More questions than answers as Zuma addresses nation
The politicians hogged centre stage this fortnight past. On Thursday, 11 February 2010, President Jacob Zuma delivered his State of the Nation Address. Six days later, on Wednesday, 17 February, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan tabled the 2010/11 budget
The great jobs debate
Zuma’s approach to the employment issue was rather bizarre. In one sentence he acknowledged the loss of some 900 000 jobs last year, and in the next he congratulated government on creating 97% of the targeted 500 000 job opportunities. We don’t want to join the ‘jobs’ versus ‘job opportunities’ debate except to say that bickering over such an important matter is counter productive. At the very least government needs to admit that losing 900 000 jobs while creating 500 000 low-paid, short-duration ‘opportunities’ leaves the economy in a worse position.
Zuma announced a wage subsidy to create incentives for businesses to employ young people. It is hoped this strategy will reduce the unemployment rate for under-25s, where lack of experience prevents thousands from getting a foot in the door. Helen Zille, leader of the Democratic Alliance, reckoned this idea was ‘stolen’ from her party… Perhaps it was. We think the more important debate centres on whether or not state intervention in youth employment is appropriate. South Africa needs to create employment across all age groups and sectors. Subsidies should go to skills development and the focus should shift to a softer labour environment instead.
“Now is the time to lay the groundwork for stronger growth going forward – and for growth that gives rise to more jobs,” said Zuma. This was typical of the posturing throughout the State of the Nation address. Surely the President knows the country has just been through such a period, adding two million jobs between 2002 and 2007… The groundwork has been completed long ago, and the address should have focussed on why nothing had been built on it.
Education looks like a nightmare
“Our education and skills programmes will increase our productivity and competitiveness,” said Zuma, apparently forgetting of the steady decline in education since democracy. Yet the country’s education system is in shambles. The department of education (now split into basic and higher ministries) has failed South Africa over the last fifteen years. Instead of concentrating on getting the basics right the ‘powers’ decided to implement a controversial outcomes based education (OBE) system. OBE is difficult to implement in countries where class sizes are small, teachers are well-skilled and resources plentiful and we doubt too many educators were surprised at its abject failure.
Incidentally, lowering standards to boost results is an irreversible step backwards too... The result is incapable people gaining university access, and poorly skilled university graduates protesting at the lack of employment opportunities.
Too many policies, too few plans
The African National Congress (ANC) has dominated Parliament since the country’s first free and fair elections in 1994. Their policy has been the subject of State of the Nation addresses and budget speeches since that time. Unfortunately implementation never gets a mention. This time round Zuma talked of an industrial policy action plan to build stronger “labour-absorbing” industries. In the absence of further details we wondered what had become of programmes such as Asgisa and Gear. He told the nation the economy needed to be more “competitive and productive,” without mentioning how this would be accomplished. If anything government’s current obsession with eradicating labour brokers could have the opposite effect.
FAnews was amazed that national health insurance (NHI) and the oft-touted National Social Security System (NSS) didn’t get a mention at all. These were high-profile ANC plans that have apparently been comprehensively fleshed out. Perhaps government hopes to spring these on us next year, when the economy is a bit more buoyant.
There were smatterings of good news. Zuma wants civil servants to up their game to stem the tide of service delivery protests. And he promised more accountability: “The ministers responsible for a particular outcome will sign a detailed delivery agreement with the President,” he said. “It will outline what is to be done, how, by whom, within what time period and using what measurements and resources.” Great idea… Now, Mr President, what happens when the minister reneges on this agreement? Will the minister be fired? And will the fired minister be moved to another high-paying job in the public sector? The best intentioned plan will amount to nothing if punitive measures aren’t in place. The culture of entitlement and feeling of invulnerability among senior government staff has become entrenched.
Avoiding censure to gain support
For many the speech ignored the pressing issues. There was no public censure of the increasing racist vitriol spewing from ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema. In failing to issue some form of reprimand Zuma missed an opportunity to build on Nelson Mandela’s vision of a unified rainbow nation. Zuma made no reference to the repeated calls by radicals to nationalise the country’s mines, leaving big business unsure of future capital commitments to the country. He failed to address the long awaited comprehensive review of the criminal justice system. And apart from a single line wishing Irvin Khoza, FIFA 2010 World Cup ™ local organising committee chairman, the best of luck through the event, made no mention of the numerous press scandals centred on his extended family.
Editor’s thoughts: President Zuma’s State of the Nation address, broadcast live at 7pm on 11 February 2010, was uninspiring. Nobody was expecting a step-by-step breakdown of government’s long-term plans, but they weren’t expecting a poorly delivered rehash of stale promises either. Were you impressed by the 2010 State of the Nation address? Add your comments below, or send them to gareth@fanews.co.za
