Well meaning but inane arguments often appear in the comment and letters columns saying transformation in the private sector is too slow. This typically concludes with “the carrot hasn’t worked — use the stick”.
Full transformation would of course constitute black people’s participation in the economy in alignment with demography. It is an admirable goal. However, the implied assumption that private sector transformation (which is in fact steadily moving ahead) should match that of the state sector is simply nonsense.
Many of the major state enterprises suffered disastrously rapid transformation and are now on life support. Surely it should be evident that the effect of 300 years of discrimination cannot be extinguished in 30 years?
The ethos and related experience conducive to effective functioning in the economy takes generations to acquire. No amount of political hectoring can achieve this in one generation.
Willem Cronje, Cape Town
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