'AA not to blame for lack of skills'

[Guest May]

'AA not to blame for lack of skills'2007-11-14 22:20Cape Town, Nov 14 (I-Net Bridge) - The perception that affirmative action has resulted in a huge loss of skills is not supported by recent studies published by reputable institutions, according to deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

Replying to a question in the National Assembly from Anchen Dreyer of the Democratic Alliance, the deputy president insisted that the skills shortage was due to the robustness of economic growth in the country and not to affirmative action.

She pointed out that visa rules for the importation of skills had recently been revised, but told the house that recruiting overseas was much more expensive than hiring locally, and did nothing for employment equity targets. Companies would not do it if there were skills here waiting to be taken on, of whatever colour.

In any case, Mlambo-Ngcuka said, recent reports had shown that South African firms were simply not obeying the law on employment equity. A study from the University of Pretoria showed that in August this year 50% of companies did not comply with the BEE scorecard for employment equity and 82.8% did not comply on skills development.

"I urge you not to put up scarecrows and give an impression that affirmative action is taking people away from work or is disadvantaging them," the deputy president said.

"The people who are disadvantaged here are black people."

She said the government was working towards getting companies to increase their commitment to skills development, and was having some success in doing so.

[MANDYL]

what a load of bull !

[Guest nc74]

Unbelievable!! Well I suppose not really.

My husband is a perfect candidate for promotion. He's been told by his supervisor "Sorry you're the wrong colour. I cant promote you".

Nice one. My husband is a driven person who would like to see his career moving up but he is a crab at the moment. Just until they don't "need" him anymore then he'll be a retrenched crab, unable to find another job!!!

One of our main reasons for going to Aus. Even if there's no promotion he will still be able to find another job there!!

[elizes]

DUH? How long will these people keep their blindfolds on?

At the council the HR dept takes ALL white applications out BEFORE the applications are reviewed... That tells you something.

And to top it off, they then don't fill the position, because there was no capable candidate that applied( AA candidate that is)....

Well, I am stunned to say the least... such C&@^%!

[JanCPT]

I still remember the last time I was looking for a job (about 6 years ago) & I saw the ads stating - "White males need not apply"

After about 6 months of no vacancies for white males in my line, in the whole of Cape Town, I started my own business.

But have always remembered - "white males need not apply"

The skills shortage didn't start yesterday, I believe it started back then & created the perception that we are not wanted here & so started the "new" great trek.

From experience, I can testify that there is definetly a severe skills shortage - lower qualified people are applying for and getting jobs for which they wouldn't have dreamed of 10 years ago - the employer has to carry the can by either paying exhorbitant salaries or making do with 3 people who can't do the job that a single person previously did (white or black)

In either event, I intend adding to the problem for those staying - one less CA in the country - do you think anybody will notice, not a chance, it's a drop in the ocean

Cheers

Edited November 15, 2007 by JanCpt

[hagar]

Doublespeak at it's finest...

[Sam]

Sweet denial, ruthless deception and strategy.

[zoot]

In either event, I intend adding to the problem for those staying - one less CA in the country - do you think anybody will notice, not a chance, it's a drop in the ocean

Cheers

No of course they wont notice or if they do they wont admit it. They can form a committee to discuss the lack of CAs in the country. This will involve going to exotic venues, being wined and dined and being given an enormous budget to "investigate" the problem. After about a year of this the idea will pop into heads ooh lets train some more - so let everyone sign up to do a CA course. Trouble is there are not the kids coming through from school with the interest or ability so from your large intake you land up with a small number of graduates. If any of those graduates happen to be a lighter shade promptly marginalise them. Leaving you with a small crop of darker CAs who will demand exhorbitant salaries which companies cannot afford. Then the whole cycle starts again and a lot of people will have got very rich overseeing the whole development process. Hmm sounds like a wonderful job - where do I sign on?

[Guest nc74]

Hmm sounds like a wonderful job - where do I sign on?

