The DA says it is consulting its lawyers on the legality and constitutionality of the racialisation of government’s COVID-19 financial relief measures.
This comes after an announcement by the Department of Tourism that it will follow B-BBEE codes in allocating emergency relief for small businesses and companies affected by COVID-19 crisis.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has also sent out a communique encouraging only black, Coloured and Indian farmers to apply for financial assistance.
DA interim leader John Steenhuisen said it was not only ‘unconscionable’ that critical financial relief in this time of distress for thousands of distressed businesses and commercial entities is racialised, it is also most likely illegal.
“The reality is that the skin colour of an employer does not determine the true victims of this crisis”, said Steenhuisen.
Businesses have been suffering the most during the 21-day lockdown as some of them are not considered essential services and have now been put to a complete standstill.
Steenhuisen said the DA will not allow “the ANC to use this crisis to further divide our nation, and we will use every avenue available to us to fight for the right of all South Africans, black and white, to benefit from emergency assistance”.
(Compiled by Inside Politics staff)
