Readers’Views

ANC to blame for slide that could imperil public servants’ pensions

The article “MTN listing threatened by Nigerian ‘witch-hunt’ ” (September 9) refers. This would not have happened in Nelson Mandela’s time. One phone call from Madiba and the problem would have been resolved.

The ANC has come a long way since we were the darling of the world. All of the slide is thanks to the ANC itself. Now a solid chunk of public servants’ pension funds is on the line via the Public Investment Corporation.

The usual chorus will be “No, those benefits are guaranteed by government”. But when those government guarantees are no longer worth the paper they are written on because of guarantees for SAA, Eskom, Denel and so on, and rising, and then exceed government’s ability to honour them all, what then?

The unions must wake up. Much of it is their money at risk.

Derek Salzmann, on Businesslive

DStv has become complacent

DStv started as a disrupter, it was lean and mean and gave viewers what they wanted — service and quality movie and sport entertainment, “Jobs on the line as DStv struggles” (September 9). But as it became the only real player in the South African market, it became an arrogant bully. Prices rose, staff numbers increased and service and movie quality dropped.

Today, the SABC exists to dish up ANC propaganda at any cost, DStv to extort money from lazy consumers.

It’s time for both companies to be destroyed. The market is wide open, and I’m sure many companies are ready to step in. It’s just a pity South African players have their hands tied with all the regulations that ensure only foreign players have a chance. Ricky x, on Businesslive

The economy booms or busts

To those who will be blaming the ANC, the EFF, the DA and President Cyril Ramaphosa for the recession, I recommend that you look past all the above. It makes no sense to blame the people who administer a system which inherently has booms and busts. Please start looking at the system and avoid thinking that individuals or parties can change how this system functions.

This is not the first recession, nor will it be the last. Recessions will forever be with us, whether it’s the DA or the EFF in power.

Linda Ngcaba, on Businesslive

Having a recession is not so bad, it’s that we’re having a recession without any significant growth over the past 10 years, while the rest of the world has been doing quite well. We are getting poorer when other poor countries are getting richer. This is not something that “just happens”. In short, we have the bust, but we never had the boom. Mani None, on Businesslive

Basic income theory doomed

Ron Derby’s column “Instead of swelling social grants, why not a basic income for all?” (September 2) refers. The social grants bill is growing, while the tax pool is shrinking. Something needs to be done, but I can’t get my head around the mechanics of a universal basic income as the solution.

How would this be funded, and who (other than the obvious sectors, such as retailers) would benefit?

Craig Martin, on Businesslive