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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 00:12 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 00:12 |
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The recent service delivery protests are in part a response to the levels of inequality in society, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Friday. "Some of you may not see the link but how do we explain that elsewhere in Africa there is far greater poverty, yet we do not see the same amount of social unrest?" spokesperson Patrick Craven asked the South Africa Reward Association's annual conference. He said poverty in these other countries was more widespread and general. "People in surrounding communities are seen to suffer from the same poverty and lack of service delivery and it is thus accepted reluctantly as a fact of life," he said. On the other hand, communities such as Alexandra and Diepsloot were next door to Sandton and Fourways, communities which lived "in a different world entirely". Arguments about of a lack of resources for service delivery carried no weight among people who were living in shacks but who encountered people with seemingly limitless resources living only a few kilometres away. "The situation is made even worse when their own local representatives move into the wealthy suburbs and adopt a capitalist lifestyle," Craven said. Most councillors and mayors continued to do good work often under difficult conditions, he said. However, the recent protests were in part a revolt against people elected by the community who had become corrupt, moved out of the community, lived a life of affluence at the people's expense and did nothing to help those they had left behind.  CONTINUES BELOW South Africa's levels of inequality were unparalleled, Craven said. He pointed out that in the last financial year Brett and Mark Levy of Blue Label Telecoms were South Africa's top-earning executives, taking home R50,4-million and R49,5-million respectively. In the financial sector, First Rand's chief executive, Paul Harris, made R27,8-million, Sanlam chief executive Johan van Zyl R27,1-million, former Absa chief executive Steve Booysen R18,2-million and Standard Bank chief executive Jaco Maree R14,1-million. "My opponents in this debate therefore need to justify why South Africa should have such unparalleled levels of inequality. "They may argue that these individuals deserve these obscene salaries and perks, because they have earned them through hard work, which has created wealth for their shareholders who took a risk by investing their money." However, Craven said that in South Africa these bonuses were paid to the top managers regardless of how hard they had worked or the performance of the companies they were managing. "The best example is Eskom, which has increased its CEO's salary by 26,7% despite its manifest failure to deliver an efficient and affordable service," he said. "These same companies which pay out these first-world salaries to their CEOs expect their employees to accept third-world wages." -- Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
Mao Brac on November 1, 2009, 1:42 pm
Here we go again...So once more the excesses of blacks are placed at the foot of whites? When are you (yes you above with the disturbing comments) going to ask your black comrades to take some bloody responsibility for the decisions they are making? Once more innocent, vulnerable blacks are the victims of evil, scheming whites. Wake up! This is politics; this is how the world works. Money talks - white or black. Communists change into capitalists when money talks. By the way have you ever seen a poor Communist? I certainly haven't. Communists/Socialists don't change things for the better, but make everyone slaves of the same situation. Just ask the Russians, they'll tell you.
Inequality in this country is sickening and the gross abuse of tax-payers money to buy luxury cars for corrupt politicians is unbearable. Something has to be done; a start would be to curb the entitlement lifestyle of these politicians and get our infrastructure in order. Education, health care, housing, etc; all the things we already know about. A culture of moderation is needed; not just with politicians but everyone. If inequality is not addressed efficiently, things will only get worse. People have been waiting for a long time and their patience with empty promises is running out. (By the way, your last comment is sickening. So do white farmers who are brutally murdered for seemingly no reason also deserve what they get? In your opinion, probably)
Ams Britz on November 4, 2009, 8:13 am
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South Africa has been a nation of exploiters of the sickest kind. People are lashing out at the BEE execs and their salaries. But everything can be traced back to the Whites and their sick corruption. The ANC made a HUGE mistake in 1994 by not laying out firm rules of engagement with the business community. Those rich White SA captains of industry have simply corrupted the Black elite, who fell hook, line and sinker for their disgusting lies. In my view, the ANC in 1994 hanky pankied too much with White SA business and the results are clear to see today.
In fact, what has been happening since 1994 is no different to what Jan Van Riebeeck and his men did in 1652 after the Drommedaris docked in Table Bay. In fact, they were at least more direct and simply gave the Khoi Khoi cheap wine in exchange for land. The robbery was at least more straight forward, in stead of the disgusting sick lies of nation-building rubbish that rich Whites proclaim.
Therefore, I don't have an inch of compassion when the rich in Sandton or wherever get robbed, maimed or murdered in violent robberies. They had it coming. You'll reap what you sow.