'White poverty up 95%'

[Lupus]

There have always been a poor white class, they were just better hidden during the apartheid days by low skilled government jobs, not all whites were middle class in those days either that is one of the misnomers of the past that also needs to be re-examined. I still know of some people who aren't or will ever be middle class and they are family (the hill billy's we've called them since forever). Also isn't the statement poor middle class an oxymoron? Cause if you are poor you are not middle class?

 

[Jola]

Well this is just a theory, but I think to fall to the level we're talking about here you'd have to be pretty close to it to start with. A maintenance guy working for Koeberg would have a house of some value, cars, policies, pension etc. You'd have to lose/spend all that before you ended up in a squatter camp.

You are right, the guy in question was obviously valuable, and got an offer from the UK.

But I think that destitution is closer than you think.

 

[Mila]

Poverty should be going down . Since it is going so well here in SA. Or am I missing the point?

 

[Brawler]

Well done. This is true progresss.

 

[Nick333]

You are right, the guy in question was obviously valuable, and got an offer from the UK.

But I think that destitution is closer than you think.

Oh, believe me, I am aware of how tenuous a lot of peoples economic situation is. But, at this stage, I think the white people living in squatter camps are mainly those who needed the Apartheid equivalent of BEE and AA the most. I'm not saying anyone deserves to live in a squatter camp or worry about where their next meal is coming from but there will always be those who struggle to take care of themselves. They will always be the first to hit rock bottom. Having said that there are probably quite a lot of us who are only a couple of paydays away from being destitute. The real question is what are we willing to do to keep ourselves out of the squatter camps?

 

[zulgin]

Oh, believe me, I am aware of how tenuous a lot of peoples economic situation is. But, at this stage, I think the white people living in squatter camps are mainly those who needed the Apartheid equivalent of BEE and AA the most. I'm not saying anyone deserves to live in a squatter camp or worry about where their next meal is coming from but there will always be those who struggle to take care of themselves. They will always be the first to hit rock bottom. Having said that there are probably quite a lot of us who are only a couple of paydays away from being destitute. The real question is what are we willing to do to keep ourselves out of the squatter camps?

well, I do know that Orania accommodates poor whites to work as farm workers or cleaners and try and bring them up through poverty, of the 500 residences currently 300 of them came there with just a bag on their back.

 

[AstroTurf]

"There is no barrier based on skin colour.

Except of course AA, BEE BBEE.

 

[Jola]

Except of course AA, BEE BBEE.

+1

 

[Roger.Wilco]

By the way there are retrenchments occuring even in coutries where there is no BEE. So many experienced folks in the Western world have been laid off... even some of the South African expats have not escaped the crunch.

The difference is, in countries where there's not BEE, those people can get jobs again that they're qualified for. Here in SA, if you're white, it doesn't matter if you're qualified.

I have no sympathy for people who doesn't want to work, and expect everything to be handed to them, white or black. Sadly we just have too many whites who are qualified and wants to work, but can't because of BEE.

 

[Ronjay]

I thought the ANC want to eradicate poverty? I guess it's like all their promises, so much hot air.

I don't care what colour a persons skin is, no one should have to live in poverty. The government should be creating new wealth. If I'm a caterer and I have to feed 12 people on pizza I divide the pizza in to 12 slices. But if all of a sudden there is now 120 people to feed it's pretty impossible to divide a pizza into 120 slices. The solution is to bake more pizza's. Government should be looking for ways to encourage the creation of new companies, increases of investments from abroad, etc, not trying to squeeze out employment from a finite job source.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

I thought the ANC want to eradicate poverty? I guess it's like all their promises, so much hot air.

I don't care what colour a persons skin is, no one should have to live in poverty. The government should be creating new wealth. If I'm a caterer and I have to feed 12 people on pizza I divide the pizza in to 12 slices. But if all of a sudden there is now 120 people to feed it's pretty impossible to divide a pizza into 120 slices. The solution is to bake more pizza's. Government should be looking for ways to encourage the creation of new companies, increases of investments from abroad, etc, not trying to squeeze out employment from a finite job source.

The problem with that is that you (the taxpayer) have to pay for the ingredients required to make more pizza. The people depending on the pizza now have no motivation to start working in order to buy their own pizza because it's being provided to them at another persons expense. The number of people becoming dependent on you increases, you have to continue footing the bill, and in effect you would have created a welfare state.

One way to decrease unemployment is to do away with the various state owned enterprises and monopolies. Let the market dictate what is best. But we all know why that's not going to happen anytime soon

 

[Ronjay]

The problem with that is that you (the taxpayer) have to pay for the ingredients required to make more pizza. The people depending on the pizza now have no motivation to start working in order to buy their own pizza because it's being provided to them at another persons expense. The number of people becoming dependent on you increases, you have to continue footing the bill, and in effect you would have created a welfare state.

One way to decrease unemployment is to do away with the various state owned enterprises and monopolies. Let the market dictate what is best. But we all know why that's not going to happen anytime soon

I'm not talking about pizza as currency but as employment. Basically what I'm trying to say is that government must get creative and find ways to increase the job pool. Your idea on state owned enterprises is correct. Also, it will allow for competition and creation of companies. The only way you can decrease poverty is to increase capacity for employment.

