Greed; the road to collapse
Week 34 – 23 August 2013
Comment by the editor, Pieter Coetzee:
The main reason for introducing affirmative action into the South African economy was based on greed rather than the implementation of a competent black based foundation to run the country effectively. This lust for wealth made the government blind for what needed to be done, namely to ensure that at least the civil service was running smoothly with an effective workforce to ensure proper service delivery at all levels.
The collapse of this service delivery is most visible in all municipalities in South Africa with our own in Thabazimbi ranking amongst the top five to be losing it all together*.
As civil jobs were the only way to create new jobs and reward their supporters, the new government got rid of most of the white workers and appointed unqualified and incompetent people who did not have the desired skills, in executive positions. No skills were transferred in a training capacity and this is the main reason for the dysfunctional civil service that South Africa is blessed with.
Contrary to popular belief that was broadcasted by the ANC, the National Party did not get rid of civil workers belonging to the then United Party, which was basically an extension of British rule, when it took over government in 1948**. Most of the opposition civil servants retained their jobs in order to ensure a smooth transition of the civil services into capable hands. Most of these civil servants eventually resigned out of own accord.
Unfortunately the new government saw all training institutions and education as the enemy. This lead to the closure of all teachers’ colleges, the redundancy of thousands of teachers, the abolishment of the apprentice training system and the closure of the main apprentice training and testing facility at Olifantsfontein on the East Rand.
Wealth cannot be obtained without education and training. This is the one main reason why Malema’s Economical Freedom Fighters party, which promotes the acquiring of wealth through the nationalization of mines, banks and businesses, as well as a massive land grab action, is doomed to fail. For the young, restless, unqualified and jobless youth, this is the answer to all their problems as they want a solution now, never mind whether it is feasible on the long run or not.
Unfortunately it is only the youth that can rectify the shortcomings of the government by voting for a government that is committed to their training and securing jobs in the formal sector. In fact, the youth is the determinative factor in facing famine or wealth.
*City Press 18 August 2013: Source: Office of the Auditor-General
**Marquart (1949,1969): South African Journal of Economics Volume 64:4 December 2008 page 774.
Gierigheid; die pad na verval
Die hoofrede vir die instelling van regstellende-aksie, was meer om gierigheidsredes eerder as om ‘n bevoegde swart-gebasseerde fondasie daar te stel om die land op ‘n effektiewe manier te bestuur. Hierdie wellus vir rykdom het die regering blind gemaak vir dit wat hulle eintlik te doen gestaan het, naamlik om te verseker dat die staatsmasjien ten minste gladweg funksioneer met ‘n effektiewe werkerskorps en effektiewe dienslewering op alle vlakke.
Die totale ineenstorting van dienslewering is veral sigbaar in alle munisipaliteite regoor Suid-Afrika, met ons eie plaaslike munisipaliteit in Thabazimbi wat tel onder die eerste vyf munisipaliteite wat volkome die kluts kwytgeraak het*.
Die staatsdiens was die mees sigbare teken van werkskepping asook ‘n duidelike vergoedingsgebaar teenoor die getroue regeringsondersteuners deur ontslae te raak van die meeste wit werkers en hulle te vervang deur ongekwalifiseerde en onbevoegde persone wat nie naastenby oor die nodige vaardighede beskik het nie, in uitvoerende posisies aan te stel. Geen bevoegdhede is op hierdie manier oorgedra nie en dit is dan ook die hoofrede vir die disfunksionele staatsdiens waarmee Suid-Afrika geseën is.
Anders as wat die ANC-regering verkies om te verkondig, het die Nasionale Party nie van al die staatsdienswerkers wat aan die Verenigde Party, wat basies ‘n verlengstuk van die Britse Kroon was, ontslae geraak toe hulle bewind in 1948 oorgeneem het nie**. Meeste van die opposisie-staatsdienswerkers het hulle posisies behou om sodoende te verseker dat die staatsdiens aan bevoegde hande oorgedra word. Baie min van hierdie opposisie-staatsdienswerkers is afgedank en die meeste het self bedank uit vrees vir viktimisasie.
Ongelukkig het die nuwe ANC-regering alle opleidingsentrums en onderwys as die vyand van die staat gesien. Dit het gelei tot die sluiting van die onderwyserskolleges, die afdanking van talle onderwysers, die afstelling van vakleerling-opleiding asook die sluiting van die hoof vakleerlingopleiding- en toetssentrum by Olifantsfontein aan die Oos Rand.
Rykdom kan nie bekom word sonder onderwys en opleiding nie. Dit is die hoofrede hoekom Malema se Economic Freedom Fighters Party, wat die pad na rykdom sien deur die nasionalisering van die myne, banke en besighede asook ‘n massa landgrypaksie, sal faal. Die jong, rustelose, ongekwalifiseerde en werklose jeug sien dit egter as die antwoord tot al hulle probleme.
Hierdie jeug is ongelukkig die enigstes wat die onreg van die regering reg kan stel, deur te stem vir ‘n regering wat homself verbind tot die opheffing van die jeug deur opleiding en die skepping van werksgeleenthede in die formele sektor.