Running
through all the usual charts there are few startling developments beyond the
strength of the London share market and the weakness of its currency. Somehow
both factors are being blamed on Britain’s exit from the European Union. Even
our old anti-sports tour foe Peter Hain has emerged from somewhere to tell SA
what a disaster Brexit will be for this country. But all forecasts of woe and
gloom would be forgotten if global economies rebounded and everyone got busy
again. Those looking for positive signs will see twitches of life in some of
the commodity prices. Others, however, will be absorbing the amazing messages
about how quickly and accurately intelligent machines are performing tasks in even
the so-called knowledge based professions. Lawyers it seems will be
particularly affected. Mind you the champions of driverless cars obviously have
never been to Africa. It will be a while before a computer will be able to tell
which lane the taxi will use next.
The two
ministries tasked with equipping the young people of South Africa with the
knowledge and skills they will need to compete in the world spend nearly 23
cents of every tax rand collected. But this funding is insufficient and every
institution needs to collect fees to survive. Fees can be abolished only if the
nation agrees to cover the shortfall by increasing either the fraction (at the
expense of other services) or the total tax collection. Or indeed both. Please
will the noisy and violent ones tell us how to balance these equations.
In the
meantime, education is in a mess. Only in some small enclaves where vestiges of
old systems and standards survive is anything effective coming out of the state
owned and run institutions. Parents, the majority of teachers, and once they
are old enough to grasp the issues, the learners (dread term) are frantic. Politicians and bureaucrats are racing to
distance themselves from the mess. President Zuma made only a cameo appearance before
bolting from a meeting where he was expected to be presidential. The buck passing
is breath-taking.
There is
scant likelihood that central planning can solve this problem and only the
market can do so. Simply return school education, at least, to be a local
competency run by parent-elected school boards and principals. Close down every
provincial ministry and release everyone (teachers and administrators alike) on
those payrolls to go and offer their experience and skills to the highest
bidders. Many will be disappointed to learn what real employers think they are
worth. And then critically, through a mixture of tax cuts and education
vouchers, return the money to those who are the actual buyers of education.
Those baying
for free education – “because it is a right” -- and militant teachers’ unions
will not like any of this very much, but maybe more kids than at present will
be able to reach heights they currently have no hope of attaining.
In the meantime,
over at another hall of government it has been decided that we drink too much
booze but the good news is that it’s not our fault. Apparently the blame lies
with the people who sell us our tipple. They should not serve us if, in their
view, we have already had enough. This of course dovetails neatly into the
current climate of not being responsible for one’s actions and makes the
police’s job that much easier as they can simply ask the drunk where he
purchased his last toot and arrest the offending shopkeeper or barman. The
proposed legislation also reinforces the quaint notion that 500m is just far
enough for a school- or church-goer not to be tempted by the demon drink. But
perhaps the most difficult thing to understand is how the twin statistics of
our world-beating liquor consumption, and our desperate levels of poverty match
up. Someone is fudging the numbers.
Last week it
was Pretoria. Now its Durban. Each city got to host both a cricket and a rugby
test against antipodean teams almost back to back. The hospitality industry
hopefully did well. The only missing piece to make it perfect will be if the ‘bokke
hand the All Blacks their first loss in years. This would be even more
spectacular than the sight of a Formula 1 engine “letting go”. The smoke and
flame and driver frustration makes for a great spectacle.
James
Greener
Friday 7th
October 2016 (The Tide will be out next week. I’m going birding/drinking)
