The human face of recession.

[Dave A]

A few stories around the impact of job losses. It's a tough world

[tec0]

Right now the number of people that is not able to get jobs due to race and or qualification is at a breaking point. We cannot say we moved forward because history is repeating itself and government can no longer deny their involvement. BE preference is the norm but one may wonder what the true motive behind the system is.

Still government is not the only entity. Last year I have spoken to one of the main managers of a large industrial company. They are only second to Telkom, Eskom and the telecommunication industry. They are as big as it gets. So in our discussion I asked him about the money that is paid to both skilled and unskilled workers and why they don’t do a bit more development so that the worker have some chance to WORK themselves up.

He just said if you don’t want to work for the money WE give you than you haven’t suffered enough... That was his answer. I felt like stabbing him but I just turned and walked away giving him the satisfaction that he won some stupid argument.

Still his remark underlines the bigger problem at hand. They know people need work and they WILL without blinking an eye keep you where you are and exploit the current economic situation because it is profitable. Right now “new townships” are developing. 1500 people most of them can read and write gets no aid from government nor do they qualify for skills development programs. Why? You tell me...

Look I know it looks like that I am trying to put the business owner in the bad light ALL the time. But these are not private businesses they own 90% of all government contracts and they are the real big cats. So in that bases NO I am not just targeting companies and businesses I know there is people that want to do more for the people that work for them and I can see it I am not stupid.

But I can see the largest industries in South Africa functioning on poverty because it IS good for business... simply because exploitable labour exist...

You want to stop the problem change the system OR leave it and see where we are in 5 short years from now...

[twinscythe12332]

in all honesty, why do we need to suffer because of the recession at all? it's just a few people at the very top who say they don't have enough money, and need a bailout. We end up footing the bill for their greedy ways, as that bail out comes through taxes and price hikes. Once they get it, they hold onto it like a crocodile in a death roll. all because they lend out more money than they truly have.

[tec0]

Fact Africa has become the world’s charity-case. Every year we need billions for this and billions for that and every year more farms are NOT producing and more companies close down. We don’t need billions from other countries. We need an infrastructure to sustain growth and despite popular belief it is really easy to do. BUT in order develop the infrastructure we need leadership... That’s the problem right now...

[BBBEE_CompSpec]

Recessions is a figmentation of your mind. It only exists if you let it.

[tec0]

Well yes and no... Look I am all for positive thinking but I do know how difficult people have it, especially young adults. That is why I try to help where I can even with my limited funds. Thankfully I can fix things.

It is a dog eats dog world at this point in time, mega-corporations are enjoying their blood money right now because an alternative simply doesn’t exit. It is time South Africa becomes independent again. And that means to stop asking for money and start with innovation. We used to be good at it...

Training programs and state owned workshops will be a good start. It will give people the opportunity to develop skills and even get qualifications “useful qualifications” and more importantly this can help shape the dynamics of future businesses and even force mega-corporations to negotiate.

[twinscythe12332]

I think we still are having too many nightmares about the past for that to be viable at the mo. If the workshops do come around, they'll be BEE workshops, or won't be set up correctly because the people running them won't know what is going on.
But yes, I think that PROPER, affordable ( if not free) education systems would be a good step.

[tec0]

Well education is the thing right now. Yes there are 15 BEE workshops in our aria and I like so many other none BEE’s don’t have access to them. We even get “drummed out” by the local students when we approach them for information about two months ago. The young woman that was with me just broke down because it was real scary to see 500+ students screaming stuff at you. It just shows the real state of affairs as far as I am concerned.

Basically we don’t have any rights to education at this point in time and our SETA system is a bloody joke! They are basically not recognized... and if your qualification has the “wrong” letterhead then you have to redo all your qualifications “same stuff” and pay for it all over again. Your course cost about R25000 and just because of the wrong letterhead you must now pay the R25000 plus whatever they want to add. That is the day to day realities and it is getting worse...

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

Well education is the thing right now. Yes there are 15 BEE workshops in our aria and I like so many other none BEE’s don’t have access to them. We even get “drummed out” by the local students when we approach them for information about two months ago. The young woman that was with me just broke down because it was real scary to see 500+ students screaming stuff at you. It just shows the real state of affairs as far as I am concerned.