You don't "white males need not apply"

Edited November 16, 2007 by nc74

[JanCPT]

Consider for a moment that the minister, oops sorry our honourable DP, may be right & we are all wrong - about "AA not to blame for lack of skills.

Reading the headlines of the Cape Argus this morning, it struck me that she actually may very well be right - "MUGGERS KILL UCT LAW PROF IN STREET"

It's not "AA" that is causing the skills shortage in SA, .... skilled professionals are being killed off in muggings, burglaries, hijackings & other "miscellaneous" crimes faster than they can be replaced

Add to the fact that other skilled persons are leaving the country because they are scared of being next on the culling list (ie not neccessarily because of AA) & it would seem that the skills shortage has not been caused by AA.

In fact, considering my own experience as stated above, AA did not cause me to leave the country when I was confronted with the "White males need not apply" - I merely started working for myself

It's seems we may have unfairly judged the statement made by our beloved Phumzile & she may have been right all along

Again from my own experience, I would say that AA was the one of the first straws and the SA version of Schindlers List was the last straw

Edited November 17, 2007 by JanCpt

[celeste]

As we wait patiently in the visa queue one is saddened to think that it has come to this - that we must leave the land of our birth. Of course we will miss the people (of all colours) and coming from KZN the zulu people especially, the language, the sound of their voices and so many little things about them.

But even sadder is that whenever we are tempted to think...perhaps we could just stay...maybe things will be alright, there is another mugging, another reminder about AA and discrimination and sadly we realise we are doing the right thing for us and our children. Sadly, we see these signs every day now.

The irony of AA is that many of my peers (i'm 35 years old) of other skin colours especially black earn double or triple or even more than I do (good for them no problem with that) but what really hurts is that when my little kids apply to go to university or for a job they will be left standing under the current ideology as their previously disadvantaged classmates (whose parents drive cars i could never dream of driving etc etc) get the positions. So, the rich black people are promoted while the middle class of other races are held back.

Guys, let's face it - it's pay back time.

This and the crumbling infrastructure in our land is what was the final nail for us deciding to leave. In every sector all one hears these days is jobs for pals and political connections never mind if you can actually do the job.

Edited November 17, 2007 by celeste

[LeeInOz]

'AA not to blame for lack of skills'2007-11-14 22:20Cape Town, Nov 14 (I-Net Bridge) - The perception that affirmative action has resulted in a huge loss of skills is not supported by recent studies published by reputable institutions, according to deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

"The people who are disadvantaged here are black people."

She said the government was working towards getting companies to increase their commitment to skills development, and was having some success in doing so.

Ha Ha Ha. And there is no crime problem, nor is AIDS out of control.

In 2004 I was phoned after leaving my cv with several employment agencies and asked if I was black, then asked do I know a black with these skills.

[jimmip]

In 2003 I applied for a job in the human resources dept of the SA police force. I had a national diplma in H.R and 4 and bit yrs experience, a love for my country and its people and a strong will to improve and contribute to fighting crime,albeit in a H.R capacity but making officers happy would make there jobs easier and so on and so on...........you not what I mean,I was prepared to take a drop in salary just so that I could make a contribution.I didnt even get a response back from them and when I followed up a few weeks later they told me the position had been filled by a black girl that was fresh out of school, they also said they were not hiring whites at that stage. Im now making enquiries about joining the Queensland police service after I get my PR-hopefully they will be more interested in my dedication and commitment.

Jim

[TYTAN]

BEE/AA/Quota Systems are the new apartheid. It is discrimination. Legal discrimination. The constitution contradicts itself by saying that there will be no discrimination due to race, gender, religeon etc etc etc, and then goes on to talk about AA, BEE etc.

There are many skilled professionals that are not employed in their rightful capacity due to AA; hence a skills shortage! It is certianly not the only reason for the shortage, but it is a reason.

I am highly qualified, yet I have to settle for a role in which the requirement is a matric. You may ask why I dont start my own business.

Reason 2 - Crime. I dont want to be here long enough to be a statistic. I'm just waiting for my Visa! I will start my empire in a country where I'm not forced to sell out to underserving hopefuls.

Time to calm down...