South Africa - The Land of Inequality

[intern]

The funny thing about a lot of folk is that they believe 'the rich' got that way by taking it away from 'the poor'. In most cases, they didn't at all. What they did do was add something of value to society.

And that goes to the nub of what it takes to 'get rich'. Add value. Which is why folks like Julius Malema will never be able to deprive 'the wealthy' of their wealth. Sure, he might be able to take their possessions and land, but it is their capability which makes them rich and isn't as easily filched.

Fascinating story here on Quillette. Worth a read.

https://quillette.com/2018/07/19/black-american-culture-and-the-racial-wealth-gap/

[Sidersky]

I can't tell you how to get rich but I can tell you how to be poor and stay poor; starting with voting for, and not demanding accountability from, a race obsessed "government" that gives you a poor education, worse healthcare and security, denies you ownership of the land you live on and is packed with incompetent or corrupt people. Then if you have more children (at an early age and with multiple partners, all outside of a stable relationship) than you can adequately provide for and insist on trashing facilities built for you in protest; I just suspect there is a reasonable chance you will be "poor". (and blame privileged others for your situation) .

 

Unless you are Julius Malema and his closer buddies of course.

The crux of everything you've said, IMO, is the poor education piece. To me quality education is the key to resolving everything else. But historically, governments in many African countries have been happier with the bulk of the populous being poorly educated as they are easier to sway come election time. A thinking electorate is a lot harder to fool, especially more than once.

[HOEKVLAG]

I can't tell you how to get rich but I can tell you how to be poor and stay poor; starting with voting for, and not demanding accountability from, a race obsessed "government" that gives you a poor education, worse healthcare and security, denies you ownership of the land you live on and is packed with incompetent or corrupt people. Then if you have more children (at an early age and with multiple partners, all outside of a stable relationship) than you can adequately provide for and insist on trashing facilities built for you in protest; I just suspect there is a reasonable chance you will be "poor". (and blame privileged others for your situation) .

 

Unless you are Julius Malema and his closer buddies of course.

This sums it up perfectly for me. Well done Sir!

[gummibear]

Every country has a wide gap between rich and poor.SA is only this bad because of the population growth and wanting free handouts from Government.Having the rich pay for everything isn't working so well anymore either.

[Allrounder]

The crux of everything you've said, IMO, is the poor education piece. To me quality education is the key to resolving everything else. But historically, governments in many African countries have been happier with the bulk of the populous being poorly educated as they are easier to sway come election time. A thinking electorate is a lot harder to fool, especially more than once.

 

Communism 101

Attack the education system.  

[Robbie Stewart]

I am not entirely buying into this issue as yet. I am all for alleviating the plight of the poor and needy, as this is our mandate as society. People need to recognized as human beings, with the same inalienable rights for everyone.

My problem with stats like this is that it looks at a set of data that is designed to highlight a problem and get people to "act". I have no problem with that either, but it irks me that now political parties will grab these stats as proof of prejudice and oppression. All the while keeping fat-cats and criminals in positions of power who do far more to oppress their own people than I would do living where I do, and keeping the job I do.

In Queenstown, the sewage runs in the burning streets where the kids play and the refuse is piled knee high, while the streetlights don't work any more because the electrical substation is blown up, and the municipality had to auction off at least half of their movable assets such as garbage trucks etc. to settle outstanding municipal debt incurred by the inept bureaucracy to the tune of hundreds of millions of rands. Enter a new Municipal Manager, who in this cesspool spends R90000.00 on KFC...The mayor drives a Volvo SUV for R78000.00 per month. When asked what the F, they merely shrug their shoulders. The Auditor General could not even give parliament a report on the extent of this F-up, as there are not even any books being kept to track income and expenditure, nor are there any invoices to proof expenses.

But the municipal status quo remains, while the streets burn.

My point, I hear you ask? If the elected leaders of this so-called "rainbow nation" do not care for their own, why do they now look at me and make it my problem? 

[Odinson]

I am not entirely buying into this issue as yet. I am all for alleviating the plight of the poor and needy, as this is our mandate as society. People need to recognized as human beings, with the same inalienable rights for everyone.

 

My problem with stats like this is that it looks at a set of data that is designed to highlight a problem and get people to "act". I have no problem with that either, but it irks me that now political parties will grab these stats as proof of prejudice and oppression. All the while keeping fat-cats and criminals in positions of power who do far more to oppress their own people than I would do living where I do, and keeping the job I do.

 

In Queenstown, the sewage runs in the burning streets where the kids play and the refuse is piled knee high, while the streetlights don't work any more because the electrical substation is blown up, and the municipality had to auction off at least half of their movable assets such as garbage trucks etc. to settle outstanding municipal debt incurred by the inept bureaucracy to the tune of hundreds of millions of rands. Enter a new Municipal Manager, who in this cesspool spends R90000.00 on KFC...The mayor drives a Volvo SUV for R78000.00 per month. When asked what the F, they merely shrug their shoulders. The Auditor General could not even give parliament a report on the extent of this F-up, as there are not even any books being kept to track income and expenditure, nor are there any invoices to proof expenses.

