How close is South Africa to being fully dysfunctional?

[duderoo]

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/economy/economic_trends/936551.htm

 

[Syndyre]

Depressing but accurate.

 

[Xarog]

This is something I've spent alot of time thinking about recently.

The ANC inherited a system where the previous regime was so convinced that it was all going to hell that they didn't bother spending money on the upkeep of the infrastructure. Add to this that the ANC had no previous experience in governing a country, and through their own stupidity kicked out everyone who did... Well, I can see how things got to be as bad as they were.

I think they'll get worse. But hopefully we will learn from our mistakes and overcome the consequences. I still have lots of hope for this country. It has great potential.

I am not an Afrikaner as such - I speak English and my dad's side of the family has its roots in Scotland and Ireland. But I wonder what has happened to that Afrikaner independance, the taking to heart of the phrase "Boer maak 'n plan." I wish they'd remember that phrase, and I wish they'd live it and be an example to everyone else.

 

[BandwidthAddict]

Occam's razor applied:

1. Belief that rulers should bear no responsibility but have all the authority and perks of office.
2. Lack of ethics and morality
3. Lazy
4. Given power and the wealth of a nation
5. Consume wealth of a nation
6. Blame apartheid
7. goto 5.

This has nothing to do with the apartheid governments, this has everything to do with the New South Africa.

 

[Xarog]

Occam's can only be applied when you have two explanations with more or less equal merit which adequately describes the situation - your explanation is lacking.

 

[Darth Garth]

This has nothing to do with the apartheid governments, this has everything to do with the New South Africa.

We are still in denial I see but only a clueless idiot would claim that Apartheid policies did not muck up our society.

 

[Syndyre]

The ANC inherited a system where the previous regime was so convinced that it was all going to hell that they didn't bother spending money on the upkeep of the infrastructure.

Not to defend apartheid and it certainly did cause problems but this government did still inherit the best infrastructure in Africa by far.

 

[BTTB]

Lazy Bums

Dysfunctional?

Personally I am upbeat about our country.
There is a lot to be concerned about, but for all intense and purposes the economy has been going along much better than before, but then so has many other economies for that matter.

Special attention should be made to those parts of South Africa where the standard of law and order has deteriorated.
One should start at grass roots level and get Local Council, Police Services, Welfare Organisations to work together with the Public in a more amicable manner to strive to provide ratepayers and citizens with better service, friendliness and support for the communities of our country.

Trevor Manuel should reward the taxpayers this year by dropping personal income tax by a more substantial amount. The excess cash will help drive the economy. I also think that interest rates will moderate, especially considering the new legislation about credit that is coming out later this year.
The interest rate cycle may have peaked and this will stimulate job creation.
With higher interest rates, small to medium size enterprises hold back on taking on new staff IMO.

Bandwithaddicts point 3 is probably the most applicable to this country.
Laziness.
A sickness that plaques most parts of the world, but most certainly a rather large chunk of our population are lazy bums who would rather wait for a handout than work.
For those lazy people there is little hope other than the old fashioned way of when times are hard one makes a plan or falls behind. It is the way of the world.

 

[nocilah]

if south africa had zero crime would you feel it was still dysfunctional. I dont think so. our government needs to focus on stamping out crime. that should be priority one.

and i dont think crime has ANYTHING to do with poverty because there are countries out there with far more people below the bread line.

ie Egypt, Bangladesh, India, ect <-- and they certainly no where near the crime levels we are at currently.

I personally blame a lot of the crime on our vicious past and i think only in the next two generations (+/- 40 years) will we see it slowly come down, unless of course the government and the police take some heavy action.

Look at Zimbabwe, crappy country at the moment, but a lot less crime then us.

I too am upbeat about this country, but am certainly far from thinking this country has no problems.

If the government can realise that any good they do will only better the countries future, but i always have this inkling crime is here to stay until the brain drain is complete.

brain drain = expulsion of the whites. totally my opinion and not necessarily fact.

 

[Syndyre]

Look at Zimbabwe, crappy country at the moment, but a lot less crime then us.

A lot of the crime here is apparently being commited by Zimbabweans though, guess there's nothing left to steal in Zim

 

[supersunbird]

If crime isnt adressed properly and soon, well then we are doomed to a very bad situation... civil war most likely...

 

[Xarog]

Not to defend apartheid and it certainly did cause problems but this government did still inherit the best infrastructure in Africa by far.

Indeed. MY point was simply that if they had kept up the maintenance side of things, the ANC might have had a better idea of how to go about keeping the stuff operational.

 

[Syndyre]

Indeed. MY point was simply that if they had kept up the maintenance side of things, the ANC might have had a better idea of how to go about keeping the stuff operational.

Maybe so but I think it was generally better maintained pre-94 anyway.

 

[Xarog]

Maybe so but I think it was generally better maintained pre-94 anyway.

Well, the ANC had alot to learn. However, even if the Nats were still in power, without some drastic budget changes we'd've been sitting in a similar quagmire.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the fault lies on both sides of the fence, but for different reasons.

 

[Syndyre]

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the fault lies on both sides of the fence, but for different reasons.

Definitely.

 

[nocilah]

A lot of the crime here is apparently being commited by Zimbabweans though, guess there's nothing left to steal in Zim

somehow i doubt that. sure some crime but not a lot of it.

 

[supersunbird]

somehow i doubt that. sure some crime but not a lot of it.

Nah, a lot. not meaning more than 50% neccesarily, but still a lot of crime is being commited by black illegals...

 

[Syndyre]

Nah, a lot. not meaning more than 50% neccesarily, but still a lot of crime is being commited by black illegals...

Especially a lot of the more organised armed robberies etc I think.

 

[Nanfeishen]

Especially a lot of the more organised armed robberies etc I think.

You may have a point , considering the amount of militarily trained individuals that are illegals in this country, they are trained in weapons , hit and run, as most are ex "freedom fighters" , they have easy access to weapons, they as communities are ostricised by the local population, so infiltration by the law is almost impossible, most of our law enforcement has only a rudamentary knowledg of english, let alone portugese, french, nigerian or the languages of many of the immigrants, and traveling over the border, or smuggling over the border , is not a problem for many of these guys.

 

[nocilah]

Nah, a lot. not meaning more than 50% neccesarily, but still a lot of crime is being commited by black illegals...

yeah lets not forget the russian, bulgarian and chinese mafia who are leading a comfortable life in sa