The “toilet wars” have made apparent the ridiculousness of the major political parties in South Africa. The Democratic Alliance (DA) even allowed a legal process to work its way up to the Constitutional Court to defend its decision to build…
A longish interview with CNBC Africa discussing state-owned enterprises (also called parastatals). The interview occured in the context of the a presidential review is underway to determine whether all of South Africa’s 300 parastatals are fulfilling their mandate, creating value…
We have been here before. The third major public service strike since 1994 is upon us. During the first major public service strike since democracy, in 1999, trade unions suffered a significant defeat with government’s unilateral implementation of wages. But…
Recent reports by the Auditor-General on lapses in the Public Service Code of Conduct by senior managers provide a worrying picture of the state of the public service. The major finding of the report was that there were significant numbers…
Public Enterprises Minister, Barbara Hogan’s comment that public enterprises requiring massive bailouts will be considered for sale, has elicited a polarised response. On the one hand, the statement has found support as an expression of the self-evident. Taxpayer’s money should…
The changed political context defined by the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma is obviously weighing on the minds of workers. Rather than making the reasonable assumption that the new administration will deliver on its promises, public service workers are rattling…
The anti-colonial writer, Rabindranath Tagore reminds us, “The only real gift is the gift of strength, all other offerings are vain.” To illustrate this he tells the story of the lamb and the Lord. The lamb constantly besieged by beasts,…
The truism, same context, different outcomes, applies to the performance of politicians. A select number of politicians have excelled in South Africa, but the public remains unconvinced that the performance of government has improved. Interestingly, across perception surveys, there is…
The South African dream is that opportunities should not be defined by initial conditions, be they race, gender or class. The Constitution provides the right to education as an important foundational element of reaching this dream. Government has developed an…