‘All companies in the tourism industry suffered during Covid. The Covid was not targeted against black companies only,’ Michael Bagraim writes. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)
The letter from MP Manny de Freitas (“LETTER: Broad-based BEE doing more harm than good to travel and tourism sectors”, September 21, 2023) spells it out as it is.
Giving Covid relief monies to certain types of businesses is ridiculous and harks back to what happened during apartheid.
All companies in the tourism industry suffered during Covid. The Covid was not targeted against black companies only. This social engineering is now so ridiculous it has become farcical.
All those businesses forced to close had to pay income tax when making money, regardless of whether they were black, white, coloured or Indian.
Now that they needed some help, they couldn’t turn to our government. Hopefully, a new government will put an end to race-based employment and benefit schemes.
* Michael Bagraim, Highlands Estate.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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