POLITRICKING | Ban 'black elite empowerment' and preserve tradition - in conversation with FF+'s Pieter Groenewald

“We are getting calls to establish branches in Soweto,” says Dr Pieter Groenewald of the FF Plus (FF+), suggesting his party, which continues to be seen as catering to South Africa’s white Afrikaner minority, is growing in appeal across some of the country’s popular townships.

Groenewald is this week’s guest on Politricking with Tshidi Madia, an Eyewitness News politics podcast.

During his sit-down, the leader of the minority party - which was one of the last general elections’ big winners when it doubled support at the polls - discussed identity politics, his party’s support for the Cape exit, South Africa’s minority communities, the use of mother-tongue language, and the FF+’s big push for a ban on policies that speak to affirmative action and Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). 

“I always say black economic empowerment stands for black elite empowerment,” said Groenewald, who insisted black people themselves did not want to see the policy, which was aimed at giving them a leg up in an economy and society that disadvantaged them, in place. 

The contentious instrument aimed at fast-tracking transformation has often been criticised as only serving those with ties to the governing African National Congress (ANC).

BBBEE is also seen as not being enforced enough in the private sector. 

“In fact, it became a smokescreen for corruption. It's the same with affirmative action. You go to universities, you go and speak to the students, they don't want affirmative action because they say if I'm in a position, I want to be in that position on merit; because I've earned it,” he contended. 

Groenewald, who’s been at the helm of the FF+ since 2016, says the party prides itself in dividing the country into communities, mostly based on ethnic backgrounds.

This seemingly allows for it to see more of the country as minority communities that deserve their separate councils, to preserve their traditions, heritage, sports, and culture - all the while denying that theirs is an organisation that still exalts values such as segregation. 

“If you talk about identity politics, yes, I do not apologise for that, because we believe in the end that is the winning recipe for South Africa. You should be allowed to be whoever you are; you must be proud of who and what you are. For instance, if you're a Zulu, be proud to be a Zulu, be proud of your language. I'm an Afrikaner and I’m proud.”

He said if identities and groups lived in harmony with each other, with a knowledge that there was no threat to that, the country would thrive.

When asked which groups were under threat, Groenewald listed several ethnic groupings including the Afrikaner, Indians, and what he termed “the brown people”, as well as the Tshwana-speaking group as some of those affected. 

The leader of FF+ says 2024 has presented interesting challenges for his party, and that they believe it's set to see even more growth in the coming polls. 

He said preparing for the May 29th polls had been difficult.

And while one of the biggest markers for the FF+ of its growth is a desire to see it represented in the townships, Groenewald says there are no plans to grow black member numbers within the organisation.