The more things change...

The more things change, the more they remain the same – an old adage but extremely apt when I view the state of the nation today.

JZ doing his utmost, heavily backed by his parasitic hangers-on, to avoid responsibility and accountability for the cost of his palace;

JZ, again, signing into law a labour amendment act that is so short-sighted, and in the long term detrimental to all, that it’s virtually unbelievable;

Mildred Oliphant grabbing the wrong end of the stick, and running with it, when commenting on the reasons for strike action;

The ANC, in general, again blaming current problems on a combination of Apartheid, inequality and western attitudes, morals and morality;

Corruption, jobs-for-pals, inefficiency, crime – all on-going, unfettered and becoming a way of life in SA.

It seems to me that people, especially the talking heads in government and the party, really do expect things to get better when the basics are still not even being discussed, let alone put in place to rectify the ills we have. Worse is that they expect us to believe them, and their supporters do.

 “Socialism for the masses and capitalism for those in power” is not a workable system, people, not on any level, in any country in the world. You cannot have leaders who are confused about whether they are for the workers, for the capitalistic system – for all the citizens - or just in it for themselves.

Likewise, political appointments to posts in policing, administration and management of state enterprises, amongst others, are not going to create jobs, curb crime, bolster the economy or appeal to spectators.

Similarly, there is something inherently wrong in a country when government is the largest employer. The largest employers should be mining, industry and agriculture – employing those who produce, manufacture or grow something. Government employees generate nothing, except inflated backsides and egos, chaos and in many cases huge personal bank balances.

Government’s duty, well one of them anyway, is to create a climate conducive enough for employers to create jobs.

Government are not there to create jobs. That is the realm of private enterprise which needs a balanced political climate, a stable currency and an efficient, cost effective, responsible and healthy workforce. This is the basis of capitalism, and it works.

Giving people money, in the form of grants or jobs-for-pals or tenders, does not promote capitalism, nor self-reliance and motivation. It sells the unlucky ones into socialistic servitude and buys a few lucky ones wealth, which they usually squander and seldom turn into thriving enterprises.

This is true inequality and the ANC government promote this to their supporters as if socialism is a panacea for all ills.

Government needs to be clean, efficient and reliable and until this happens it cannot expect private enterprise and entrepreneurs to be likewise.

If all we see around us are corrupt practises in government, like JZ and his palace, convicted killers released and given plum government jobs and relatives, family and friends having positions created for them, then we are merely going to plod along with no future. If we want a sustainable economy, and country, then we need leaders who are selfless, pro-active and able to do what is necessary, regardless of the impact on their popularity. Creating dynasties is not the way to go about it.

Labour needs to learn that the harsh reality of life is that if you don’t work, you don’t earn and if you don’t earn you don’t survive, well not for long anyway. Nobody can pay people not to work – there isn’t enough money in the world to do this.

Thus education needs to be prioritised to enable future leaders, industrialists, farmers, miners and professionals to appear as they will ultimately be the employers of the future. An education system that produces endless numbers of hawkers isn’t what the country needs.

South Africans need to realise that we live in a global economy, where what happens in distant places has a direct impact on all of us and we need thus to produce goods at a cheaper cost, give better value for what we do and strive for improvement always.

The mines are starting to mechanize their operations, technology is destroying menial, labour-intensive jobs and there is no place left for lazy, unproductive workers with no ambition. They are dinosaurs whose end is nigh and the unions are leading them down the garden path if they say otherwise.

In conclusion, we need an educated youth, we need hard-working individuals, a sustainable capitalistic system where people are rewarded for production and we need a government that is willing and able to finance and foster such, in conjunction with big business which is hardly blameless for the skewed economy we have.

We cannot go forward if we are stuck in the past, be that politically, economically or ideologically and if we are going to continue financing more and more individuals to stay at home and have babies then we are history.

Likewise we cannot carry individuals, or groups of people, who cannot carry themselves as eventually, definitely, the money runs out and the system collapses under the weight of worthless, useless and greedy mouths.

It may sound harsh but unfortunately there always has been, and always will be, people who fall through the cracks and end up poverty stricken. Life gives us no guarantees and nobody is more deserving, of anything, than any other.