How to get rid of greedy ‘servants’

EVERYBODY knows corruption is rife. The ANC, probably with tongue in cheek, says it has put plans in place to fight it.

Some people have worked out that the money lost to corruption runs as high as R30 billion. Imagine that.

At a cost of R100 000 for a simple but solid starter house, this would pay for 300 000 of them and would probably provide accommodation for more than a million people.

Is there a way to root out corruption? Of course there is. And it is simple.

Privatise all state enterprises, including state hospitals. In fact, the state should not run anything.

All the state should do is act in the same way a referee does in a football match: create the rules of fair play and enforce them. The only instance when the state should get involved is to act as the incubator of a strategic industry, pretty much as the Nats did with Iscor and Sasol.

Once such a baby is strong enough to stand on its own feet, it is time to “cut it loose” and privatise it.

The state should have no means to hand out largesse because such practice creates the climate in which corruption thrives.

Organisations such as SAA and Eskom must be handed to private enterprise and not be run by cronies, often incompetent but supportive of political heads.

Clearly this cannot be achieved overnight. But, in the interest of “the people”, that amorphous mass of ignorant voting fodder, it should be attempted and implemented.

The approach has been implemented in advanced countries and is working well.

For example, I do not think there is a single big European country that has a national carrier. All those had to come up with a business plan to make money without any bailouts from the state. Why should this not work in Africa? Are African governments not as capable?

Of course they are, but they would have to adopt a different moral code, one that concentrates on serving the people. Pretty much like Frederick the Great, king of Prussia, did when he pronounced a few hundred years ago: “I am the first servant of my people.”

It will happen only if the same people vote the right crew into power. It will not happen with the current lot stuck with their snouts in the trough. R GRUNING

Germiston WHEN I switch on TV or read a newspaper, there is always a government official making a fool of him or herself.

Our country never runs out of entertainment from these officials and politicians, why do I need DStv?

If it is not ANC officials saying something dumb about Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, it’s the SABC and the Hlaudi show or government spokespeople trying to defend politicians moonlighting as farmers.

And, Juju’s EFF press briefings leave me more bemused and anticipating the next Parliament showdown. N NGUBENI

Joburg