TOM EATON: Devious tricks and risky bets are novel solutions to fix the economy
The old ways are not working and President Cyril Ramaphosa needs to be pragmatic and to monetise the truly SA assets he has at his disposal
Extract
The president has promised action. Bungles will be unbungled, although nobody will call it “unbungling” in case the unions hear “unbundling” and start redeploying cadres out of windows. Still, as the Sona smoke clears, we’re still not entirely sure how the government plans to plug the R200bn hole we know as SA’s state-owned enterprises. Which is weird, because there are some obvious ways the state could rake in billions, starting today.
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking it could create better conditions for business. Fight corruption. Teach children to read. Man, that’s so 1994 of you.
No, instead of daydreaming of a competent state we need to live in the present and encourage Cyril Ramaphosa to be pragmatic and to monetise the truly SA assets he has at his disposal right now...
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