Government is choosing failure

For too long we have been force-fed by the government that everyone – except the government – is to blame for their monumental failings and our country’s steady demise.

In a manner of speaking, they are correct: we voted for incompetence, so we should probably share some blame.

But we are also frequently told the country’s current problems result from Covid, apartheid, “the whites, coloureds
and Indians”, and state capture.

These lies to hide their ineptness and constant failures are now wearing thin.

As was famously stated: “If you continue living in the past, you will miss the future.” Our political leaders are determined to live in the past and lead us backwards. They foresee no bright and shining future for us – nor do they want to.

Appointing a government is not too dissimilar from appointing managers in a business enterprise. And no thinking chairperson or CEO appoints people to guarantee failure. However, this is a trend that has characterised our government.

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Appointments based on incompetence or mediocrity have led us to the abyss of state failure. Truth be told – and no matter how hard it is to swallow – we are already there.

Some will argue that we have passed the tipping point and are in free fall over the abyss.

The will to appoint visionaries and hard-working and knowledgeable politicians and younger leaders is nonexistent.

We do not need more geriatric, inept and lazy so-called struggle veterans, failed cadres and corrupt politicians to contaminate our parliament.

We demand competent leaders. No serious business enterprise will ever appoint senior managers to oversee failure.

Yet this is what our government does.

Companies know they will be held to account by their shareholders and, in all probability, senior managers will be fired. It is time government learned this very important, yet basic, principle of business survival.

To select critical staff based on ineptness or mediocrity as opposed to meritocracy is what has led us down the road to failure. It has eroded our standing as a powerhouse in Africa and bankrupted our country while immersing us in poverty.

It is, therefore, ironic that a government that has a consistent record of failure demands to interfere with – and control – how businesses must do business.

The government wants to stifle the free market and seize control over all means of business and production.

This approach was stolen directly from the communist playbook. That political ideology has long since failed yet for some reason, our politicians think they can outthink the doctrine devised by Marx and Engels.

Perhaps those who continually espouse anti-democratic systems ought to migrate to countries where it is practised and make a difference there.

No wonder many South African companies are looking to relocate. Likewise, foreign companies are viewing South Africa as an increasingly restrictive, ideologically muddled country in which to do business.

Unless, of course, they are willing to pay massive bribes to ensure political “top cover”.

And as we have learned – our government thrives on bribes. We are also paying a heavy price for unprofessionalising our civil service and municipalities.

This unprofessionalisation has denied our people even basic services. People won’t support a business with a monumental record of failure, so why support a government that thrives on failure?

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This has been a contributing factor to the recently experienced voter apathy. The mediocrity of our leaders has resulted in them propagating populist views and telling our people to demand everything for free.

They have toxified our political environment and angered people with their false hope and promises.

Nowhere on earth can people get everything for free. People across the globe and, indeed, in Africa, also know and understand that “freedom” comes with responsibility and it does not mean everything is for free.

This is, however, a mindset our political leaders have entrenched in our people as a mechanism to win votes. But it
has also misled our people and it has been a driver for anger and frustration.

If our country is to truly thrive and reposition itself as a true African powerhouse, our government must change its
appointment policy and focus solely on meritocracy instead of mediocrity.

It is time our youth came together and bridged the divide the government created and in a united voice shouted: “No more mediocrity!”

– Mashaba is a political advisor