September has beautiful days too

Ref: Balop004

07 February 2012

It is always easier to be critical. Being critical is an action.  If we consider the aftermath, or the leftover feelings then we’ll find that to hold back on criticising can spare much. It is only later, much later, that one realises when criticism would have prolonged the culmination of a solution.   Criticism almost always causes an unnecessary leftover feeling. After the act of criticising, or when the matter is resolved, then the impact of the criticism continues to affect the relationship between people, viz. those who levelled and those who received criticism. How do we develop the ability to know when criticising is important and when to let it ride?

Issues require different approaches in order that they may be adequately addressed. In these opinion pieces the impact of Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment, it is the New Apartheid, requires loud and persistent criticism. Failure to be persistently loud about the impact of these bizarre policies shall result in it lasting a lifetime.  Can we afford this? Can we afford not to consistently and persistently table the unfolding tragedy of Affirmative Action and its devastating potential consequence on South African life?  The challenge though has to be free from discrimination, one against another; free from racist thinking, sexist thinking and the criticism has to be non-accusatory in order for the better solution, the ”What is Right” solution to emerge.

Today it is only through being vocal about this unfolding tragedy of our South African lifetime that the different thoughts about the same experience will be tabled, listened to, processed and implemented.

Let’s pose the question - Will Affirmative Action go away in time if we choose to keep silent about the nasty effect it is having on our lives in South Africa? 

1.    This question is similar to asking whether men (mainly) would stop spousal assault and abuse if silence prevailed and if the law did not criminalise such acts.  Nonetheless, try calling the police to a scene of domestic violence and the retort shall in all probability include “we cannot intervene in domestic matters”

2.    What about rape? Will rape decrease if we sit back and refrain from speaking out; assume that instead we opt to  speak out amongst each other in whispered tones like those do who snigger and are not  supporters of this new apartheid, this affirmative action thing as applied? To decide not to speak out about something that is clearly and obviously an injustice is, at least, an act of hypocrisy – but like lemmings we jump at an opportunity to leap and leap over the cliff because it is too damn unpopular to say that the New Apartheid is amputating my country’s soul.  Why can we not, take a stand and proclaim what is wrong, and; then point to what is right? Instead, like the schoolboy, afraid of retribution, we prefer to mumble and grumble about what is right whilst the wrong continues to be celebrated.  Yes, to speak out is an act, the articulation of a divergent view and the leftover feeling of such stance is often UNPOPULARITY. Would you prefer being popular and continue to whisper when speaking about what is right? Choosing the latter is a choice to be benign and also a choice in favour of being a hypocrite.  After all, you now have the government that you deserve, so why bother?

3.    Painstakingly your government ensures that justice and fairness prevail whilst it manages the removal of an errant and lumpen gang of youth in its midst, but; does it do the same for job creation and the restoration of opportunities that can facilitate the earning of dignity among ordinary people?

This series I’ve written, to date, makes an attempt to map the history of the injustice, unfairness and evil that determines access to opportunities.  Without understanding where Affirmative Action discrimination stems from, what it sets out to achieve and evaluating it against what is right one is not able to cognitively examine empirical arguments to determine its levels of validity. Therefore, the opinions were somewhat indulging, and it is not yet done with.

This time the focus begins to shift and explores what alternatives could be considered.

Given the brief background alluded to above and expanded upon in the previous written pieces it may be contentious to state that South Africa has a need for affirmation.  The view is that all countries have a need to affirm citizens, why else is there a need for a government if we are not geared, through regulation, to affirm one another by providing access to information and opportunities in a regulated dignified manner with the State as the Regulator?  What is important though is that people be affirmed for the right reasons.  In South Africa this affirmation is informed by a past where skin colour was used to deny individuals access to opportunities.  The same principle, a repeated principle, is applied today to correct what is the biggest institutionalised wrong in the world, apartheid.  Is this what is right? Is it right that we encourage one group to discriminate against another? Whereas those at the receiving end of the new discrimination is mainly are mainly children of those who previous beneficiaries because of their fair skin-tones?

Today people with dark-skin tones are affirmed in South Africa. Previously people with fair skin-tones were affirmed. People with fair skins previously had access to all the better opportunities and facilities.  Today people with dark skins have access to all the better opportunities.

Previously we had lesser qualified fair skinned people appointed against positions for which they were not absolutely equipped.  The same happens today, but in favour of dark-skinned people. Today we have many dark-skinned people appointed against positions for which they are not yet ready. We could argue that the same prevailed in the past. Was it right then to appoint unqualified people against certain positions, and; was it in the interest of the business, organisation or the country?  If not, then why is it okay today to appoint persons who are not yet ready to assume the responsibility, but who have the favoured skin complexion and perhaps the necessary academic qualifications? Is it in the interest of the country to have unqualified and inexperienced people appointed against positions within companies, particularly companies where many thousands of people enjoy employment, rely on employment and; where growth leadership is expected to create jobs and provide sustainability for existing jobs?  

