South Africa - The Land of Inequality

[IceCreamMan]

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.

Ok man, being stupid has its drawbacks.

 

If you believe you can alleviate poverty by taking from the rich and giving to the poor then we don’t agree....

 

But possibly yr initial premise is correct.

[IceCreamMan]

Poverty is not a factor of education. Another fallacy.

 

Herrenstein and Murray illustrated a clear correlation between earning ability and intelligence. Unfortunately intelligence is not something you can gain.

 

However , a robust job creation program with government actively promoting industry and creating conditions conducive to employment will go a long way to get ppl working... south east Asia built industries on sweat shops.

 

The real issue in ZA is millions and millions of low skilled labourer resources with only so many jobs available. It is very difficult to create sustainable employment in an increasingly knowledge worker world. On top of that unions and the destructive nature of strikes are ensuring mechanization is more and more of an option which makes it all worse.

[gummibear]

Population is growing far to fast but government is dead quiet ????

At some time they’ll need to stop the giving away free money for babies.

https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/south-africa-is-young-and-female-stats-sa-report-20180723

[Robbie Stewart]

I have traveled extensively in Southern Africa, all the way to the DRC etc., and the wealth gap is most assuredly not exclusive to South Africa. In Kinshasa for example, there are approximately 12.5 million people living in a city roughly half the size of Cape Town Metro, and they are not being oppressed by a minority, as is the claim in SA, or that they blame Apartheid et al. That country is presided over by an incumbent president who's term ended in 2016. Many people have been killed by him protesting his tenure, and yet they remain to live in abject and chaotic poverty which is so bad it will make Du Noon look like an upmarket suburb by comparison.

One thing that stands out to me like a sore thumb, is that I know a Congolese man who lives in Cape Town now, and he is horrified by the level of protesting and destruction of infrastructure in SA when the masses "don't get their due reward". In Kinshasa, people get shot for complaining about stuff our people turn a blind eye for.

 

I will go out on a limb here and categorically state that most of the people in SA are complaining about stuff they have no real concept of. 

 

It is my opinion, based on my own personal observations and experience, that the majority of people in South Africa are using Apartheid, White Monopoly Capital etc. as convenient scapegoats for their own short falls. Yes, there was apartheid, yes there was injustice, and yes people are angry. But in 24 or so years, what has changed?

We "vote" for "celebrity" leaders, not real leaders,who will take our nation forward. Until such time, the status quo will remain.

[Robbie Stewart]

Poverty is not a factor of education. Another fallacy.

 

Herrenstein and Murray illustrated a clear correlation between earning ability and intelligence. Unfortunately intelligence is not something you can gain.

 

However , a robust job creation program with government actively promoting industry and creating conditions conducive to employment will go a long way to get ppl working... south east Asia built industries on sweat shops.

 

The real issue in ZA is millions and millions of low skilled labourer resources with only so many jobs available. It is very difficult to create sustainable employment in an increasingly knowledge worker world. On top of that unions and the destructive nature of strikes are ensuring mechanization is more and more of an option which makes it all worse.

 

And then to make things worse, Carte Blanche had an insert last night about some folks in the UK who have managed to fully automate a farm, and who have prepared, plowed, sown, grown and harvested a barley field one hectare in size by not having a single human being setting foot on that parcel of land. The average barley harvest per hectare in the UK is 5 tons, the robots harvested 4.5 tons.

 

So, how will the income gap increase after this makes it's way to SA? Or no, wait. It won't, because by the time this country would have been ready for the next evolution in agricultural technology, there will be no more functional farms left in South Africa.

 

I am thinking Zebediela,the erstwhile second largest Citrus-producing farm on the planet, which after being "redistributed", went bang. Now, it's merely a very large commune, producing squat blue bugger-all.

 

But hey, at least there's the minority white monopoly capital to bail them out.

 

I am just going to continue to help the person I employ to manage my household, and ensure that her life is improved, even if it is merely a small contribution. But as for the bigger problem in this country? I think it's time for people to start owning their own issues.

[intern]

I can't speak for every country, but there is obvious massive inequality in every country I have visited. In my mind, there has always been massive inequality, and history sort of backs me up on that wild contention.

Also in my mind, it isn't the responsibility of 'everyone to help everyone'. By all means, help out if you want to - many do - but for everyone else, if you are paying your taxes, if you are looking after your family and if you go to work every day, you are doing your bit for society.

[Imploder]

There's so much to talk about in this graph. I'm not even sure where to begin.

 

 

[Coolspin]

Its funny how governments think that business exists to create jobs.

 

The purpose of business is to create wealth for shareholders with the lowest costs possible in order to maximise profits.

 

Harsh but true reality of economics.

 

Think that until the gvt and unions of SA start to understand this properly, there are likely to be a lot more dissapointments in store for the masses going forward.

 

Gvt cutting their own throats in SA.

 

On the bright side, they are in the process of cracking the nut that is the GEPF and PIC.

Once they have done this they will be able to "invest " in SOEs etc and keep the gravy flowing for at least 5 more years.

 

As to equality issue, unless you want to become a part of the lowest common denominator calculation, prob best to plan for your future starting now.

[Slowbee]

Its funny how governments think that business exists to create jobs.

 

The purpose of business is to create wealth for shareholders with the lowest costs possible in order to maximise profits.

 

Harsh but true reality of economics.

 

Think that until the gvt and unions of SA start to understand this properly, there are likely to be a lot more dissapointments in store for the masses going forward.

 

Gvt cutting their own throats in SA.

 

On the bright side, they are in the process of cracking the nut that is the GEPF and PIC.

Once they have done this they will be able to "invest " in SOEs etc and keep the gravy flowing for at least 5 more years.

 

As to equality issue, unless you want to become a part of the lowest common denominator calculation, prob best to plan for your future starting now.

What is the difference between "create wealth for shareholders with the lowest costs possible in order to maximise profits" and greed ?

[Eldron]

What is the difference between "create wealth for shareholders with the lowest costs possible in order to maximise profits" and greed ?

What's wrong with greed?

[Slowbee]

What's wrong with greed?

Were you never taught to not answer a question with a question ?

[Eldron]

Were you never taught to not answer a question with a question ?

 

Who would have taught me that?

 

[SwissVan]

Who would have taught me that?

 

Must have been an apartheid regime appointed teacher

[SwissVan]

There's so much to talk about in this graph. I'm not even sure where to begin.

Great post, and it’s not only ceo’s!

I’m sure the ceo types get taught the standard mantra reply about how their decisions and strategy allows for all in the company to benefit and prosper and their remuneration is performance based....

 

Been there, heard it before

[eddy]

There's so much to talk about in this graph. I'm not even sure where to begin.

Notice two things, which may not be what the authors wanted to highlight.

 

First, it reports on "compensation" not salary so it would include the enormous wealth created by entrepreneurs via their shareholding in businessesthey founded.

 

Second, notice the large dips in CEO "compensation" at times and compare the steady increase in workers earnings.

 

What would the lines have looked like if workers were to take the risk of the downside for a share of the spoils in the good?

[coppi]

There's so much to talk about in this graph. I'm not even sure where to begin.

There was no such thing as the term " CEO " 10 years ago................it was all " MD" this and that.

Just saying.................