Johannesburg - Black economic empowerment (BEE) has benefited few, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said at a party rally in Carletonville on Sunday.
"Since 1994, the ruling party has adopted policies that go against the spirit of the freedom charter, which says that the mineral wealth of the nation should be shared by all," said Holomisa in a speech prepared for delivery.
"The ruling party has instead developed policies, such as the Black Economic Empowerment, which enrich select few politically connected individuals."
He said these policies had negatively affected the poor, the marginalised and the working class, while "some of the architects of the constitution and our political liberty live in extraordinary opulence".
Holomisa said if people questioned whether the ANC had done enough for mineworkers, "the answer to this question is regrettably an emphatic no!".
"These people are now the new lot of billionaires that continue to protect the interests of monopoly capital at your expense."
Holomisa said the UDM would launch its manifesto at Nasrec, Johannesburg, next Sunday.