Conditions would have been better

AFTER reading Jacques Pauw’s latest book, and following the latest developments unfolding in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa over the past decade or more, I can only, despite not being a supporter of the DA, agree with Helen Zille’s comment that things worked better under colonialism and National Party rule.

Having said this, I must clarify what I exactly mean and that is if the National Party had been given the opportunity to continue to govern after 1994 with apartheid gone and the new constitution in place, South Africa today would have been a much better place to live in for all its citizens.

There would have been an organised integration over time of previously disadvantaged citizens into positions for which they were qualified.

All the government departments, especially Eskom, education, hospitals, SAA and the rail network, would be working as they should be, and the revenue received by the government would be going where it should go for the betterment of all of us.

The cost of living would probably also be more affordable than it is today, and hopefully our financial interaction with the global markets and community would be kept in check so that we would not become dictated to by it or a slave to it.

The list of positives is too long to mention.

The years of isolation also brought many self-reliance benefits to this country.

The infrastructure and applying proven good governance methods also worked under colonialism.

Fred Rogers, Port Elizabeth