CDE executive director, Ann Bernstein, participated in News24’s On The Record 2026 Summit in Cape Town. She spoke on a panel on BEE, where she called for a more rigorous, evidence-based public review of the policy. Bernstein argued that South Africa’s transformation debate is often too vague and insufficiently grounded in data, stressing the need to assess what has actually worked before charting the path forward. She emphasised that “the conversation is way too loose… there are far too many opinions and a lot less data on what’s worked,” urging a more focused and honest national discussion on how to expand opportunity in a deeply unequal society.

The panel discussion begins at 01:27:00 on the video below.