Dale > it's better for many than it was ten years ago, and better than the Armageddon many assumed would follow majority rule
All true, yet in many ways the problems are now bigger than they were, particularly for the have-nots. Perhaps, as many believe, it's a simple Malthusian matter of economic growth not being able to keep pace with reproductive growth. Most decidedly, the problem of unemployment and poverty in SA has been aggravated by the tidal wave of economic and political "refugees" from the rest of Africa which has completely swamped all social resources and economic opportunities for the indigent. Furthermore, the labour policies of the ANC, which set the rate of remuneration of those who are employed above the returns achieved by those employees, have ensured a steady stream of mine and factory closures and consequent unemployment. Of course, there are other factors involved (strong Rand, cheap Chinese imports etc) but the immutable labor policy is a tremendous hardship for struggling businesses.
> And the Oppenehiemers could spare a few billion without putting a crimp in their lifestyle.
I don't think it's a problem of hand-outs. Anyway, Anglo is now very low key in SA and, increasingly, is diversifying elsewhere.
> I have never seen a political or economic policy that wasn't imperfect, some more than others.
Maybe I've missed the point of the thread which I thought was to discuss the problems of Africa not to make excuses for them?
> As for the rest of Africa, it's up to the West to put their foot down harder
Like in Iraq or Afghanistan?
> I have no idea if they will
It's clear they won't -- unless oil or other essential resources are involved. The West are not philanthropists. What the West gives with one hand it takes back with both.
> It's too bad Mbeki could have been a leader in that movement, but his record with Mugabe is too disgraceful to let him stand for anything now.
I agree with you -- but he is the MAN. In fact, Bush even refers to him as "our man" in Africa. And it appears what Mbeki says goes, both with the West and the AU (African Union), so much so, that I am now of the opinion that his policy is what the West wants and has probably been determined in Washington or London. I have no doubt that that is true as far as NEPAD is concerned where the West (Britain) is now able to have an African implement the pan-African policy which Rhodes espoused a hundred years ago. |
