Not all B-BBEE is bad: It can be a competitive advantage for businesses, lifeline for young unemployed – Gary Bannatyne

With the Ramaphosa government digging in its heels over black empowerment rules amid increasing pressure to abolish regulations that have advantaged a small percentage of black business leaders in South Africa, Gary Bannatyne, Managing Director of Shaper, has challenged some of the negative perceptions surrounding Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). Bannatyne highlights the transformative potential of B-BBEE if it is not merely a box-ticking exercise in uplifting unemployed youth, boldly stating, "Not all BEE is bad." He describes Shaper’s fit for the workplace programme as a process where they “panel beat” young individuals to make them work-ready. He notes the overwhelming talent entering the market from universities, with sometimes 3,000 applicants for just 10 positions, many of whom have heartbreaking stories. To upskill these young graduates and matriculants, B-BBEE can serve as a "cheat code"—if executed correctly, he says, "it is almost like gaming the system."