Act on qualification scams

The Marietha Aucamp qualifications scandal rocking the City of Tshwane is just the tip of a gigantic iceberg. In local, provincial and national government many people are occupying positions without the necessary qualifications.

Thanks to Jacob Zuma, who had no idea how to handle other people’s (taxpayers’) money, thousands are earning millions of rand illegally. Their inability to do what they are being handsomely paid for contributes to SA’s junk status. The auditor-general’s recent report on municipalities clearly illustrates this.

Lynne Brown employed an administrative secretary who earned just less than R1m a year — about half the basic salary of the outgoing rector of the University of Cape Town. How many thousands of political leaders and officials are doing what Brown, Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba and Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane were caught doing?

It seems all officials want to be a chief with someone underneath them for SA’s favourite pastime — back scratching.

President Cyril Ramaphosa should order a full audit of the qualifications of all middle and senior managers in all spheres of government.

There are thousands of skilled, capable, young and energetic people who have achieved in life without scratching anyone’s back. If Ramaphosa makes space for them he will see SA fly.

Derek Abrahams Via e-mail