Let’s fix the economy

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