Mr. PRESIDENT – SIR, WHY ARE YOU DOUBLING DOWN ON NHI, BELA, EWC, BBBEE, EQUITY EMPLOYMENT PERCENTAGES and 143 RACIAL LAWS WHEN IT’S NOT WHAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE WANT?
Yesterday (15/4) I listened to a presentation by the Institute of Race Relations in which they asked a representative sample of South Africans across age, gender, provinces, urban versus rural, income and home language groups a number of profound questions, like the one below:
In all, this representative group of South Africans were asked 18 questions. Not one of their answers would suggest race to be a fair and legitimate determinant of job opportunity, economic access, or future well-being. In fact, on the contrary, the majority felt that race-based policies intensify racial tensions regarding opportunity and advancement. The reality is that the majority of South Africans (70%) reject racial legislation as an enabler of fairness, inclusion and transformation.
You are aware of the growing antagonism towards BBBEE and the cynicism regarding the implementation of racial quotas in the workplace. Your government constantly finds itself in court defending racially based policy and legislation (NHI, BELA, EWC, BBBEE, Equity) and often losing. Yet, at any given opportunity your ANC ministers, and yourself for that matter, double down on these policies and defend them as the essential ingredients of fair transformation and inclusion when – as the table below suggests – your people don’t support the same.
It appears that your government still feels that 143 race based laws are what is needed to balance historical black disadvantage against current white advantage, but the table below indicates that 89% of South Africans have an opposite point of view.
On top of this 70% of South Africans hold the view that “all this talk of racism and colonialism is by politicians who are trying to find excuses for their own failures.” A damning comment indeed?
I’m not for one minute suggesting that the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality are not central to our transformation and inclusion energies, but the IRR research suggests that the ANC obsession with race-based legislation is not the way forward and that the majority of South Africans don’t want it. Job opportunities, economic opportunity, growth, education, effective policing and corruption are top of their agenda for transformation. Interestingly race relations, land reform, and social grants are bottom of their agenda. Says something don’t you think?
In 2004 the ANC, on the promise of “A better Life for All” garnered 70% of the national vote because between 1994 and 2004 there was much progress to show (as my ‘South Africa – The Good News’ book (2003) explained). But, after that the ANC stopped listening, with the resultant steady decline to 40% in 2024. I would argue that the tables above explain why. You and your ministers have lost touch with your people, as you obsess with the NDR. The promise has been broken, the majority of your people across all races don’t like, and don’t trust, what you’re doing to improve our national prospects for transformation and inclusion, that is clear.
Mr. President I enjoy your weekly “From the Desk of the President” letters, may I respectfully request that you respond to my letter in the near future?
Steuart Pennington, CEO
South Africa – The Good News
www.sagoodnews.co.za Subscription link: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/y/05C0A52156565799
Mobile: 083 457 4098 Poortjies, Plettenberg Bay 6600
James Peron Free Market Foundation “Over my lifetime I’ve seen vast improvements in the world. Yet, I see fear merchants trying to promote bad news, even if they have to invent it.”
Winston Churchill ‘Truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it. Ignorance may deride it. Malice may distort it. But there it is.’
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