 

But the municipal status quo remains, while the streets burn.

 

My point, I hear you ask? If the elected leaders of this so-called "rainbow nation" do not care for their own, why do they now look at me and make it my problem? 

 

You just answered your own question. 

 

If it's your fault and your problem, then the pressure's off of the elected. Easy. 

[flymango]

Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

 

An interesting definition, even as the Gini coefficient remains unsustainably high. 

[HappyMartin]

This man is sitting in the lounge reading an article on the Internet. His wife is sitting and watching TV. He finds the article he is reading quite thought provoking and decides to read it out to her.

“It says here that women take things much more personally than what men do” he tells her.

“No I don’t” she replies.

 

The article is a cool place to see where you are placed in terms of income. Perhaps you could feel quite grateful after reading it. I do. Count your blessings. I think it says that in the Bible.

[Shebeen]

The solution is not A giving resources to B.

You have no idea.

 

There two guys are on the island and A is eating banana sundaes each morning and B is munching on sand.

 

Eventually B is going to get a little jealous and get some of the stuff from A. 

He might ask, he might fight.

 

 

*of course this is all null and void if the island has an ivory tower that A lives in.

[Shebeen]

Every country has a wide gap between rich and poor.SA is only this bad because of the population growth and wanting free handouts from Government.Having the rich pay for everything isn't working so well anymore either.

No they don't. 

[Paddaman]

I am not entirely buying into this issue as yet. I am all for alleviating the plight of the poor and needy, as this is our mandate as society. People need to recognized as human beings, with the same inalienable rights for everyone.

 

My problem with stats like this is that it looks at a set of data that is designed to highlight a problem and get people to "act". I have no problem with that either, but it irks me that now political parties will grab these stats as proof of prejudice and oppression. All the while keeping fat-cats and criminals in positions of power who do far more to oppress their own people than I would do living where I do, and keeping the job I do.

 

In Queenstown, the sewage runs in the burning streets where the kids play and the refuse is piled knee high, while the streetlights don't work any more because the electrical substation is blown up, and the municipality had to auction off at least half of their movable assets such as garbage trucks etc. to settle outstanding municipal debt incurred by the inept bureaucracy to the tune of hundreds of millions of rands. Enter a new Municipal Manager, who in this cesspool spends R90000.00 on KFC...The mayor drives a Volvo SUV for R78000.00 per month. When asked what the F, they merely shrug their shoulders. The Auditor General could not even give parliament a report on the extent of this F-up, as there are not even any books being kept to track income and expenditure, nor are there any invoices to proof expenses.

 

But the municipal status quo remains, while the streets burn.

 

My point, I hear you ask? If the elected leaders of this so-called "rainbow nation" do not care for their own, why do they now look at me and make it my problem? 

The big problem with eliminating poverty, that it is best done on personal level.  It is every human's responsibility to assist another human.  When things go wrong is when "poverty elimination" becomes centralised or becomes the purpose of the political process.  The purpose of the political process is to BRING ACCOUNTABILITY to government and OVERSIGHT over the civil service and not as so many "Socialist" parties claim to eliminate poverty ext.  Equitable society is best delivered by competent and accountable civil servants, and not unaccountable politicians.

Also by paying tax to a "Socialist" government I see that as my contribution to charity, almost my tithe.  This is because the government tells me that they will use it to uplift the poor.

[Paddaman]

You have no idea.

 

There two guys are on the island and A is eating banana sundaes each morning and B is munching on sand.

 

Eventually B is going to get a little jealous and get some of the stuff from A. 

He might ask, he might fight.

 

 

*of course this is all null and void if the island has an ivory tower that A lives in.

B will not get jealous if A is properly armed and prepared to suppress B's rather childish notion of equity.  Also A can reduce the risk of B getting upset, if he properly educates B about how the system works.   The class system in Britain is amazing at keeping people in their place.......As Marx rightly observed, those controlling the means of production, just do not give them up without a fight....

[Sidersky]

Communism 101

Attack the education system.  

Attack the education system? I never attacked anything. I am saying we need a far better level of education. That way I believe many of he other issues we have will diminish or be eradicated. Will it magically solve the poverty issue? No. But it will enable far more people to become self sustaining and have the ability to better themselves.

[Shebeen]

B will not get jealous if A is properly armed and prepared to suppress B's rather childish notion of equity.  Also A can reduce the risk of B getting upset, if he properly educates B about how the system works.   The class system in Britain is amazing at keeping people in their place.......As Marx rightly observed, those controlling the means of production, just do not give them up without a fight....

you do realise we're talking about an island like this?

 

http://lowres.cartoonstock.com/seasonal-celebrations-desert_island-desert_isle-shipwreck-shipwrecked-castaways-dren398_low.jpg

 

and not like this

 

[Stretch]

No they don't. 

 

Name one that doesn't.....