ook geen ekonomiese sin nie.

Jy kan nie die nalatenskap van rassisme regstel deur self rassisties te wees nie. Ons hoef nie hieroor te argumenteer nie; ons het 30 jaar se data om dit te bewys.

Die RP sal binnekort sy Wet op Nie-rassigheid aan die Parlement voorlê, in die hoop dat GNU-partye, buiten die ANC, saam met die RP sal staan teen hierdie ekonomiese onsin. As die wetsontwerp aanvaar word, sal dit tot verhoogde groei en meer werksgeleenthede lei, en Suid-Afrika uiteindelik help om sy grondliggende waarde van nie-rassigheid te verwesenlik.

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