OPINION - Since our emancipation from the old whites-only National Party, our Cabinet ministers could have been forgiven for looking back over their shoulders at apartheid to plan the way forward.
Now, 26 years later, the current ministers need not look back over their shoulders to plan the way.
Indeed, being the architects of the events of these past 26 years, they have first-hand data on the sorry state of our poor country.
Several irrational decisions of the current ministers, in reply to the “Covidity” crisis, clearly show that they are not equipped intellectually, factually, strategically and emotionally to plan for the people’s health, safety and development.
While rich in hindsight from 1948 to 1994, our honourable ministers have simply no clue about the current and future issues facing our long-suffering citizens.
Consider just these few irrational decisions:
1. Ignoring SAB’s appeals for a transport permit to move products to storage, only to issue the permits after the dumping of products began.
2. Instead of using the Covid crisis to develop online trading, it is banned.
3. The once stable and rational minister of state-owned enterprises (the last of the solid old guard) is now trying to launch SAA as a new business, in the middle of an avalanche. This must surely be the straw that will break the camel’s back as far as rationality is concerned.
4. Banning tobacco sales at a time when tax collection is so important.
5. A minister overruling the president on national television (forget the president’s attempt at damage control).
The sad fact is that our ministers are too accustomed to looking backwards to make decisions. “Covidity” needs planners, visionaries and scientific minds not hamstrung by history and boasting Struggle credentials. The ruling party is in very short supply of this valuable commodity. It’s these very rewards for Struggle credits that have brought the SOEs to their ankles.
Logan N Nair Verulam