An analysis into the implementation of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) in Namibia : selected case studies

[摘要] ENGLISCH ABSTRACT:Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) in Namibia is viewed as an essential povertyreduction strategy in the fight against black disempowerment. However, the concept andpractice of BEE in Namibia, prevails in the absence of a national BEE policy.Nonetheless, the government has encouraged the public and private sector to developtheir own empowerment initiatives, in accordance with the draft BEE guidelines.The practice of BEE in Namibia has become controversial amongst the presentlydisadvantaged Namibians with regard to its implementation. Criticisms on theimplementation of BEE are based on the assumption that BEE has resulted in the selfenrichmentof a small black elite as opposed to empowering the poor. Breaking the cycleof underdevelopment and marginalization requires a commitment towards Broad-BasedBlack Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and broad-based ownership. The ultimateobjectives of BBBEE are to achieve significant decreases in poverty, income inequalityand unemployment.The primary objective of the research was to analyze the implementation of BBBEEwithin two companies in Namibia, namely; Namibia Mineworkers Investment CompanyFinancial Services (Nam-MIC FS) and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE). Thepurpose was to determine whether the poor are benefiting from their respective BBBEEstrategies and to what extent. A descriptive case study approach was used to understandthe empowerment process within the identified institutions. Two data collection methodswere used, namely; open-ended questionnaires and standardized open-ended interviewingwith the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the respective institutions.The findings reveal that Nam-MIC FS is promoting broad-based ownership in that unionmembers are able to access affordable financial services and products. However, Nam-MIC FS has failed to effectively implement BBBEE, since key areas of empowerment,such as the implementation of a broad-based skills development programme foremployees, Small Medium Enterprise (SME) development for union members andcommunity initiatives have been overlooked. The conclusion is that Nam-MIC FS is promoting a minimalist approach to empowerment, since its main focus is on theprovision of affordable financial services and products, which is a short-term andunsustainable approach to reducing income inequalities and poverty. The mainrecommendations include the need to formulate and implement internal policies inrespect of the transformational guidelines and implementing a monitoring and evaluationsystem.The findings on NHE reveal that whilst a BBBEE model has been implemented, ashortcoming is the failure to implement a skills development programme for black SMEcontractors. Moreover, of concern is the failure by NHE to promote broad-basedownership in the provision of housing, since the poor and very poor are directly andindirectly excluded from housing opportunities. The conclusion is that NHE is notpromoting the broader participation, capacity building and economic improvement of thepoor and very poor, which exacerbates the housing backlog through the emergence ofinformal settlements. The main recommendations pertain to the need to directly orindirectly include the poor and very poor in the provision of housing opportunities and aneed to implement a skills development programme for black SME contractors, inaddition to implementing a monitoring and evaluation system.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University