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Strategies & Market Trends : Africa and its Issues- Why Have We Ignored Africa? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (393)	7/7/2005 12:37:49 PM
From: Dale Baker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1267

That is exactly right, Tim. Mauritius is an example of the first kind of country that can afford its corruption, and South Africa to a large extent too now. The rest of Africa has a level of government interference and incompetence most Americans can't begin to comprehend.

To: TimF who wrote (393)	7/7/2005 2:50:53 PM
From: sea_urchin	Respond to of 1267

Tim > If it was only a matter of government corruption for personal enrichment, things wouldn't be as bad as they are I agree. But the debate has to start somewhere if only to get away from the continual bleating that Africa's problems are due, and will always be due, to colonialism, imperialism and white racism. Being an African is to know: (a) You are never wrong (b) All whites are guilty (c) Everyone owes you. That is why I felt it was relevant to quote Thabo Mbeki's brother who places the blame, or at least some of it, where the blame is due. And no-one can accuse him of racism. Take this as an example of blatant but legitimate theft by a few of the new elites. Remember that all the Eskom directors are beneficiaries of black Economic Empowerment ie affirmative action. None of them owe their positions to any genuine ability. ESKOM is a government-owned parastatal company which has the monopoly on electricity supply in SA. It has no opposition or competition nor is any mooted. businessday.co.za >>Gcabashe’s total pay packet was made up of an annual salary of R3,8m, a performance bonus of R2,8m and a once-off R4,2m “payment of restraint of trade” for agreeing not to work for a rival company should he leave Eskom. The cumulative R56,8m paid to Eskom’s nine divisional managing directors included salaries, restraint of trade payments of R17m and bonuses of R20m. Eskom remuneration committee chairman Mpho Makwana said the payments were made to reduce the risk of managers joining companies that may enter SA’s electricity market as early as next year.<< Nor bad for people who, say ten years ago, were employed to sweep the office. I can tell you that the American Dream has nothing on the African Bonanza -- for those who are lucky enough to get it.