Suitable stable staff a rare breed

The horseracing industry in South Africa has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons for far too long. For the past couple of years, it seemed the industry was its own biggest enemy. But the tide has turned.

Phumelela, the biggest of the racing operators, will be taken over, the industry as a whole is restructuring thanks to a task team of experts from within and a sense of hope is slowly rising like an unstoppable tide. But it’s not all moonlight and roses.

Last week, a group of grooms at the Fairview racetrack in Port Elizabeth were angry. In their rage, a horse was killed while many others were apparently set loose and beaten. The police were called in to restore law and order. Apparently, the reason for the riot was a labour dispute.

One of the recurring themes in social media discussions on last week’s events was the gross economic disparities between the role players in the racing industry. While some owners pay millions of rands for a single thoroughbred racehorse, the grooms charged with looking after these majestic animals are often at the very bottom end of the economic scale, receiving not much more than the minimum wage.

Of course, there are exceptions, but there is no denying that this is the rule. This is not unique to the local horseracing industry. Worldwide, such disparities exist in most economic sectors.

Truck drivers are often entrusted with vehicles that cost millions of rands and freight that costs tens of millions, while they have to work double shifts to make ends meet. Factory workers build cars they will never be able to afford themselves.

But that doesn’t make violence an option. Anger does not make violence permissible, especially not violence against women, children or animals.

It takes a special kind of person to work with animals and from last week’s events it’s obvious the industry needs many more special people.

While the racing industry is cleaning up, it’s important to note that there’s no point in cleaning up the boardrooms when the stables are still full of manure.