Perception or Fact?

S

Skinner

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From: http://www.news24.com/News24/MyNews24/Your_story/0,,2-2127-2128_2391045,00.html

Political parties, labour unions, NGOs and the media have created a number of perceptions, and some of these are repeated on a daily basis until they start to sound like the truth.

Unfortunately these actually become a reality in some people's minds. Let us take a look at the two most important ones and see if we can kill or enforce them. I use the word "kill" with caution, I hope no one will misinterpret it.

The Unemployment rate is too high and AA & BEE excludes white people from employment.

The Unemployment Rate in September 2007 was as follows:
# Black Africans: 26.8% (31.3% in 2005)
# Coloureds: 20.6% (21.8% in 2005)
# Indian/Asian: 8.2% (13.4% in 2005)
# Whites: 3.8% (5.4% in 2005)
# Average: 22.7% (26.2% in 2005)

Black Africans are the worst affected while whites are the least affected. Strangely enough the latter are more likely to complain. I know that some smart souls might attribute the decline in the whites group to emigration. My counter-argument is that majority of whites leaving SA are actually employed, but want better jobs or salaries overseas.

The effects of AA and BEE are overrated. Look at the appointments section of The Star and The Sunday Times and see how many white males get appointed every week.

Did we manage to kill this perception? Please right down your answers, A = Yes, B = No, C = Not sure.

SA is the Crime Capital of the World

In 2007 there were 8 925 murders in SA, which is a 5.7% decline from 2006. 22 887 rapes were reported, marking a 2.6% decline. Residential burglary declined by 7%, while robbery with aggravated circumstances declined by 8.8%

Vehicle theft declined by 9.2%, while carjacking declined by 0.7%. Yes, robbery at residential premises went up by 7%, but overall, there is a general decline in the rate of crime.

There is no crime free country in the world, especially with the population as big as ours. Even the smallest country in the world with a population of about 800, the Vatican City, has reported high levels of crime, albeit petty. Only 10% of perpetrators are caught and prosecuted.

Did we manage to kill this perception? Please right down your answers, A = Yes, B = No, C = Not sure.

Good job?

For me, I answered As to both and I am curious to know what the rest of you think! Let us stop listening to the pessimists who want us to believe that SA is going down. It's patently untrue! Fortunately most readers here are literate, educated and independent thinkers. I'm confident that if we all apply our minds and not be influenced by the media, we will come to the same conclusion that SA is many times better than what it was under apartheid.

My elderly parents did not have potable water or electricity under apartheid. Today they have both, and so are millions of other black South Africans! Under apartheid I would not be able to own the property I own today or even have the job I have.

For those who have always enjoyed these and other services by birth, it might be easier to criticise. To the pessimists, please (in the words of the late Marttie Stepanek) "We need to stop, just stop, stop for a moment before anybody says or does anything that may hurt anyone else." Maybe we'll realise just what a wonderful country we have. Let us nurture it and make it better for our future generations.

I pledge to support my wonderful country for better, for worse and to contribute positively to its success! How about you?
Click to expand...

You decide.
 
I know I shouldn't do this because after all this is Skinner, but here goes...

Political parties, labour unions, NGOs and the media have created a number of perceptions, and some of these are repeated on a daily basis until they start to sound like the truth.

Unfortunately these actually become a reality in some people's minds. Let us take a look at the two most important ones and see if we can kill or enforce them. I use the word "kill" with caution, I hope no one will misinterpret it.

The Unemployment rate is too high and AA & BEE excludes white people from employment.

The Unemployment Rate in September 2007 was as follows:
# Black Africans: 26.8% (31.3% in 2005)
# Coloureds: 20.6% (21.8% in 2005)
# Indian/Asian: 8.2% (13.4% in 2005)
# Whites: 3.8% (5.4% in 2005)
# Average: 22.7% (26.2% in 2005)

Black Africans are the worst affected while whites are the least affected. Strangely enough the latter are more likely to complain. I know that some smart souls might attribute the decline in the whites group to emigration. My counter-argument is that majority of whites leaving SA are actually employed, but want better jobs or salaries overseas.

