Sir – President Ramaphosa has beautiful plans to solve socio-economic problems with ‘smart cities’ on the one hand, but on the other, we have an unemployment rate of 50 per cent among young people.
People are plunged into poverty because the ANC’s union partner prefers to keep people without jobs, instead of allowing them to negotiate their wages themselves. The solution is not to offer more training and to create more entrepreneur programmes.
If we have no investors in the country, we have no jobs. If labour laws make it impossible to start a business without having corrupt relationships with the right people, we have no jobs. If businesses cannot afford to employ people, we have no jobs.
The solution lies in using skilled people and transferring those skills to a new generation. Various institutions and individuals with exceptional skills and experience offer their help to get South Africa back on track. Their input will lead to economic growth, which will result in curbing unemployment and poverty, but it looks as if the ANC is set on economically sinking the country with its trademark rhetoric.
Ramaphosa admitted agriculture was one of the most critical industries in the country, but it is ridiculous to state land reform will be accelerated (through expropriation without compensation) and that agricultural production will be expanded in one sentence. It cannot be both Mr Ramaphosa.
Maybe the ANC has already tested too much of the hemp products which are apparently going to save agriculture, itself. The course the ANC is taking is doomed to be an economic failure.
If the ANC does not commit to the economic principles which have internationally proven results for growth, the SONA and the ANC’s actions have no value for South Africans.
Louis Meintjes – President, TLU
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