There is a need to speak about an alternative to this new apartheid. Education is important, but learning is fundamentally superior.  Over the years many people have graduated with respectable academic qualifications attained at reputable institutions. How do they fare when having to apply the knowledge represented by their qualifications? This brings one to the point about experience. One cannot learn experience at an institution of learning, only in practice. When placed in an environment where practice can occur the role of pupil should at least be alongside a person who is willing and able to provide guidance so that experience can be earned, and; thereby add to the foundation knowledge that people with various qualifications already have. 

What about a method of instructing pupils to take the task to a new improved level?  What is being done about this need; what are we doing to stimulate and encourage creativity and innovation in the world of work, or are we of the view that these things shall occur naturally? I am aware that, in South Africa, we refer to pupils as learners and teachers as educators. I wonder if these new terms bring bout improved value, or whether it, like affirmative action means apartheid, also is simply a new tongue exercise? In my opinion pupils get taught and teachers teach.

The mark of a good teacher, it is said, is one who produces people who are more skilled at the subject than s/he is. I know many such committed and passionate teachers. I shall forever be celebrating them because even I had the good fortune to be exposed to a few in my time.  Therefore, I cannot help but feel for the “learners” of the Eastern Cape, a province in South Africa, where many teachers choose to exercise their industrial rights at the expense of teaching time – even in the light of better methods to resolve disputes.

Meanwhile, companies employ dark-skin toned people mainly because they want the company’s black economic employment scorecard to look good and not because the company is particularly keen on correcting the past, even if such correction were possible. There are other reasons too why those who can, resist creating opportunities for others to earn experience. Examples of the latter include the need experienced people have to remain indispensable, posture in order to have their retirement postponed, or because they fear being overlooked for promotion in favour of the person whom they train. Natural attrition remains a reality.

The better approach is grounded in a number of related principles being put in place. These principles include how people are selected for appointment against certain positions.  Selection panels have to follow strict guidelines because the beginning is a good place to start. 

·         The guidelines should take cognisance of the demographic composition within the business and compare this statistic with the demographics of the region it draws employees from

·         If the demographics are not adequately reflected, which is always the case, then a constant attempt should be made to draw from demographic segments that  are under-represented across the company divide, but only on the proviso that the identified person is the most suited candidate – for this reason the appointment of a quorate selection panel is fundamental

o   Under representation will never be completely resolved, but if there is no concerted method in place then we shall never make progress in the right direction. For this reason the various tight (permanent) and loose (flexible) rules used to comprise a selection panel should constantly strive to come as close to the optimum level as is possible. Therefore we should consistently measure and evaluate the outcome of what is measured 

·         The Selection Panel itself should consist of relevantly skilled persons who reflect the required demographics, and; appointments via other processes should by law not be acceptable

·         The above criteria should be legislated and regulated by the State.

Once persons are appointed their reporting officer should be incentivised to build capacity by affording experience earning opportunities for the incumbents. This incentive could be financial and materialises when targets are reached. Included should be components where measuring instruments to determine how foundation qualified people are encouraged to become innovative and creative, and how they learn to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired at tertiary institutions. Therefore, targets should be the sum of all the measuring exercises with equal weight apportioned to each. Currently targets are financial and if financial targets are reached then bonuses are paid.  This opinion proposes to change this by introducing sustainability through capacitating the next generation as an equally important criterion in the determination of whether or not targets are reached. To only be measured against reaching financial targets is not sustainable. To measure in a more holistic manner is essentially much more sustainable because it ensures better future growth and builds history as well as tenacity used most when businesses face the inevitable trying times. Reporting officers who refuse, or consistently fail should be performance managed and if failings persist they should be removed from positions of responsibility. Harsh, but it is better to have a sustainable business than a bubble business consisting of a few easy riders who refuse to work in the interest of sustaining the business.

Clear guidelines should prevail for each of the above systems and the measuring instruments should jointly and severally test for application as well as outcome. These guidelines can encompass a series of development points.  Development points, in this context, refer to how people are encouraged to apply their knowledge, encourage innovation and creative ability to the improvement of the position against which they are appointed.  Through consistently measuring for this application the concept of repetition will be put to practice alongside the ability for newness. Where innovation / newness is not encouraged we will exacerbate the continuation of outdated practices, and; businesses will increasingly experience stunted growth.  If relevant growth is not encouraged and measured for then businesses will become uncompetitive and later insignificant – the creation of an unsustainable employment environment shall emerge, particularly if we continue to deliriously apply methods enshrined in coaching and mentoring techniques where we teach how things were done in order that it can be done. I argue that your supply chain is your business. In other words, client accessibility will increasingly determine the distribution of your product, so too, if we do not actively manage to unleash creativity and innovation then we are managing in favour of insignificance.