The effects of AA and BEE are overrated. Look at the appointments section of The Star and The Sunday Times and see how many white males get appointed every week.
Click to expand...

Yes black africans are the worst affected, but let's take a look at the skill levels of those who are unemployed. I'm sure if you set a minimum skill level across all races and then did the same comparison, the figures might look very different. Black africans will remain the worst off as a group as long as the majority of people in our country have no access to decent education

Before we jump to any conclusions regarding who is appointed and who isn't, maybe we should get some actual figures regarding just how many white males are getting appointed every week and how may AA apointmentments are apointed by comparison

SA is the Crime Capital of the World

In 2007 there were 8 925 murders in SA, which is a 5.7% decline from 2006. 22 887 rapes were reported, marking a 2.6% decline. Residential burglary declined by 7%, while robbery with aggravated circumstances declined by 8.8%

Vehicle theft declined by 9.2%, while carjacking declined by 0.7%. Yes, robbery at residential premises went up by 7%, but overall, there is a general decline in the rate of crime.

There is no crime free country in the world, especially with the population as big as ours. Even the smallest country in the world with a population of about 800, the Vatican City, has reported high levels of crime, albeit petty. Only 10% of perpetrators are caught and prosecuted.

Did we manage to kill this perception? Please right down your answers, A = Yes, B = No, C = Not sure.
Click to expand...

This topic has been flogged to death... the stats are only as good as the collection and collation effort. If you perceive crime to not be a problem in our country and you feel government is doing a good job in curbing it... well I say good luck to you (and T-Bone... and the rest of the crime denialists). :rolleyes: This is one of the real reasons we have the problems we do with regards crime in SA.
We need less bull***** and more action

... I'm confident that if we all apply our minds and not be influenced by the media, we will come to the same conclusion that SA is many times better than what it was under apartheid.

My elderly parents did not have potable water or electricity under apartheid. Today they have both, and so are millions of other black South Africans! Under apartheid I would not be able to own the property I own today or even have the job I have.
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, there are many people out there who feel one should strive to improve things to the highest common denomitor, rather than digress to a lower state
Yes... there are people who are better off now, but if one looks at where we could be, you cannot say you are happy with progress over the last 10 years or so. I was lucky enough to have benefitted from a pretty good education/health/justice system in the 70's and 80's, why should I have to put up with something that is not even close for my kids?

Sure there are some who are better off than they were before, but why could they not be uplifted to the level of those who benefitted under the previous regime? Why should the excellent benefits that were there before be brought down to less than mediocre levels for everyone?

Let us nurture it and make it better for our future generations.
Click to expand...

Here I have got to agree - "Let us..." is the message I'd like to pound into the seemingly thick skulls of our government.
 
Hoof-Hearted said:
Sure there are some who are better off than they were before, but why could they not be uplifted to the level of those who benefitted under the previous regime? Why should the excellent benefits that were there before be brought down to less than mediocre levels for everyone?
Click to expand...

Totally agree.
 
Great! Only 8 925 murders in SA and 22 887 rapes. I feel soooo much better. Thanks for pointing this out Skinner :rolleyes:
 
timgaul said:
Great! Only 8 925 murders in SA and 22 887 rapes. I feel soooo much better. Thanks for pointing this out Skinner :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Numbers like those are clearly unacceptable, but at least they are on the decrease, not increase :o
 
re unemployment; I dont read Skinners cr@p as its blocked but between 1995-2002 the official figures show that white unemployment figures have doubled, while those of blacks have only increased by 22%, the trend continues as the ANC social engineering bites.
Factor in that close to 25% of the whites have buggered off out of SA as well and it is worse somewhat.

White people can rightly voice ther concerns, where is the job creation?
 
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