Sometimes the body is limp and then…Sometimes the mind is limp

Baldopinion 05

Introduction: This article is in two related parts. (7 pages incl.)

PART One:

·        Comparative overview - Middle East and Afghanistan.  In this part I explore the possible use of Affirmative Action policies to correct the imbalance in practice between mainstream genders of Afghanistan. I set the scene for a comparison between employment practices in South Africa.

PART Two:

·        Compares the practices of previous South African government administrations with the current administration and relate particularly to inclusions of the recent State of the Nation Address, 2012.

·        I compare the wording used by Mr Nelson Mandela during the treason trial of 1961; wording from his inaugural address as President, and; the wording used by President Zuma in the said speech.

·        I conclude the article by asking whether sustainable jobs and business growth can result from the current practice of selective employment as determined by skin colour. 

PART One

An early morning broadcast, the BBC HardTalk programme with Fawzia Koofi. People seem to disagree more frequently than agree. There is either this, or that dispute, an appeal hearing and occasionally the odd acrimonious pre-trial discussion that I participate in, and I live in the world, hence my views. Prevention remains better than cure and left over feelings linger longer than actions. Hard talk is the nature of my business; do you have to do a lot of hard talk in your life too? I find hard talk exhaustive and over time it makes one into an ugly person.  After all, it is said that bees are better caught with honey than with vinegar.

Consider the difference between justice and fairness. Justice is about applying the law, but fairness, fairness is found along the path of a journey, which journey result a discovery of what is right. In previous articles I tried to explain about my friend teaching me that WHAT is right is superior to WHO is right.

The HardTalk interview sound bite that captured my attention was, “…Yes, but what about your own life; your two daughters, do you not and, do they not fear for your life?” In her recognisable Middle Eastern accent Fawzia’s response sounds flippant; even blasé.  She wears this reply like a hijab, “Sooner or later all of us will die, but do all of us make a difference when we are alive? I speak with my daughters and they share the concern in your question; but when they saw that we built a school they were excited; they could see and feel the difference we make…”

She spares no pause for an interruption from the seasoned interviewer.  The 43 year old Fawzia is already a seasoned politician and availed herself for the office of president in Afghanistan. The interview I refer to is not available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jPbRtnzayU&feature=related

In South Africa, the same day as the HardTalk interview was also the day that the affable President Zuma would address the nation. ‘Will the content of his speech to the nation also be affable?’ We hold this first sitting of Parliament of 2012 in the evening, so that more people can watch on television and listen on their radios. It is interesting to watch President Zuma.  He has warmth and his occasional chuckle is “so cute”, says my girl child. With the last elections the same child warned, “Dad, don’t again vote for a party whose ideas have expired.” She would not say what was meant by that comment.

In this article I attempt a flit between my President’s speech, its content, the interview, the Middle East and I conclude with a hypothesis, which hypothesis compares all of what is here written, but relating to South Africa today in preparation for tomorrow.

The Middle East: In the west we think of the Middle East politics as determined by the media we are exposed to. The subliminal and often not so subtle labels, Islamic Fundamentalism, oil and Zionism came to mind in the past when news about the Middle East was presented. The media changes public perception. Over the past decade, when the term Middle East was presented the overwhelming thought that came to mind was Islamic Fundamentalism.  This represented a hangover to cite a small number of reported incidents, viz. the Lockerby air disaster, the declared intifada against Salman Rushdie when he published the book, Satanic Verses, and 9/11.  Whilst working in America, shortly after 9/11, I overheard a whispered conversation between two elderly New Yorkers. I listened to them speak for a while because I find the New York accent interesting.  They were, both of them, ex-textile workers. Said one woman to the other, “any bugger wearing a beard and a dress and with a doily on his head is a terrorist, beware”.

However, compared to mainstream Christianity the way of Islam is one of difference. In this instance, do we conflate difference with the term fundamentalism? The way of Judaism and, for that matter, every religion and belief is one of difference, one from the other.

Put differently, there are Muslim fundamentalist who, according to me, do strange things. I think that certain Christians also do strange things in the name of their doctrine, and; the Jews? The media participate in creating and reinforcing public perception, shape norms, even stereotypes.

At first, what became known as the Arab Spring was portrayed as a fundamentalist revolt. Soon after this hot “spring” had begun and once juxtaposed against human rights abuses we experienced a shift in western public opinion. At the time of writing Syria was unfolding – from what is reported the Syrian spring is burning hot.

In the West people whisper about cultural oppression in the Middle East and the rest of Asia. Oppression of this ilk exists in the West too, lest we forget. In Afghanistan, it is a woman who seeks appointment against the highest office in the country. During the HardTalk interview Fawzia sounds almost as if she condoned, among others, that her mother was physically abused by her father.

Let us for a moment assume that the cultural revolution of women in Afghanistan becomes a reality. Will women there too have to catch up? Surely, Afghan women will have been previously disadvantaged after their “emancipation”? Women will then be able to, alongside men, go to school, drive motor cars, and get secular, real and senior jobs. Will this happen automatically, or will Afghanistan have to create Affirmative Action policies; maybe have a Broad Based Women Empowerment Act promulgated, and; each year amend this Act, introduce policing components and ensure that the Act is enforced in perpetuity? Why not, after all this is what currently happens in South Africa? I tried to establish whether women in Afghanistan are also in the majority, like the beneficiaries of Affirmative action in South Africa and Malaysia.

Part Two

Does the allegation of discrimination, the creation of norms and later the application of stereotypes make for the West to think that its definition of freedom is most fair and most right?

