Focus on merit and everybody wins

DEAR SIR — Trevor Manuel has been castigated by trade union leaders for daring to say we must stop blaming apartheid for poor service delivery.

The union leaders argued — correctly — that the damage done by apartheid to the social capital and skills of the majority of our population is still evident. They said it is dishonest of Mr Manuel to call into question the current social engineering policies where positions are not filled on the basis of competence, but rather of blind loyalty to the ruling party.

The attitude of Mr Manuel’s critics seems to be that only allocation of jobs according to demography will undo the evils of apartheid. This is only the beginning. Lurking in the wings is the Freedom Charter. This calls for the redistribution of land and shares. In other words, the critics of the National Development Plan call for a forced redistribution of jobs and assets, to accord with our demography.

While this revolutionary call may resonate with voters, it is the path of disaster. This is because it reflects a static view of society and the economy. The only viable way to achieve a prosperous society and economy that broadly reflects our demography is to adopt a dynamic approach.

We need to realise that the accumulation of social capital and skills in the minorities is not the problem but the solution. The way to ultimately become a wealthy and representative society is to back away from racial quotas, and appoint on ability.

Affirmative action should be seen not as a master plan, but as a tiebreaking mechanism, when candidates are of equivalent competence. Positions filled on merit will ensure the maximum development and training of all employees, most of whom will inevitably be black. This approach should be followed in all sectors.

In a way, the ideal of demographic representation is like happiness: the more you chase it, the faster it recedes. SA is far more likely to achieve demographic representivity if we go about it indirectly, by fully utilising all available skills. As most whites are already active in the economy, locating them where their skills are most useful cannot (be of) advantage (to) whites at the expense of blacks.

If the economy doubles in 12 years — which it will do if we grow at an achievable 6% per annum rate — most of the increased wealth will accrue to the majority.

The critics may argue that this approach conflicts with the constitution, which envisages a broadly demographically representative society. However, this constitutional goal can be interpreted as exhortatory, not as mandatory.

At present, at least in the public sector, the vision of a prosperous and equal society is seen as requiring a mandatory process of selecting employees and contractors on the basis of race.

This is the wrong approach. If we change the focus from race to experience and skills, we will be well on the way to achieving a just and representative society and a better life for all. This will accord with the injunction in the constitution.