Brian's Musings
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    • Brian's 2020 Newlsetters >
      • 28th June 2020 – Mulling a Covid Afterlife
      • 31st May 2020 - Unlocking your mind while in Lockdown
      • 19th April, 2020 – More stimulants for lockdown contemplation
      • 3rd April 2020 - PLanning Ahead in a Time of Plague
      • 19th March 2020 – More to Mull on in Splendid Isolation
      • 24th February, 2020 - The Corona Virus and Much More
      • 24th January 2020 - What changes likely in the new year?
    • Brian's 2019 Newsletters >
      • 23rd November 2019 - Another fascinating mix from around the world
      • 30th October 2019 - Where are we headed now?
      • 10th October 2019 - Another tour of the issues
      • 27th August 2019 -Brighter than usual
      • 2nd August 2019 - Mostly more gloom and doom
      • 5th July 2019 - Not much improvement anywhere
      • 19th June 2019 - Better late than neverNew Page
      • 27th April 2019 - More to make you think about the future
      • April 2019 Letters to the Editor of Business Day
      • 2nd April 2019 - Another Month of Mixed News
      • 27th February 2019 - More good news than bad
      • 4th February 2019 - Trying to make sense of it all
    • 2018 >
      • 29th December 2018 - Preparing for 2019
      • 3th November 2018 - Death by Hot Air and Other Cautionary Tales
      • 26th October 2018 – The Case of the Treacherous Till Slip and Other Interesting Tales
      • October 2018 - Feedback on Draft Integrated Resource Plan for South Africa
      • 21st September 2018 - The Information Flow Continues
      • 31st August 2018 - Reading for the first weekend of spring / autumn
      • 31st July 2018 - Watching the World
      • 13th July 2018 - Energy Update 2018
      • 31st May 2018 - Grime and Punishment
      • 20th April, 2018 - The Equaliser Conspiracy
      • 3rd April, 2018 - More Fascinating Facts and Figures
      • 28th February, 2018 - World Update
    • 2017 >
      • 29th November 2017 - Guessing Our Future
      • 29th July 2017 – Basic Income Grant
      • 26th July 2017 – Ideas for a Brighter South Africa
      • 3rd July 2017 - Another Energy Update
      • 8th May 2017 – Trucking and Selling
      • 12th April 2017 - False News Today
      • 22nd March 2017 - Predicting Speed of Change
      • 27th February 2017 - Growing Inequality
      • 11th January 2017 - Medical Data Mining
    • 2016 >
      • 13th December 2016 - American Irony
      • 25th November 2016 - Global Decision Making
      • 30th October 2016 - Climate Changes
      • 11th October 2016 - Musing Investments
      • 19th September 2016 - The Inexorable Five
      • 2nd September 2016 - Driving Forward
      • 17th August 2016 - Innovationv Update
      • 19th July 2016 - Powering Along
      • 4th July 2016 – An Eye to the Future
      • 10th June 2016 - Reverse Education
      • 20th May 2016 - More Minding P's and Q's
      • 5th May 2016 - A Leisurely Future
      • 17th April 2016 - More Food for Thought
      • 29th March 2016 – America’s Digital Colonisation of the World
      • 11th March 2016 - Measuring Life
      • 26th February 2016 - Growing Older, Growing More
      • 12th February 2016 – Retirement Reflections
      • 29th January 2016 - Just Four More Years to 2020 >
        • 15th January 2016 - A Taste of Red and White
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Ideas for a Brighter South Africa

26th July 2017 – Ideas for a Brighter South Africa
 
South Africans have become very internally focused. They seem completely oblivious to what I like to refer to as the “global inexorables”: population change, urbanisation, climate change, low cost renewable energy, mass data storage and mining, automation induced unemployment, growing inequality, globalisation and the end to growth. Our political leaders seem incapable of understanding let alone addressing any of these. Maybe it’s time ordinary South Africans started telling politicians what we want so they can include our ideas in their 2019 manifestos before we vote. Here are some personal thoughts to get the ball rolling.
 
Pay a basic monthly income into the bank accounts or phones of all South African residents. With 30% unemployment; 16 million on social assistance; millions caring unpaid for children, the elderly and the infirm; students not making ends meet; and increasing numbers displaced by automation, this would meet a basic need. The grant would be funded through a much reduced bureaucracy; eliminating other subsidies and grants; higher income taxes; and taxes paid by retailers benefiting from the added consumer spending. Other benefits could be lower crime levels, reduced domestic violence and elimination of beggars on street corners. The indigent would no longer have the indignity of means tests or compulsion to join the bakkie brigade. Artists and entrepreneurs would have a safety net.
 
While accelerating the transfer of ownership of township houses, at the same time transfer the ownership of housing and land in the former homeland areas to those living and working there. The new owners would be able to mortgage their properties or sell and move to a better life in the city. They would have the incentive to upgrade their properties. Teachers and medical staff would be able to own housing in the communities they serve. Entrepreneurs could set up rural businesses. Local farmers could consolidate properties to create successful farms on some of South Africa’s richest soil.
 
