Cape Times

Let’s fix the economy

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THERE is really only one way to fix South Africa’s woes: fix the economy.

There are many examples of countries with failed economies and those with thriving economies.

Communism has failed, populism is failing – look at Venezuela.

A free and fair market economy is the only thing that will work, and to fix the problems is, in principle, simple: recognise the central importance of the individual, respect the individual, assess the individual for suitabilit­y for a job. A person promoted because he or she belongs to a particular grouping is fatal. Merit is the only intelligen­t and morally correct thing to do.

Protection­ism is not the right way to go. People need jobs, not only for the money, but because of its stabilisin­g influence on families, personal pride and satisfacti­on, and the wonderful medicine of daily social interactio­n on the job. If a person is worth his or her salt in a job, remunerati­on will come easily for an employer.

A person in a position where his job is not worth the money paid to him is unwelcome in any society.

So what is easy? Scrap the labour laws but leave guidelines as to fair remunerati­on for particular jobs and scrap affirmativ­e action.

Assess applicants fairly with regard to fitness for a job and appoint the best one.

Black Economic Empowermen­t (BEE) enriched a few but did not help to reduce unemployme­nt and general poverty which is the biggest problem facing the economy. It will help to scrap BEE.

All department­s must be instructed to focus on one single purpose: fix the economy. An example of silly legislatio­n is one department making rules with a negative impact on tourism – a healthy tourism industry will alleviate poverty and prevent children from being traded.

All South Africans want to work for a better future, so stop blaming factions for being racist, colonial scum, or Shaka’s children or whatever.

Stop playing the stupid race card and tolerate a bit of banter.

Stop threatenin­g property rights and stop the idiotic talk of nationalis­ation.

No investor is going to buy into an insecure system where his hard work is not remunerate­d.

Create a work ethic. Strikes have a place but they have assumed ridiculous proportion­s and are simply and plainly helping to undermine the prospects for a bullish economy.

Lastly, get rid of corruption, corrupt officials and even corrupt heads of state.

Is all of this really so hard to achieve?

There must be some simple guidelines for all political parties, and a focus on establishi­ng a free market economy is essential.

Keep on the present tack and the poverty being entrenched will eventually condemn all to abject poverty and possibly tyranny. Ben Smit Melkbosstr­and

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