Barry Hay’s letter refers (“State enterprises need well-paid, competent managers (https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/letters/2019-10-20-letter-soes-cant-be-rescued-without-state-commitment/)”, October 17). The issues here are simple:

There are very few competent managers around, of any skin colour, who are capable of rescuing our state-owned enterprises (SOEs). I can think of one or two, but without 100% commitment from the government it will be an exercise in futility and total frustration for the incumbent. Who would want this?  It is not government policy to put in white managers, irrespective of how good or competent they may be. But when a suitable nonwhite manager is found and proves his worth, he will soon be snapped up by the corporate sector, and the whole cycle starts again. To admit that the incompetent, corrupt ANC appointees (cadre deployment) have been an absolute disaster is something the government is unwilling, or more likely unable, to do...

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