Touched by Affirmative Action
Week 35 – 30 August 2013
Comment by the editor, Pieter Coetzee:
There is not a single person in South Africa that has not been touched by affirmative action. However, in this scenario people are insignificant, the effect on industry and productivity is far more relevant than the jobs lost and those gained.
When industry loses its competent workforce through affirmative action, much is lost and nothing is gained. When the majority of students qualifying for admittance through affirmative action and racial ratios and still succeed at obtaining a qualification at an advanced institute for education, much is gained by affirmative action.
Different people of all races react to affirmative action in just as many different ways. Those that feel themselves lacking behind, including supporters of Malema’s EFF, look up to their big leader, Malema, and only see the glamour, power and lavish lifestyle portrayed as a cheep soap-opera by one of those who scored financially through affirmative action, Black Economic Empowerment as well as favours from family and friends already in executive affirmative positions.
Unfortunately, these “role models”, like Malema, already have a number of friends and a lot of family to share their wealth with. The poor student who obtained his/her entrance to tertiary education on the grounds of affirmative action and racial ratios, does not stand a chance to obtain the wealth of their role models as education is not applicable to this scenario where corruption, nepotism and contacts in high places thrives.
Never in the history had so many new millionaires, billionaires and tenderpreneurs come to light as in the short history of the ANC’s democratic government of South Africa. After the ANC has depleted the country’s treasury, the only income will be the tax-income generated by the dedicated tax payer.
Once the leaders of those who promote nationalization achieve their goal, who exactly will be getting what? If everybody is just in it for the money, who is going to do the actual job and for what salary?
Geraak deur regstellende-aksie
Daar is nie ‘n enkele persoon in Suid-Afrika wat nie geraak word deur regstellende-aksie nie. In die scenario wat ons bekyk is die mense onbelangrik, die effek op industrie en produktiwiteit is ver meer ter sake as bloot net die verlies of wins aan werksgeleenthede.
Sodra industrie sy bevoegde arbeidsmag deur regstellende aksie verloor, word baie meer verloor as wat gewen word. As die meerderheid van studente wat kwalifiseer vir toelating deur regstellende-aksie en die kwotastelsel, en nieteenstaande dit steeds daarin slaag om ‘n kwalifikasie by ‘n gevorderde onderwysinstituut te verwerf, is baie veld gewen.
Verskillende mense van verskillende rassegroepe reageer op baie verskillende maniere op regstellende-aksie. Diegene wat voel regstellende-aksie het hulle in die steek gelaat sluit hoofsaaklik die groep in wat opsien na Julius Malema se EFF Party. Hulle sien net al die glans, mag en weelderige leefstyl soos wat dit deurgegee word in ‘n goedkoop TV sepie van iemand wat finansiële voordeel trek deur regstellende-aksie, Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging asook gunste en gawes van vriende en familie wat reeds finansieel by regstellende-aksie baat gevind het.
Ongelukkig vir hulle het hierdie “rolmodelle” reeds baie vriende en familie waarmee hulle hul rykdom moet deel. Die arme student wat verder studeer staan nie ‘n kans om dieselfde tipe van inkomste as die rolmodelle te verdien nie, aangesien gevorderde studies en opleiding nie deel uitmaak van hierdie scenario waar korrupsie, neopotisme en jou kontakte in hoë plekke die bo-toon voer nie.
Nog nooit in die geskiedenis het soveel miljoenêrs, miljardêrs en tenderpreneurs opgeskiet soos in die kort geskiedenis van die ANC se demokratiese bestel in Suid-Afrika nie.
Nadat die regeringskoffers uitgeput is, sal die enigste inkomste kom uit die inkomstebelasting wat deur die getroue belastingbetaler betaal word.
Sodra daar in die strewe na nasionalisering voldoen is, wie presies gaan wat kry? As almal hul deel van die inkomste hieruit wil verkry, wie gaan die werk doen en teen watter salaris?