Way to go Solidarity!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5369524&fSectionId=552&fSetId=662

I am glad that you want to discuss possible definitions of transformation. It seems that we rarely progress to the more challenging investigations on that score – which is I suppose understandable for several reasons.

So I am going to suggest that you and I assume for the moment that one core aspect of transformation is that some sort of meaningful liability should lie against public officials that betray constitutional values. And yes, I am thinking about members of the JSC.

For that substantive aspect of transformation to become a societal fixture, I think that the ANC’s pre-eminence cannot continue to be all but assured. And I think that if we are to see the establishment of a culture of accountability, the opposition parties are going to have to find the key. That is, I think it may be the case that the ANC would be less inclined to ignore the more irksome implications of the rule of law if it was less sure of itself. And incidently, that is precisely what I find so annoying about the ANC: much of its behaviour suggest that its members are quite smug.

My views here are hardly novel. But if there is any truth in them, I wonder if our society is ready for transformation. You see, a reasonably progressive bench which is sensitive to constitutional demands is an important condition for transformation – if by transformation we loosely mean societal progression towards the establishment of a South African community which reflects constitutional values. But I think that perhaps an even more important condition is transformation of the electorate.

And maybe temporally we are still a little too close to the struggle for us to realise that even though corrective measures are often necessary, only a fool tries to walk backwards into the future.

where can I sign.

Prof, make this national.

Collosomo – your argument on standards is ignorant, forgive my bluntness. I tell you what – you are going for a medical operation, which is high risk. Would you like a doctor who graduated from a university with “standards” to operate on you, or would you be willing to have a doctor who had read a medical textbook and bought a certificate online to operate on you? I for one would prefer a doctor who I knew had adhered to a particular internationally recognised set of standards, and had been able to satisfy them.

Standards are not an excuse – look at the civil service. Standards are routinely overlooked in favour of politically correct appointees. Off you go to Home Affairs and see how much fun you have there.

As for “western” forensics, please tell me how a traditional African forensic investigation would differ from a “Western” one? Would we bring in a sangoma? As I recall, Shaka had a few of them put to death when their forensic investigation happened to produce a completely false result – would that make Shaka counter-revolutionary?

Is it honestly better that hospitals and police services sit without doctors and policemen because there are no qualified black candidates available? How does this benefit the poor and vulnerable? Or should we watch the poor (majority black, in SA) bleed to death on hospital floors in the name of transformation? Professionals of all races are leaving the country in droves to work overseas – the ones who choose to remain behind for whatever reason should be punished if they are the wrong skin colour?

AA is a good concept when it is implemented as a ground up concept. Unfortunately, very few people seem happy with the idea of actually having to work for something with support, and then get a nice job – they want pass marks lowered, they want experience requirements waived…that’s never going to right the wrongs of the past. With the right to equality and the right to privelege previously denied also comes a personal responsibility to ensure that you are diligent about improving yourself – your education, your work situation, etc…AA cannot be a top-down handout simply because you are black. That will only ever perpetuate stereotypes and racism, from all sides of the spectrum.

There are a number of cases in the public sector where precendent has been set by courts in the implementation of affirmative action and the limits of what is allowed as per EEA. These cases have shown that there is not much wrong with the law, only its implementation tby those who are either ignorant of the law or arrogant as to go beyond the scope of the law.

In the private sector, companies continue to stiffle the progress of black people. This is done in many ways and sadly those on the receiving side of this injustice are often unable or unwilling to take up cases. Those at the receiving end of such injustice do not black the laws but understand that some of their white colleagues, are just refusing to respect the rule of law. Added to this is a general misperception by a number of whites that black are incompetent. However the competency of whites is never questiond even if there is evidence of whites being incompetent. When one listens to some whites argue on important issues of the country, one wonders how they can claim to be competent in their jobs as some can hardly make logical and informed arguments.

But in the end and by any means necessary, the inequalities of the past will diminish, race will not be a determinant of one’s opportunities and progress and our country will prosper.