IMF intervention sought for SA's race-based relief

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is taking its fight against the government using broad based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) status as criteria for small and medium funding relief to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), notes a News24 report. DA interim leader John Steenhuisen said he had written a petition to IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva, opposing the use by the government of coronavirus disaster relief funds in a ‘racially discriminatory’ way. Last week, the party filed papers in the Western Cape High Court for urgent relief to prevent what it said was an unlawful use of B-BBEE status, race, gender, age or disability as criteria in relation to economic or other forms of relief or assistance. ‘As the majority of these relief funds come from a loan obtained from the IMF, I implore this international body to censure the South African Government and instruct it to stop using IMF monies in a way that discriminates along racial lines, and exacerbates racial tension in SA,’ Steenhuisen said, adding that the ANC government's support of B-BBEE compliant companies, at a time of national economic crisis, was unconscionable.