“Never have so many owed so much to so few.” This phrase is a famous quote by Winston Churchill, referring to the efforts of the Royal Air Force pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain during World War II. It highlights the immense gratitude owed to the relatively small number of pilots who played a crucial role in defending the United Kingdom from the German Luftwaffe.
Sad to say, in South Africa the saying is: “Never have so many been misled by so few.” Possible reasons could include:
• People taking cannabis smoking seriously.
• The 30% maths pass rate is catching up with us.
• People are deliberately lying for their own agendas.
• They are just following other people’s opinions.
• People believe they can delay automation to allow specific groups to adapt to new technologies first.
South Africa’s economic challenges are highlighted by its debt-to-GDP ratio, which hovers around 75-77%. In comparison, the United States faces its own financial pressures with a debt-to-GDP ratio nearing 125%. This situation underscores the necessity for the USA to reassess its global financial commitments such as those made through USAID, which, while beneficial, require sustainable funding. It’s important to recognise that South Africa’s frustrations with USA policy changes may stem from a focus on domestic issues, potentially overlooking the broader global context and priorities.
Now that USAID is off the table, South Africa does not care that the USA could not afford its welfare programs. Not only do they not understand the USA’s predicament, they attack the country. This is like a beggar coming to your door every morning until you can no longer afford to give him something. He then turns around and throws rocks at you.
South Africa pleads with Africa to stop supplying the USA with minerals. Like my mother used to say: “You are cutting off your nose to spite your face”. The USA is one of the very few countries that buys more from us than we sell to them, providing us with valuable funds to pay back the huge loans we have. South Africa hopes to sell more minerals to China or some other country, but has not yet seen if there is a need to buy these minerals from us. Why will this change? Because we have so many restrictions on our manufacturing capabilities?
Why do I keep emphasising this point? Have you heard of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)? It’s not a welfare program, it’s a legislative act. This act mandates that South Africa complies with certain rules explicitly outlined within it. Here are a few that are particularly relevant to South Africa today:
• Eligibility criteria: To qualify for AGOA benefits, countries must meet certain criteria, including making progress toward establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism, and the elimination of barriers to USA trade and investment. They must also not engage in activities that undermine USA national security or foreign policy interests. Political pluralism is often seen as a key feature of democratic systems, as it encourages debate, compromise and the protection of minority rights.
• Duty-free access: AGOA provides eligible SSA countries with duty-free access to the USA market for thousands of products. This includes a wide range of goods, from textiles and apparel to agricultural products and manufactured items.
• Annual review and reporting: The USA president is required to designate eligible countries annually, and the USA Trade Representative must submit an annual report to congress on the implementation of AGOA, including the progress of beneficiary countries in meeting the eligibility criteria.
South Africa views its black economic empowerment policies differently than the public in the USA, where both major political parties often perceive these policies as discriminatory. While it’s not necessary to align with the political views of other nations, it’s crucial to reassess strategies when a country like the USA plays a significant role in sustaining your economy, especially if current actions might be undermining that support.
When AGOA is cancelled, European and American manufacturers that produce cars in South Africa (like the Ford Ranger, BMW X3 and Mercedes Benz C class) will no longer be able to take advantage of any tariff discounts that currently exist in AGOA. Your guess is as good as mine as to what will happen next. South Africa appears to be pinning its hopes on the BRICS countries, seemingly overlooking the existing relationships between the USA and these nations. If South Africa persists on this reckless trajectory, we might all find ourselves learning Mandarin soon. The BRICS countries, particularly China, have advanced automation in their manufacturing processes far beyond what South Africa can currently accommodate. This could potentially lead to a loss of job opportunities for South Africans while simultaneously creating more employment for the Chinese workforce.
Every day brings new developments, and while I can’t predict the future, I am certain that automation is a key part of it, and we must prepare accordingly. It’s crucial for the education sector and industry leaders to collaborate and reassess our entire automation practitioner education programme. We can no longer depend solely on politicians and the media; it’s time for us to take initiative and move forward, disregarding distractions about demographic quotas. Our focus should be on making South Africa thrive by eliminating obstacles rather than imposing percentage targets.
Here is hoping and praying that the media and the politicians will stop their destructive behaviour and let engineers get on with their jobs.
Yours in automation
Johan Maartens
| Tel: | +27 11 312 2445 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.saimc.co.za |
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