Much as this is a hard / difficult question to digest, the need to create an atmosphere of freedom is found in the exercise of choice. After all, the need for self-determination is prevalent with every homogeneous group throughout history – this being one of the reasons for the creation of self-governing territories, federal, multi-cultural and independent countries. Those who have no perceived freedom, can they exercise choice, and if so, are they then not free? Having lived in the West all of my life I am conditioned to believe that freedom is represented by democracy.  Is democracy the only right system of government?

South Africa is a constitutional democratic republic. The majority imposes its will on those who subscribe to their broad ideology. Those who share the ideology, but who from time to time disagree are swamped into submission by the democratic practice. Those who do not share the ideology are permanently swamped and ruled to be out of order. Democracy says, “Tough if you are in the minority…” However, even the minority and those who disagree from time to time have to pay taxes according to the same formulae.

… in the speech that evening the South African President said, “On economic transformation, we are amending the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act. The amendments amongst other things, establish a statutory Commission that would deal with non-compliance and circumvention.” (sic) - State of the Nation Address, 2012.

Past South African Prime Ministers and later Presidents used similar wording to reinforce separate development. Separate development resulted in millions of people being relocated, certain beaches being declared in favour of one group; the segregation of train compartments and; the introduction of what were referred to as the Immorality Act - and many more.

The then Prime Ministers, Presidents and Cabinet Ministers dressed in black and wore matching black hats – the original men in black; one, wore a hat that was slightly too small for his head, or maybe that was my child perception. Given the size of his ears I was convinced that he could hear a lot better than his colleagues – but was he listening? Then there was no “so cute” chuckle. Instead, a solid wag of the index finger warned about an uprising from the marauding masses who share my complexion would be suppressed with “deadly force” - a term recently resurrected by the modern day South African Police Commissioner, General Bheki Cele (now suspended and facing charges of corruption). However, the hearing does not want to listen to the finding that led to these charges – how bizarre.

The empirical value of what was said then seems to contain little difference with what is said today. The Afrikaans metaphor comes to mind, “al dra ‘n aap ‘n goue ring bly hy nog ‘n lelike ding” loose translation (even if the ape wears a gold ring he remains an ugly thing). Whilst on this subject, why do politicians laugh with their mouths wide open? I notice that some have beautiful molars whilst most lack wisdom teeth.

Contentious as it may sound, but Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment, Affirmative Action and the New Apartheid all broadly have the same meaning - discrimination. Some argue that B³E² is positive discrimination applied in favour of the majority and geared blatantly to curtail a minority irrespective of the skill and ability equation.  How is this positive?

"We are not anti-white, we are against white supremacy … we have condemned racialism no matter by whom it is professed", said Nelson Mandela, in the defence statement during the Treason Trial, 1961, and;

"Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another…" said Nelson Mandela at the instant of his Inaugural Address, after taking the national oath as the first democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa, Pretoria 09 May 1994.

Because people earn dignity through being employed I wish to develop a conclusion to this opinion piece by a focus on employment, its role, its need and the current practice.

EMPLOYMENT: A business intent on growing, creating more jobs and remaining in business can do so only if the properly skilled and trained persons are in its employ – this is ongoing. Businesses that focus on the employ of poor, under-skilled, inexperienced and untrained persons for appointment against positions that require ability do not stay in business, and as a result the jobs in such businesses are not sustainable.  Sadly, this principle is not applicable in South African government departments. The Public Works Department is on record about the poor state of its service as brought about by poorly skilled employees.  After repeatedly experiencing bad service from the Department of Home Affairs I wrote to a Deputy Director General.  She replied, twice, on the same day.  I was pleasantly surprised and said so. However, try to call any Government Department and count yourself lucky if the telephone is answered, irrespective of whether the answer is courteous and whether the person answering is helpful.

The notion of employees being the greatest asset in a business is a myth. Only good employees are assets; poor employees ruin businesses. Does affirmative action and its practice ensure that the best employees are employed; does affirmative action ensure that the would be employees equip themselves in order to be measure for being the best, and is affirmative action fair, or is it fair like apartheid was fair?

Ability is superior to skin colour. Skin colour is not going to grow businesses and create jobs.  Why do we need stringent legislation to exclude less than 9% of the population?  Business growth and the resultant job creation alone should make it possible to accommodate all persons who have potential, skill, ability and who are willing to work. I know of no country that has successfully replaced the ownership of its economy with a previously excluded group through affirmative policies as applied in South Africa. It is argued that Malaysia is such country. Examine that example and derive your own interpretation.

Government enforcement to employ persons drawn from the majority group is discriminating – it forges the experience warned against in the words of President Mandela “…will we again experience the oppression of one by another…"(sic)

We cannot fix what happened in the past, but we can challenge people to rise to the occasion by equipping themselves through striving for better than the best of their ability.  Does affirmative action do this, or does affirmative action create mediocrity by enabling entitlement to prevail?

Our labour laws are stringent. It is complex for those who have limited experience and training in the employment law discipline. The complexity of procedures to correct poor performance at work supports mediocrity, particularly for small businesses.

An alternative would be to ensure that selection panels are constituted and efficiently regulated. We need a recruitment code that is legislated in greater detail than the current inclusion. Only the best candidates should secure positions of choice. The demographic composition within which the business operates should be a factor in terms of who is employed, but skill and ability should be greater determinants.

If business fails to employ the best candidates, then in time business will fail. We need sustainable jobs in South Africa. Creating jobs with no sustainability programme in place is not being productive.  South Africa is small country.  Can South Africa afford not to have a sound, sturdy and high quality yielding Business Sector, and; can South Africa afford this largely incompetent and embarrassing Public Sector?

Sometimes the body is limp… other times the mind is limp.