GPSA Weekly Views

Strikes, strikes and more strikes. I receive the odd mail from Charles in the UK who directed me to a web site called African crisis this week. I read a nice little "story" about the purpose behind all these strikes and I got confirmation of what I made of this whole strike issue.

Pick 'n Pay (which lost R50-million in the first five days of the strike) protesters have placards reading "The CEO earns R12-million per annum". Isn't it thus logical that they don't agree with this and insist on a 12% increase in order to "catch up" with the man responsible for some 4 000 staff wages and job security? Of course it's Communism in it's rawest form. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, a big shot from the unions blamed the white man and capitalism for the suffering of the masses.

Pick 'n Pay is offering a R310 increase and the union is demanding R400.

SAA was loosing some R25-million a day and today a settlement was reached. After an offer of 5% and the demand for 8%, both agreed that 6,2% was acceptable. Of course remembering that the policy of "no work, no pay" takes it's toll on the working (striking) man.

This week municipal workers went on strike, also insisting on a major increase across the board. Here they want a 9% increase across the board but only getting 6%. Unlike the other unions these members get violent. When the mayor sent a representative to accept their demands, police had to rescue the poor man from being beaten up by the crowd. Something tells me that in spite of strict monetary policies on keeping the economy on track, the Reserve Bank is fighting a losing battle.

Needless to say most people in the private sector (that I know of) got increases at either the current inflation rate or below. If a company performed really well you'll obviously see the 10 percenters and above.

But when you look at people like Ramaphosa and Shilowa, who were both fierce fighters for the people by means of COSATU, are sitting pretty in government or left government to make even more money in the private sector. Makes you think that the current union leaders are a bit jealous and are using the people to show the ANC that they're worthy of a fat cat position - stuff the people! It's all a political game for personal gain.

Add this to governments refusal to privatise state organisations (re. parastatals). Telkom make such huge profits with government benefiting immensely that they would be stupid to give up this goose with the golden eggs. At the same time, most employees would loose their jobs in no time due to the slack and lazy nature of most of them. Can't loose those voters now, can we?

My ex next door neighbour is doing her part in forcing land-owners off their land. She reckons there are too many 'willing' land-owners who are prepared to rip-off government and legislation is needed to stop this from happening. "We also want to make sure that whatever we achieve, this skewed land ownership - both domestically and in terms of foreign ownership - is addressed in a manner that is satisfactory in the best interest of South Africa", she says. The Star newspaper reports that government wants to meet a 30% redistribution by 2008 and complete this project by 2014. This will be the scene then.

That's how much time the South African farmer has, and sad to say - our economy and the white man in this, our home.

Weekly View
	28 July 2005
Strikes, strikes and more strikes. I receive the odd mail from Charles in the UK who directed me to a web site called African crisis this week. I read a nice little "story" about the purpose behind all these strikes and I got confirmation of what I made of this whole strike issue. Pick 'n Pay (which lost R50-million in the first five days of the strike) protesters have placards reading "The CEO earns R12-million per annum". Isn't it thus logical that they don't agree with this and insist on a 12% increase in order to "catch up" with the man responsible for some 4 000 staff wages and job security? Of course it's Communism in it's rawest form. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, a big shot from the unions blamed the white man and capitalism for the suffering of the masses. Pick 'n Pay is offering a R310 increase and the union is demanding R400. SAA was loosing some R25-million a day and today a settlement was reached. After an offer of 5% and the demand for 8%, both agreed that 6,2% was acceptable. Of course remembering that the policy of "no work, no pay" takes it's toll on the working (striking) man. This week municipal workers went on strike, also insisting on a major increase across the board. Here they want a 9% increase across the board but only getting 6%. Unlike the other unions these members get violent. When the mayor sent a representative to accept their demands, police had to rescue the poor man from being beaten up by the crowd. Something tells me that in spite of strict monetary policies on keeping the economy on track, the Reserve Bank is fighting a losing battle. Needless to say most people in the private sector (that I know of) got increases at either the current inflation rate or below. If a company performed really well you'll obviously see the 10 percenters and above. But when you look at people like Ramaphosa and Shilowa, who were both fierce fighters for the people by means of COSATU, are sitting pretty in government or left government to make even more money in the private sector. Makes you think that the current union leaders are a bit jealous and are using the people to show the ANC that they're worthy of a fat cat position - stuff the people! It's all a political game for personal gain. Add this to governments refusal to privatise state organisations (re. parastatals). Telkom make such huge profits with government benefiting immensely that they would be stupid to give up this goose with the golden eggs. At the same time, most employees would loose their jobs in no time due to the slack and lazy nature of most of them. Can't loose those voters now, can we? My ex next door neighbour is doing her part in forcing land-owners off their land. She reckons there are too many 'willing' land-owners who are prepared to rip-off government and legislation is needed to stop this from happening. "We also want to make sure that whatever we achieve, this skewed land ownership - both domestically and in terms of foreign ownership - is addressed in a manner that is satisfactory in the best interest of South Africa", she says. The Star newspaper reports that government wants to meet a 30% redistribution by 2008 and complete this project by 2014. This will be the scene then. That's how much time the South African farmer has, and sad to say - our economy and the white man in this, our home.	Past Views Current Joke Past jokes Gallery Links Current Exchange Rate Daily News Headlines Articles
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