 

[mine_dump]

The fast-growing numbers of poor white South Africans came under the spotlight in the National Assembly on Thursday.

"The increase in white poverty has, according to the [SA] Institute for Race Relations, has been... more than 95 percent, and you've got more than 430 000 poor whites at this stage," Freedom Front Plus Chief Whip Corne Mulder told the House.

Around Pretoria alone, there were more than 70 informal settlements where whites were residing.

The Bureau for Market Research had indicated there were more than 650 000 whites, 16 years and older, who had no income whatsoever.

Mulder said it was government's contention that there was no distinction made between poor white or black people when it came to getting help, but this did not appear to be what was happening in practice.

"Is the government prepared to investigate this issue because it's becoming more and more serious?" he asked Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Responding, Motlanthe said government strove to attend to the needs of all poor South Africans, regardless of race.

"There is no barrier based on skin colour. What needs to happen is, where these communities are squatting... and they have no access to an income stream... they need to apply for RDP houses...," he said.

http://news.iafrica.com/sa/2512259.htm

One wonders if AA EE has not pepetuated the plight of whites and to a certain degree blacks as well?
This countries poor be it black or white are growing in huge numbers and i hope a solution can be found to start creating employment oppertunities to elieviate the problem.
Not easy done but we can hope and pray.

tears of joy

 

[alchamy]

One way to decrease unemployment is to do away with the various state owned enterprises and monopolies. Let the market dictate what is best. But we all know why that's not going to happen anytime soon

Absolutely, one of the biggest problems facing South Africa is the lack of real job creation and unfortunately over regulation, excessive bureaucracy and monopolies make it difficult and costly for startup businesses in South Africa. The government should be doing everything in their power to encourage innovation and small business instead of hindering it.

 

[Jola]

The government should be doing everything in their power to encourage innovation and small business instead of hindering it.

+1

Goverment is doing everything in its power to make it difficult for small companies - and that will NOT lead to more employment !!!

 

[STS]

The difference is, in countries where there's not BEE, those people can get jobs again that they're qualified for. Here in SA, if you're white, it doesn't matter if you're qualified.

I have no sympathy for people who doesn't want to work, and expect everything to be handed to them, white or black. Sadly we just have too many whites who are qualified and wants to work, but can't because of BEE.

i don't see anyone with a gun sitting at the business door saying white people can't work. people have the mentality that you're lucky to have a job in this country(when it's in fact lucky to get a freakin drivers license ).

i've had countless people call me telling me that the employer as looking for a "young white male". i've also been offered jobs when the BEE candidates pulled out and the first thing they ask me is if i would be comfortable working in a multiracial environment, how sad is it that employers have to ask you if you would be comfortable working with other human beings?

if you're qualified for a job, start your own business, it doesn't ALWAYS(note) require huge capital, and there are so many different mediums to just look for work. i've had people ask my for work who have no charisma or drive or common sense, and then they go back to their shacks at night and say they can't get a job because of this government and country. i didn't grow up in apartheid years so i don't know what it's like to have a job handed to me simply for being white, but my experiences, tho often with thankless jobs, have taught me a lot about how business and jobs in this country work.

that is my experience, i'm tired of hearing people say "i'm not the right colour" or make analogies to complete idiots getting a job over a white person with 50 degrees. there are circumstances where BEE is unfair, and i feel BEE is a useless and degrading, but it IS NOT a some mysterious force that pushes people into poverty and denies them human rights, and in every circumstance where BEE has been unfair, i've seen white people be unfair to their black brothers and sisters equally

 

[STS]

Absolutely, one of the biggest problems facing South Africa is the lack of real job creation and unfortunately over regulation, excessive bureaucracy and monopolies make it difficult and costly for startup businesses in South Africa. The government should be doing everything in their power to encourage innovation and small business instead of hindering it.

and i agree with that too, that would be a good criticism for me "go start your own business" speech, but having started my own business and working for a tosser who had no business skills at all, i just wonder how hard it really is

 

[Happy Camper]

I know I will be flamed for this, however, it has to be said perhaps we can now be regarded as closing the gap between whites and blacks on either side of the income spectrum? Unless there is a feeling amongst forumites that white people should NOT be poor?

No one should be poor at the expense of another, yes?

Apartheid gvt FAIL, anc gvt FAIL! Its the same freakin thing just reversed. Redistribution of wealth is all fine and well if you've 'worked hard for it and deserve it'! Give me Give Me Give me, strike strike strike...

 

[DreamKing]

I know I will be flamed for this, however, it has to be said perhaps we can now be regarded as closing the gap between whites and blacks on either side of the income spectrum? Unless there is a feeling amongst forumites that white people should NOT be poor?

funny enough....

why we cannot make more black people richer? but we have to make more white people poorer?

so the reason you vote the unless anc government is to "create" more poor people? or be more specific, to "create" more poor white people rather than to make more poor black people to have a better living standard?

 

[Jola]

Give me Give Me Give me, strike strike strike...

Many just steal, it's easier ! Especially Tenderpreneurship !