The Friday Rant… Observing events around the world over the last 24 months, it is becoming more and more apparent that the changes manifesting in the short to medium term are somewhat larger and more challenging than the ongoing political and conflict based scenarios currently dominating the media. The known facts are that there is an increasing amount of seismic activity, there is an increase in the global temperature, the sea is measurably deeper and weather patterns have changed. These have resulted in increased violent storm activity and changes in climate that have resulted in ravaging forest fires and numerous floods. This we know this because it has already happened. The near future will reveal to all of us the extent that this will affect us as an ongoing influence. Closer to home we still have a long way to go if we are to become a cohesive society that has the ability to deal with the ongoing consequences associated with massive change that is outside the sphere of ‘Blame it on Apartheid’. Should the sea levels rise and Destroy our Harbours, will we still appoint organisations and individuals based on melanin content and political affiliations or will we by then have learned that the outcome of the country is more important than the fulfilment of a political ideology? It is with great interest that we all observe the stagnation in Zimbabwe. Clearly there has to be an undisclosed value system that I do not understand. There is obviously ongoing support for Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. What I grapple with is this; Based on what value system would one support a leader who has taken a successful country and made it into what it has become? Furthermore, based on what outcome is there basis for hope when there is little viable that is left in Zimbabwe? All of this because of the ZANU PF’s racist government policies. Isn’t that what the ZANU PF fought against? Or were they lying? Were they perhaps using a good ideology to get support from other countries when in fact their objective was racist and heinous all the time? After all, look at what has happened in Zimbabwe in the last 33 years. We have witnessed destruction, genocide, theft, abuse, racism and abundant misrepresentation. Furthermore, the negative effect on the surrounding countries is also been a very costly affair. Closer to home we are faced with fragmentary dilemmas in Government. There is the ongoing struggle for power, the partial mismanagement of critical services (Partial because we still have hospitals, they are just not run properly) and of course the ongoing struggle for economic empowerment. All of these collectively are preventing us from developing into a full blown structured society. One has to ask why the organisation that based their movement of change (or struggle) on a sound document like the ‘Freedom Charter’ would, of their own accord, choose to revert to racist policies and legislation as opposed to striving for a unified society believing that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity, as the constitution says. Although one may argue the merits of our current legislation, clearly we are in the process of cooking up future problems by mimicking the legislation of apartheid. Whereas our current government is clearly desperate to cling to its power, it is also desperate to do this at any cost. Whilst its initial leaders sought a society free of racial prejudice, our current leadership are defining society and every sector of society (through legislation) by race group. This can be seen in sport, business, and organs of the state and even in education. How is it possible that in the 21st century, we need to have racial classifications based on the skins melanin content? Why not base society on the size of a person’s liver or the stomachs capacity. Why not measure a person’s stature in society by his cognitive ability? After all, why shouldn’t society be presided over by the clever citizens? Why do we still use the colour of an individual’s skin? Imagine for a moment that all racist legislation in South Africa was to be repealed by the end of this financial year. That would mean that from the 1st of March next year, we would have a county that functioned on the following lines: “Individuals are employed for their competence. Companies are structured for sustained economic development. Education is for the purpose of producing competent graduates. Government departments are structured for service to society. Sport is for… well Sport!” I find the current situation in South Africa verging on Insanity! We might as well replace the faces of half the politicians with the faces of the last government. One has to ask the question: “Are they working for the same boss?” Is our President answerable to some authority or are we a stand alone country? If we are a stand alone country, why are we still using race as a segregating policy instead of using growth as a mechanism of unity? Why are we using race as a determining factor in National Governance when we should be using the growth and development of our people as an outcome. Although the majority of people in South Africa are good and are trying to come to terms with their lot in life, clearly the absolute power of the presiding government has been corrupted, absolutely. Whilst most citizens are hopeful of the future, our culture leans towards retrospection in all aspects of life. One cannot lead into the future at any level if one dwells on the past. Leadership is a process of taking followers into the future. We know that re-addressing the imbalances of the past is a hopeless cause. Just look what Bob has done to Zimbabwe! There is however a better and more prosperous way forward. That is to facilitate the growth and development of our country and our continent into the future. This can only be done on a basis of sustainable business and social development processes that excludes once and for all racial prejudice. To this day, we read about politicians and government officials that are still squabbling over the crumbs left over by apartheid when we live in a country that is only ticking over a fraction of its full potential. How can we change this? Well one can only hope that the leadership will become aware of the latent capacity of the marginalized sectors of society. These people are tough and clever. They have achieved what few others on the planet have done. Oil from coal, infrastructure from virgin bushveld and transition to democracy. It is prudent to note that out of apartheid came democracy. In Australia and in the USA they substituted ‘Apartheid’ with ‘Genocide’. Never was this considered in South Africa, although the capacity always existed. To continue to focus on the past whilst the future comes closer every minute is not only irresponsible, it is a clear indication that our government is stuck on doctrine written during the industrial age (Pre Information age) and does not know what to do next. The costs of everything (Food, fuel, accommodation etc) are increasing at the same time as the expectations of the citizens increases based on political influence. It is time to cut the misrepresentation to the majority and to begin an honest process of development. How achievable is this to a government whose solution to getting more learners (Scholars) to pass matric is to lower the standard of the matric examination! I am in no doubt that we have a long way to go, but I am also sure that we are not going to have too long to wait for the ‘Biggest transformation ever’ to be thrust on us by the change in climate. Nature has always been a great equalizer. Now brace yourselves! (This draft is edited - First published in 2006)
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:59:52 +0000
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