The South African government must step up its black economic empowerment initiatives to prevent a popular revolt, the African National Congress [ANC] has said.

This view is expressed in a document prepared by the ANC ahead of its policy conference next month.

I think it is in the national interests that the private sector also contributes to black economic empowerment

Max Sisulu, ANC

Max Sisulu, head of the ANC's economic transformation committee, said without more emphasis on black economic ownership South Africa's democracy could be undermined.

And he called on the South African government to establish a national empowerment fund, financed through a mix of taxes and money from the private sector.

Setting targets

Mr Sisulu told the BBC's World Business Report that South Africa needed programmes to speed up access to key assets and products.

"The black majority must have access to finance and capital," he said.

"We need the majority of the people to have access to productive land, access to basic services, to housing and to economic empowerment - that includes minerals and mines."

However, new rules designed to increase black ownership of the mining industry could be delayed until next year, a senior government official said on Monday.

The government and mining firms have yet to agree on drafts of two laws needed to implement the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Bill, which cleared parliament in June.

Targets for black ownership in the sector, to be included in the new laws, are still under discussion.