Corruption, mismanagement are our worst enemies

ADVERSITY is not our enemy in South Africa, our real enemies are complacency, mismanagement, corruption, lack of accountability. It is the illusion of those who believe that the same people in the ANC who have been the problem for many years, can now solve the problems they created.

In economics, we have learnt that when we neglect to deal with a serious economic issue such as unemployment for a long time, the problem becomes a structural challenge and difficult to resolve.

So, if somebody tells you that he can resolve the unemployment problem in South Africa next year or after a few years, please don’t believe him.

The problem is complicated and requires massive resources and achieving a sustainable growth rate of 6% for at least eight years.

Apart from the unemployment issue, we have so many other deeprooted problems in our economy and society.

These include increasing poverty, the widening gap between the rich and the poor, crime and violence. Also the deteriorating standard of education and health care in public schools and hospitals, poor public services and unstable electricity supply.

All these challenges did not emerge suddenly, but grew over many years under the watch of reckless and lowskilled government officials.

If we look back carefully, we will see that the nature of the relationship between all ANC governments and the people of South Africa during the time of former president Zuma and the current President Ramaphosa didn’t witness any major change.

Most members of the ANC at the national and local government levels have been enjoying their privileges, fancy motorcades, security, etc at our expense – they were completely disconnected from the reality on the ground.

They didn’t worry about the suffering of millions of poor people and the miserable quality of the public services offered.

Their focus was on the business and corporate sector. That attitude was the main reason that led to the dangerous violent protests we had in July, in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

We have to say that when Ramaphosa replaced Zuma, we were hopeful that he would act on his big promises. But he has let us down and everything has been going from bad to worse.

Now, with the local government elections taking place, the above brief history about our experience with the managing style of all ANC governments is a wake-up call to voters who still believe that the ANC can change dramatically, and that its nominees are running this time not to maintain their power and influence but to offer us better services.

Let us assume that they are serious this time, and pose legitimate questions to the leadership of the ANC.

Are they willing to treat us as customers who pay taxes to buy quality services from the government in return for their salaries which they are getting from our taxes?

Will Ramaphosa give us a commitment that our satisfaction as customers is guaranteed and we will not be humiliated by standing for hours in long queues at the home affairs or the motor licensing offices?

And if this happens, will he fire the people who do not deliver, or stop paying their salaries and refund part of our taxes?

Better than all of this, isn’t it time for the ANC leaders to consider taking a short break from politics, or to agree on power sharing with the opposition parties in running the affairs of South Africa?

Accountability, power sharing, and competition is the only way for this great country to prosper and advance again.

DR MAHMOUD YOUSSEF BAKER | Musgrave