Find the right team to give economy mouth-to-mouth
THE RAPID decline of the rand’s value against all major currencies has not yet made its effects palpable in our society.
One can only hope that before a further devaluation something is done by those in authority to bolster our poor rand’s worth.
But my purpose in writing is not to make suggestions to facilitate an economic recovery – we are all too aware of our president’s role in South Africa’s bleak current and future status.
Perhaps Mr President and his honourable ministers, together with his MPs and supporters, have not considered how badly we have been shot in the foot.
According to my research, the minimum wage for a domestic worker in Region B (major cities in South Africa) was, until November 30, R10.98 an hour.
At today’s rate of exchange, that is equivalent to $0,66 (yes, 66 US cents) an hour.
Compare that to the current minimum wage in the US of A, which ranges from $10 an hour in California to $5.15 an hour in Wyoming and averages out at approximately $7.80 an hour.
Working an hour as a domestic worker in Wyoming would bring in the equivalent of R82.22 in South Africa.
Would that I could work in California and earn R165.48 an hour at the exchange rate at the time of writing.
Add to that the unemployment statistics in South Africa and we have a problem of notable proportions.
I understand there is logic in my argument and I also understand that I have the privileges of education and age (wisdom and experience) behind me.
Those who haven’t enjoyed such privileges will soon wonder why life is getting so expensive and why there is even less work available.
It didn’t happen by itself – it happened because of incompetence.
The logical thing to do is for somebody to take responsibility and hand over the reins to another, more experienced (and competent) person and a competent team.
We need to get out of this mess faster than ever.
Our currency needs life support, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to defer a hand-to-mouth economy.
Let’s find the right person to turn on the ventilators.
Bryanston