SA needs own New Deal

I wish to promote a process that recognises that the SA economic and social situation in 2019 is similar to that faced by the US in the early 1930s, including high unemployment, no growth, a despondent youth, dire social challenges and a failing infrastructure.

In the US, the newly elected president, Franklin D Roosevelt, introduced the New Deal, which essentially sought to put the unemployed to work, albeit on a token wage; restore the dignity of people who had lost their jobs or never were employed; make good use of the wasting asset of unemployed but productive labour; improve and restore a declining infrastructure; and create new assets for the public good.

It helped to pull the US out of its malaise. SA has an urgent need to address unemployment, particularly youth unemployment; an infrastructure in need of upgrading; extensive agricultural opportunities and opportunities to create new facilities such as for tourism; an underutilised defence force, including considerable assets in the shape of transport, accommodation (both barracks and tented); and catering services that could be deployed to service organised labour.

President Cyril Ramaphosa should be urged to urgently and energetically launch a New Deal for SA, to put unemployed youth to work under the control of disciplined managers (military personnel), use the after-hours time of the force housed in government facilities to supply extramural education dealing with the three Rs and beyond, restore the dignity of the unemployed and unleash a latent energy for the good of the country, and improve public infrastructure.

A task force should be set up with a high-level energetic leader. Who better than our Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok captain to promote the initiative?

David Gass Paarl