September 29, 2011

  • Participating in the National Planning Commission JAM

    Participation in defining a vision for South Africa

    NCP JAM

    I wrote in my previous Xanga about my involvement with with my own #Afrikaner group who wants to have an independent state.

    Over the next 50 hours I will be taking part as a South African citizen in the #NPC_Jam to the benefit of the country as a whole. The National Planning Commission of #South_Africa is pioneering the usage of IBM’s platform for collaboration called a JAM to allow the citizens to share information and ideas. The discussion are arround various themes and allow thousands of people to contribute. I will be placing all those blog entries also on Xanga to keep a personal record of my contribution. Bear with me if suddenly there is a proliferation of country specific ideas.

    The Jam introduction read: We need your inspirational ideas to shape the future of our country! You have a unique opportunity to connect with National Planning Commissioners and your fellow South Africans to share ideas about how to make our country a better place. The NPC will use your ideas to build a plan and #vision for 2030. My aim is to be a positive influence not just for my own people but also to contribute to South Africa as a whole. I will however also push my personal agenda to support the plight of my people for the abolishment of #Affirmative_Action and #Black_Economic_Empowerment policies.  Your inputs will be valued for then I can put that back into the discussion.

    Entrepreneurship and SME Development

    My vision for 2030 is that tax structures are in place to stimulate collaboration between established business and entrapreneurial business. New business are exempt from company and/or business taxes for the first three years of that company’s existence. 

    Actions required:
    1) The Goverment of South Africa must allow for tax breaks where established business proof that they are investing in start-up companies either financially of by offering their skill base to support these companies.
    2) SARS must look at ways to allow companies to start up without having to pay taxes so that, money can be put back into the business. There are some risks that can lead to the abuse of such a policy but means and methods will be possible to allow companies that they do not use the money for profits but for expansion.

    —————–
    The above is my generic input. Now I would like to respond as a White Afrikaner Boer. Afrikaners are eager to contribute to the coutries economic growth but they are disgarded as productive resources or a valued skill base through policies such as Affirmative Action and Black Economic empowerment.

    My Vision for 2030 is that there ae no affirmative action of black economic empowerment that constrains the contribution Afrikaners can make to the economy of the country.

    Action required:
    1) The abolishment of race based policies that aims to restore the inequalities of the past and replace them with policies that focus on the need of the poor and the need for entrapeneurship. To stimulate entrepreneurship all the resources of South Africa should be fully optimised and that includes the skill base that was vested into this minority group.
    2) Do not put the emphasis on Black economic empowerment but rather again focus on collaboration. Invest in companies where we see successful collaboration accross race and cultural differences. In this way the Entrepreneurship is based on a more solid base that is supported by cultural diversity rather than a single push to advance one group of people.

    Moving to a higher growth path

    My vision for 2030:

    South Africa is branded and acknowledged as a clear leader in some area of expertise.

     Action required:

    The Government must with the support of commerce and science identify future growth areas in terms of products and services for the country as a whole. Define a clear roadmap of how skills will be developed and business growth will be supported that growth area. Purposeful development against set targets must be put into place to make South Africa the best in a certain area. This means public education, books on the topic, and discussions about that industry over TV and radio. This will build a sense of leadership within the whole of the nation. A definite strategy must be put into place to become the preferred product or service provider in particular areas. Employement can not be stimulated with infrastructure without building healthy industries that can dominate the world market.

     

    ———————–

    That is my generic input. I would like to address the issue now as a White Afrikaner Boer. Afrikaners are eager to contribute to the country’s growth path but are limited by policies such as Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment. These polices are intended to right passed inequalities but they are counter productive. To move to a higher growth path South Africa will have to use all the skills and resources at its disposal. This includes that everybody should be given maximum opportunity to participate in the economy. Rather than using race as criteria, the focus must be placed on ability to contribute and then use the returns from better utilisation of all the people in South Africa to build new industries. Implement tighter legislation to prevent the continuation of racism and stimulate collaboration. We can accelerate our growth path simply by ensuring that all skills within the country is optimally used across all cultures in the country.

     

Comments (2)

  • Too early to think.  I will consult with my resident expert daughter who studied and then lived in South Africa for 4 months. Then I’ll give my ( well her ) opinion

  • It is good that people are considered just as people, not people of a certain race or people of a certain colour. While some policies are used to right past wrong, they should be abolished as soon as possible. 

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