Entitlement to blame

DEAR James Cunningham

I do not have sufficient insight into Ireland’s history, but I very much agree with the economic sentiment of your assertion. Like many middle-class South Africans, I have toiled the reasons and causes of our insidious economic under-performance.

One of the frustrating traits of our economy is its inability to perform competitively in any of its sectors, academia and innovation. Our youth currently perform the worst in maths and science on the continent, yet we have some world-class institutions.

I therefore postulate that much of our impediments reside within our society’s psycho-social domain. This provides me with a better answer to why our “under-class” is unable to grasp the opportunities available/provided to them; foreign nationals entering the country having much fewer resources grasp these opportunities and build meaningful livelihoods.

The residual effects of apartheid and the unhealthy dialogue the government dispenses to the “under-class” create an expectation of “deserved provision” – free gifts of housing, grants, education, high salaries etc. This rhetoric has destroyed our economy, causing a form of clumsiness among our people. This dialogue is bolstered with rampant corruption and easy-come business deals under the guise of BEE.

So, James, I think our problems are more complex than a misplaced economic policy. The minds of our people have been tainted, resulting in resentment towards the essential characteristics of hard work, patience and resilience which I am sure the Irish exhibited during their difficult years. Gavin Adams Cape Town