Skilled professionals are deserting in droves

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Slooth

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http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080209092047366C214694

As President Thabo Mbeki on Friday tried to bring a sense of direction to the issues troubling South Africans, it emerged that large numbers of skilled professionals are considering leaving the country.

This was confirmed by estate agents, removal companies and immigration consultants.
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This article covers a broad spectrum of professionals that can account for the growing concern in the drain of skilled professionals. Far more reliable then a previous thread denying the issue on the basis of some family member working for an "undisclosed" employment agency.
 
Yeah.
Our house is going on the market this month. Off to a better life ASAP.
The (Horrible)State of our Nation was my final straw. That and the gushing water pipe on our road for 15 hours. It is now the 8th in a week in a 500m stretch. Place has gone to carp - and looking at those emigration stories - it ain't gonna be improving anytime soon.

In regards to that other post you mentioned - said family member will look back fondly on the days she had "500 people to choose from", when all those skilled people are gone.
 
Moederloos said:
Yeah.
Our house is going on the market this month. Off to a better life ASAP.
The (Horrible)State of our Nation was my final straw. That and the gushing water pipe on our road for 15 hours. It is now the 8th in a week in a 500m stretch. Place has gone to carp - and looking at those emigration stories - it ain't gonna be improving anytime soon.

In regards to that other post you mentioned - said family member will look back fondly on the days she had "500 people to choose from", when all those skilled people are gone.
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It's a brave step to pack up and leave everything behind only to start anew. Good luck mate.
 
I don't see any effort from government to stop the brain drain that is happening right now. I suspect it is because it is mainly whites that are leaving. They don't really want us here... so they don't care if we leave. If only they had common sense, and looked long and hard at Zimbabwe.
 
Slooth said:
It's a brave step to pack up and leave everything behind only to start anew. Good luck mate.
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I reckon it takes as much courage to stay here and wait for your number to come up.
The difference is staying is a passive decision - leaving is an active decision.
 
I'm part of the brain drain: It is easier to work outside South Africa than inside. At present all my income is generated outside South Africa.

I know many other professionals who "commute" across the world because they are not prepared to accept the consequences of an unprofessional BEE boss. On any flight I'm on, there are quite a number of professionals doing exactly the same.

Though I actually stay in South Africa, my economic benefit to the country is limited to consumer spending while I'm in the country, and a few taxes.

The brain drain is worse than people believe.
 
The problem with a brain drain is it affects everyone. Someone with all the patriotism in the world, that clings on to ZA and wishes for the best, is not going to do a damn bit of difference if the majority of brains are gone.
You cannot build a nation with the uneducated.
 
Moederloos said:
The problem with a brain drain is it affects everyone. Someone with all the patriotism in the world, that clings on to ZA and wishes for the best, is not going to do a damn bit of difference if the majority of brains are gone.
You cannot build a nation with the uneducated.
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What worries me is that my daughter is in matric this year, and cannot read or write.
Where is she going to get a job to support herself?
 
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Another stigma to shake is the belief it's a "white only" symdrome.
 
KillerX said:
I don't see any effort from government to stop the brain drain that is happening right now. I suspect it is because it is mainly whites that are leaving. They don't really want us here... so they don't care if we leave. If only they had common sense, and looked long and hard at Zimbabwe.
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Your signature is good. I would add that you are actually a very positive person. As is, "I am positive that it is going to rain!"

That being said, you are correct. Having lived here for over 4 decades, it is apparent that the government is on similar path that was taken in Zimbabwe. I have read many posts on other forums and blogs where black South Africans grew up without electricity and running water, and what comes across is that if they have to go back to the stone age to get rid of the "whinging" whites then so be it.

As they say, we were there once and we can do it again. Whites are getting the blame for the brain drain and all other ills that are facing SA in the future. When the World Cup is taken away from SA the whites will be blamed again.
 
Obaht said:
hehe, He must be joking!
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No jokes aside.
Try it, this is what happened with outcome based education.
This years matriculants are the first to do the new (then) outcome based curriculim,
I think what happened was that instead of bringing Bantu education up to Western standards, they brought White education down to Bantu education standards.

This is the generation that will have to run the country when we are old and grey,and on pension.
God (or whatever you believe in) help us.
 
Piepalook said:
No jokes aside.
Try it, this is what happened with outcome based education.
This years matriculants are the first to do the new (then) outcome based curriculim,
I think what happened was that instead of bringing Bantu education up to Western standards, they brought White education down to Bantu education standards.

This is the generation that will have to run the country when we are old and grey,and on pension.
God (or whatever you believe in) help us.
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While the education system is indeed shocking - I cannot believe that you would allow your kid to get to 18 years old without the ability to read, write and think.
My 10 year old is also a victim of our new bantu education system, yet she is able to read well - her list of read books includes the usual teeny "junk", Harry Potter and so on, as well as Steinbeck and Dickens.

This ability to read, and to learn, has been given her by me and her mother. The school is merely a place the law says she is required to be 6 hours a day.
 
Piepalook said:
What worries me is that my daughter is in matric this year, and cannot read or write.
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And where have you been all this time? My parents would have noticed very quickly if I couldn't read. It wouldn't take them 12 years to figure this out or rectify the situation.
 
Slooth said:
Another stigma to shake is the belief it's a "white only" symdrome.
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True. I once asked a young black man who was waiting to see a group of doctors - some of whom were visiting Americans (one of whom was an African-American woman dressed in her university hospital outfit, big badge, colour colded stethoscope and above all loud American accent) if he wanted to see HER (professionally of course :) ). He looked at me and said "No way - she must be a snob!"

Anyway its more of a class struggle than a racial one. Poor people perceive the middle class as snobs and the middle class wants to leave so as not to get pulled down to their level. Then there is also crime but that's another story.
 
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noxibox said:
And where have you been all this time? My parents would have noticed very quickly if I couldn't read. It wouldn't take them 12 years to figure this out or rectify the situation.
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Maybe i overstated a bit.
Their reading,spelling and writing skills are on a standard that we had in standard 5.
Not just my child,thousands of others out there as well.
 
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Piepalook said:
Maybe [I] [overstated] a bit.
Their reading[, ]spelling and writing skills are on a standard that we had in standard 5.
Not just my child, [thousands] of others out there as well.
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There. Corrected that for you.

Wow, if you regard your reading, writing and spelling skills as superior to your daughter's (and her peers'), then there is no hope for her (their) future!
 
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