We live in a country where job creation is fundamental to our existence.  We cannot afford to employ people who are not geared to grow the position. The best person for the job is what is going to bring about growth.  The best person approach will put an end to the endemic increase in entitlement expectations and to disillusionment brought about by being over-looked when knowledge, skill and ability is evident. Using skin colour as criterion to determine who to appoint is draconian, discriminatory and unsustainable – what are we teaching young people? You see, we go around the world teaching people how to treat us, by the way we behave.

Companies will continue to appoint people for show - window dressing. The reason remains the “scorecard” and not the doing of what is right.  Spurious, is another way to describe this action, racist too, discriminatory and exploitative.  Twenty (20) years after the advent of equal opportunity employment strategies workplaces in South Africa continue not to reflect the demographics of the nation.  Standards in service delivery continue to decline, and; senior positions in the Civil Service remain vacant, or occupied by more persons appointed against positions defined as acting roles.

It is known that certain businesses opt for the payment of fines, or forfeit contracts in favour of employing people with ability and skill as opposed to being forced to employ persons because they reflect groups who were marginalised Twenty (20) years ago.

Business will not grow if the employees are not skilled. Skilled people have to be developed from a pool where foundation knowledge and passion is evident. This is how sustainable jobs will be created. I read that there is a campaign named “Each One Employ One”. Job creation is the flavour of the month. What about sustainable job creation?

In its mission statement South Africa claims to be a non-racist society. However, the South African employment legislation is race based.  We will not reach employment targets within Five (5) years, Ten (10) years or over Eighteen (18) years, the latter being 2030 as stated in the 450 page National Development Plan, a publication by the National Planning Commission. Such employment targets are only possible if fundamentals about how businesses are developed, measured, encouraged, and; how growth is managed on the back of hardworking best suited employees. Currently we are gearing to blame the global economic slump for the failure to create sustainable jobs. The real reason why our growth is plummeting is largely because of the insistence that we need correct the past.  We choose to do so by the application of the race when promulgating and applying Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment legislation.

There is much detail in the above that is omitted.  Much of it is obvious, but in the pending discussion many points will become apparent. We live in an environment where management without effective measuring, deficient assumption of responsibility and accountability can only result in mismanagement.  The reality if proclaimed differently though.

Each one has to teach another, but the method of applied teaching should encourage newness, innovation and creativity. 

Our society is bereft with criminal activity.  South Africans tell of a time where people living next door to each other took a greater interest in the well-being of the neighbour and please, this phenomenon is not limited to those who lived in SOWETO. However, this collegial sense is sadly replaced by a sense of disrespect.  Perhaps it is the way of the world?

In some instances charity is alive in the home, but not as alive as it once was, seemingly.  The result is that lawlessness is increasing faster than it ever has. The police statistics do not agree with me. I live in South Africa and I can compare lawlessness today with decades ago.  I also remember that it was unthinkable to imagine my teacher gyrating on TV whilst violently gesturing with a placard, which placard contains spelling errors...

I was a boy in 1977 when Steve Biko was murdered.  My father took me along to a commemoration service held in the St. George’s Cathedral, Wale Street, Cape Town – my first real exposure to the South Africa I then did not know. It was a summer’s day. We were in the most beautiful city in the world and I was blissfully unaware. The liturgy included a commemoration pew leaflet.  I read the words and heard them spoke, and, my thoughts were that someday I too shall understand what all of this means. I memorised those words, “… we need hope when despair is most reasonable. Despair is seductive and rank; it pollutes the atmosphere… When are we going to say that the suppression of truth stops here…?”

These words live in my head and as I grow older they become more and more meaningful. Society crumbles under the weight of greed, revenge, skin colour, entitlement, arrogance and I feel us become more and more blinded to the reality... 

The workplace has a role to play; people can learn respect, common courtesy and good manner; they can do this at work too.  Social responsibility does not have to end with sponsoring the poor soccer team in a township.

I want to live in a vibrant South Africa. I want people to care for each other, respect each other. There should be jobs for all and more encouragement to soar.  I want the best for South Africa and I do not think that my wish is unrealistic.  The New Apartheid must go. People do not need jobs, they need dignity. Through having a job I can earn dignity.

Being denied the chance to work because of a skin colour is an indictment to life itself.

Some days continue to be the most beautiful in the world…