LETTER: Patel’s localisation dream will be a nightmare

Oh please, if so-called localisation worked, then trade, industry & competition minister Ebrahim Patel had better start brewing ammonia (used in fertiliser) at his state mansion fast. The current shortage of ammonia, which is all imported, is behind much of the recent astronomical food price increases in SA (“Costs will stop localisation from spawning industrialisation”, November 16).     

Localisation might work for things like leather goods and a couple of other items, but on the whole, SA’s access to machinery and equipment — from medical to transport to foodstuffs — relies on imports. And as the author of the article noted, growing exports is an imperative for SA.

The first thing Patel should “localise” is the imported Cuban doctors and engineers. Some of these so-called electrical engineers apparently didn’t even do a wireman’s licence exam, which SA engineers need before they’re legally allowed to do work on live electricity, such as rewiring houses and factories.

Yet many of our own people sit unemployed despite having the correct qualifications.

Louise Cook,Via BusinessLIVE

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