Use South Africa’s unique features to lead the world in low cost renewable energy. Manufacture and export renewable energy infrastructure to Africa and beyond. Close coal mines and coal fired power stations. Redeploy mineworkers on mine rehabilitation and renewable energy projects. Hive off power stations from Eskom and make it a focused smart network operator. Close Mossgas and liquidate the CEF group of companies. Scrap new refinery build plans and fracking. Benefits include elimination of both Mpumulanga’s deadly pollution and the country’s huge oil import bill. And cheap energy from the sun to drive the economy.
 
Encourage the manufacture of electric vehicles. Raise fuel taxes so freight moves to a streamlined electric train system. Give metros control of their local train and bus services. Privatise SAA, Denel, the Post Office, Telkom and all other parastatals which are not loss making natural monopolies providing essential services. Facilitate the roll out of cheap, universal wi-fi.
 
Raise education levels and deploy the best of Finnish, Slovenian and Singapore education practices. Tap into the glut of highly qualified young teachers in North America and Europe who are unable to find jobs in schools there. Partner with the private sector to train medical and care professionals. Expand the tourism sector to provide retirement homes for the growing band of first world pensioners wanting sun, sea and personalised care. Open the door to overseas entrepreneurs and academics spurned by Europe and the USA.
 
Change the electoral system so that parliamentarians are responsible to voters and not party and president. Re-adopt a clear foreign policy based on human rights and support for the undertrodden in Africa and abroad. Appoint people who are competent and honest to positions of responsibility. Finally work in a way that is inclusive and not adversarial, setting one South African against another as happens right now.

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  • Home
  • Brian's Blog
  • Musings
    • Brian's 2020 Newlsetters >
      • 28th June 2020 – Mulling a Covid Afterlife
      • 31st May 2020 - Unlocking your mind while in Lockdown
      • 19th April, 2020 – More stimulants for lockdown contemplation
      • 3rd April 2020 - PLanning Ahead in a Time of Plague
      • 19th March 2020 – More to Mull on in Splendid Isolation
      • 24th February, 2020 - The Corona Virus and Much More
      • 24th January 2020 - What changes likely in the new year?
    • Brian's 2019 Newsletters >
      • 23rd November 2019 - Another fascinating mix from around the world
      • 30th October 2019 - Where are we headed now?
      • 10th October 2019 - Another tour of the issues
      • 27th August 2019 -Brighter than usual
      • 2nd August 2019 - Mostly more gloom and doom
      • 5th July 2019 - Not much improvement anywhere
      • 19th June 2019 - Better late than neverNew Page
      • 27th April 2019 - More to make you think about the future
      • April 2019 Letters to the Editor of Business Day
      • 2nd April 2019 - Another Month of Mixed News
      • 27th February 2019 - More good news than bad
      • 4th February 2019 - Trying to make sense of it all
    • 2018 >
      • 29th December 2018 - Preparing for 2019
      • 3th November 2018 - Death by Hot Air and Other Cautionary Tales
      • 26th October 2018 – The Case of the Treacherous Till Slip and Other Interesting Tales
      • October 2018 - Feedback on Draft Integrated Resource Plan for South Africa
      • 21st September 2018 - The Information Flow Continues
      • 31st August 2018 - Reading for the first weekend of spring / autumn
      • 31st July 2018 - Watching the World
      • 13th July 2018 - Energy Update 2018
      • 31st May 2018 - Grime and Punishment
      • 20th April, 2018 - The Equaliser Conspiracy
      • 3rd April, 2018 - More Fascinating Facts and Figures
      • 28th February, 2018 - World Update
    • 2017 >
      • 29th November 2017 - Guessing Our Future
      • 29th July 2017 – Basic Income Grant
      • 26th July 2017 – Ideas for a Brighter South Africa
      • 3rd July 2017 - Another Energy Update
      • 8th May 2017 – Trucking and Selling
      • 12th April 2017 - False News Today
      • 22nd March 2017 - Predicting Speed of Change
      • 27th February 2017 - Growing Inequality
      • 11th January 2017 - Medical Data Mining
    • 2016 >
      • 13th December 2016 - American Irony
      • 25th November 2016 - Global Decision Making
      • 30th October 2016 - Climate Changes
      • 11th October 2016 - Musing Investments
      • 19th September 2016 - The Inexorable Five
      • 2nd September 2016 - Driving Forward
      • 17th August 2016 - Innovationv Update
      • 19th July 2016 - Powering Along
      • 4th July 2016 – An Eye to the Future
      • 10th June 2016 - Reverse Education
      • 20th May 2016 - More Minding P's and Q's
      • 5th May 2016 - A Leisurely Future
      • 17th April 2016 - More Food for Thought
      • 29th March 2016 – America’s Digital Colonisation of the World
      • 11th March 2016 - Measuring Life
      • 26th February 2016 - Growing Older, Growing More
      • 12th February 2016 – Retirement Reflections
      • 29th January 2016 - Just Four More Years to 2020 >
        • 15th January 2016 - A Taste of Red and White
  • Books