"Redress": Level 1 BBBEE compliance is destroying the country

This is South Africa for you – companies and enterprises bragging about the level of discrimination it is practicing. Not only that, but the more you discriminate, the more you have bragging rights.

The top is Level 1 BBBEE. Beautiful; it simply means you discriminate 100% against White South Africans. And you are handsomely rewarded for it; for discriminating against a minority of the population, for excluding them from opportunities.

In 1994 we were told that the foreseeable duration for “redress” will be twenty years. After twenty years, we were told the time-line have changed to thirty years. Twenty years were not long enough to recover from the legacy of apartheid. After thirty years we are told the time-line is now infinity; as long as it may take to bring about “demographic representatively”.

By implication: If the unemployment rate among White South Africans is currently 10%, and among South Africans in general 40%; in order to achieve parity and redress, the unemployment rate among White South Africans need to be raised to 40%. That is exactly what the current government is striving to achieve. In various government departments and municipalities, the Black/White ratio in the staff component exceeds 90/10 - and yet the demand for affirmative appointments remains.

Fact: There will be no stop to “demographic representatively”. It has become institutionalised into the South African economy – and, more specifically, its political system. There is just not the willingness among the majority of South African voters (and politicians) to accept true equality and equal opportunities. It has, yet again, became legitimised government policy - and a social narrative,

The one golden thread running through virtually all the reasons of the Black DA leaders leaving the party in the recent times, was that its policies do not recognise race-based redress. In these circles, Mmusi Maimane ousted by the DA, is quoted as an example of “racism” in the party. The reality is that he is a strong proponent of race-based “correction”. He did't hide the fact when he was the leader of the DA. Now let me tell you Reader: If you expect of me, a White South African, to passively accept a political leader that tells me straight he believes that it is "justice" and "fair" to discriminate against me, I will not, under any circumstances, supports him - regardless of his or her race, gender or demograhic charatersitics.

It seems to me that, what these critics of the DA don’t understand, is that I do not give a damn about whether the White leaders of the DA cling to their positions. I don’t give a damn whether you are accepted as the national – or provincial chairperson of the DA, or the mayor of the one-or-other city or town. I care about my opportunities, about my place in society, and about those that are my (as our dominee call it) “hartsmense”. If you tell me that you demand to be fast-tracked into a position of prestige and high salary, simply because you are non-White and because of apartheid, and if you don't get that, you will throw a tantrum and accuse me as "racists", I will ignore you. However, if you were legitimately held back because of your race, and in spite of your clearly superior attributes and performance, I will sympathise with you and support you.

There were no attempts in the country to correct the legacies of apartheid in a balanced and equitable manner; there was only one theory used, and that is racial targeting, based on a theory of race that only allows White-on-Black racism in the public - and institutional space.

Racial targeting failed, partly because it couldn’t work, and never will; and partly because was disingenuous. It was all about forced transfer of assets and wealth to a small governing elite. They became filthy rich - and simply tarnsferred the blame for the exclusion of the vast majority of the poor and trully marginalised to "What Monopoly Capital", and the Whites being unwilling to give up their privilges and share their wealth. Ever tender not awarded to a cadre, and every (esoecially senior) position not filled with a designated comrade, was "discrimination."

Thirty years have lapsed in South Africa since 1994.

What is missing today in the racial debate, is the recognition that racial discrimination has been practiced against White South Africans. Furthermore, that discrimination was (and increasingly are) wide-spread and all-encompassing; impacting on virtually all aspects of our lives. Because of this, suffering in this community increased rapidly. Today, the “Wit Armoede Vraagstuk” has returned. This reality is simply bluntly denied.

“Redress” has brought very little alleviation from poverty to Black South Africa. It did, however, multiplied it tremendously among White South Africans. The simple truth is that there were never enough resources and opportunities available in the hands of White South Africans to reduce poverty and inequality in a meaningful manner; what was always needed, was to expand the cake. That never happened; partly because of ideological stupidity, partly because of breath-taking incompetence, and mostly because of monopolising in the "cadre circle".

Another uncomfortable truth: The precious small percentage of White South Africans that actually possess the wealth, will never willingly transfer it to anyone; Black or White. They can easily leave the country to continue their lives of luxury elsewhere. And they have already made the necessary arrangements to do exactly that. Disowning them will simply push the available wealth away from SA - it will definitely not make it available to those who are left - Black or White.

It is a myth to believe that assets, physical or opportunistic, left in South Africa by departing wealth can simply be transferred to targeted individuals in the cadre circle. It never work; because those leaving the country make sure that the capital providing the basis for wealth creation are transferred to foreign sources before the leave. Surely readers will be familiar with the term “diversified portfolios”?

Love them or hate them, but the investment skills and knowledge that have created the super-rich White families in SA has been transferred gradually and incrementally from one generation to a next.

Sophisticated wealth-creating skills are, in reality, not simply replaceable and more often than not inherent to a person's individuality and unique skills set. The wealth not originated from "old money" has been created by the unique skills, drive and intrinsic abilities of entrepreneurs. It is difficult, and normally a long journey of learning and self-correction.

You need political power to take decisions in any country. The fact is that White South Africans have retained almost nil (zero) political power. This power relations have spilled over in the economy. The problem is that the massive transfer of assets over the last thirty years have not improved the lives of ordinary poor Black people, because it was virtually all channelled to the pockets of a small group governing elites. Fact is that a hundred years will not be enough to bring about the “redress” promised to the majority of Black South Africans, because its not about them; its about enriching the enriched.

Please explain to me how Cyril Ramaphosa or Jacob Zuma's sons deserve to be grossly favoured above me in the allocation of economic opportunities? They were raised into extreme wealth and richess, into privilege - more than I could ever, in my wildest dreams, imagine (or were every awarded). They attended prestige schools; which I did not. They travelled all over the world; which I cannot. I paid for my own studies, through loans and bursaries. I never had a car when I was a student (I couldn't afford it). Their dads pay their study fees - without a sweat - and enjoyed their lives in luxury.

Which brings me back to the “Level 1 Contributors”. The "Level 1 contributors" are Ramaphosa and Zuma's sons. The opportunities and the assets required to bring about a more equal society are monopolised by the Level 1 Contributors; both in government and in the corporate sector. There is very little concern for the actual masses that really (and actually) still live the legacy of apartheid. There is an insatiable thirst for more and more. It is not hundreds that are stolen, it is not thousands, it is not millions – it is billions at a time.

“Level 1” companies are established when government contracts are issued – often because, and for the sole purpose of, that specific contract. “Level 1s” with no tract-track in a highly specialised industry are contracted to provide highly specialised services. “Level 1s” established to trade in consulting work provide meals to hospitals and face-masks to clinics. “Level 1s” but kids fresh out of college are awarded engineering contracts ahead of companies with too many Whites, but with decades of engineering experience. And the prices! Oh my! Pens purchased for R1 are sold to government for R200. Facemasks are sold for ten times its purchasing price.

The more the “Level 1s” destroy the country’s economy, the more it became entrenched in its bureaucratic systems and processes. There is no stop to it. The stop will came when the all the fat has been tapped.

Image source: 123RF