Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a programme launched by the South African Government to redress the inequalities of Apartheid by giving previously disadvantaged groups economic opportunities previously not available to them. Black as defined by the Department of Trade and Industry, includes Black, Coloured, Indian and Chinese South Africans who were declared to be Black in June 2008. BEE includes measures such as employment equity, skills development, ownership, management, socio-economic development and preferential procurement.