Pudding is proof

Irefer to the article “EC MEC Exposed by Angry Rant at Staff” (DD Aug 13), in which transport, safety & liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe described a deputy director as “useless”.I’d like to know: how did such a “useless” man get this appointment in the first place?

In SA we see far too many instances of incompetent people being appointed to high positions in government or municipal affairs because they are relatives or friends of persons in high places, or have “struggle credentials”.

These surely are not valid criteria for appointment to posts which have specific requirements relating to the ability to do the particular job? Is it not time that those whose job it is to make appointments look carefully at the applicant’s ability to carry out the required tasks of the post to be filled?

They should take a leaf from the book of that great statesman, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, who refused to appoint anyone who could not do the job, no matter how well connected he or she was. As a result, Singapore prospered. They might also take counsel from Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ in the scene where Mark Antony and Octavius were discussing a particular appointment:

Antony: “This is a slight unmeritable man, meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit, the three-fold world divided, he should stand one of the three to share it?”

Octavius: ” You may do your will; but he’s a tried and valiant soldier.”

Antony: “So is my horse, Octavius, and for that I do appoint him store of provender.”

SA, once the economic and industrial powerhouse of Africa, has now sunk to ‘junk’ status. It will not rise above it until those in power realise that appointments must be made on merit if we are to succeed. If someone has done valuable service in bringing SA to democracy, s/he should be rewarded, but not with a post s/he cannot fulfil.

— Joseph Kristafor, via e-mail