Basically we don’t have any rights to education at this point in time and our SETA system is a bloody joke! They are basically not recognized... and if your qualification has the “wrong” letterhead then you have to redo all your qualifications “same stuff” and pay for it all over again. Your course cost about R25000 and just because of the wrong letterhead you must now pay the R25000 plus whatever they want to add. That is the day to day realities and it is getting worse...

Yes, training and all that is important - but actually keep the state out of it. Anything they touch turns to mold not gold.

[BBBEE_CompSpec]

I have worked in four provinces in the past. All in the same field. North West - Unless you work on the mines you are wasting your time. Kwazulu Natal - I really enjoyed my time working there but after my first divorce found the province too small for myself and the ex. Western Cape - Very laid back and at least ten years behind the times. My offices are still open down there. I am also associated to an attorney firm in Paarden Eiland. Gauteng - A very aggressive province to work in. They will cut you feet off to steal your shoes. Never mind dog eat dog. A very ruthless and unlawful province. It is very sad to have that type of attitude in a province that has everything going for them.

If the work does not come to you then you go to it. You use the quiet periods for training. Your planned training maitrix is supposed to help you obtain funding from the SETAs to get money to train. Your reps are supposed to be targeted higher so that they can reach your objectives if not their targets.

If proper planning takes place, Recession does not exist.

[tec0]

Privatising Education is a total disaster! Take the SETA system it just not working. Trust me on this one. I have spent over R25000 just on my certification and training. And before that I spend over R75000 on my MCSE training back in 1999. These certifications mean nothing! To date I can’t find work because I don’t have a matric or N certification. That is all the mines want to see. So basically I am working for R12000 a year just because SETA is not recognised and because your MCSE has to be redone every 3 years “don’t know if they change it.”

But the problem is not the papers it is the industry itself. Then there is corruption with some of the institutions...

[Alan]

Went on a breakfast run a couple of weeks ago and passed a group of bikers that have had to scale down due to the recession.....
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Sorry couldn't resist.

[tec0]

There is more bad news for next year. Yes by now we know school is out and a lot of new job seekers are entering an overcrowded waiting-list. But this keeps on getting worse. Remember I told you that there are mega-companies and mega-industries that are exploiting the situation?

Well I wish to welcome you to a new life as a day-to-day contractor. Yes this is the brainchild of some big terrible person to rob us “the South African people” even more. The new contract system works as follow you will work for 1 week at a time and get paid every week. However if the boss thinks you are not worthy or not good enough they now have the added ability to fire you by not renewing your contract at the end of the week. Thus no more CCMA, no more anything!

They can now legally use you and lose you without giving you any kind of training or second chance. It is a dream come true and labour brokers are already using this model and it is working with devastating complications.

The case and point is simple: if the big boss doesn’t like you it is game over. If you refuse to work in an unsafe environment it is game over. Complain about anything at all it is game over.

I have seen this system in action and really the sight-manager is basically a god and there is nothing you can do about it. Simply because the contract is structured to rob you from any kind of job security thus I now would like see the future of our country.

God help us...

[Butch Hannan]

On the flip side a lot of our students do not really work at their studies. I have visited quite a few FET colleges and it is basically a nice social club. There are thousands of young guys and ladies sitting around on verandahs and under the trees talking to each other and also on their cell phones. They are having a good time.
We are saddled with a flawed education system and together with a syndrome of entitlement by the students does not make for a very happy state of affairs.
I know quite a few of the lecturers and they tell you that the students do not apply themselves. There is no more discipline in our society and this does not bode well for our country.
I witnessed one small college which for the sum of R2500-00 put the student through a two week "fitting course" after which he received a certificate for fitting. All I can say is "Eina" for this poor guy when he tries to get a job. If he gets a job he is going to be found wanting.
This is a government funded college.
Butch Hannan

[tec0]

I understand this problem but what about the solution. See in 1950 to 1990. The government did a lot of training. It was called the Army! SIR Yes SIR! The military was responsible for over 90% of our best technicians to date! Discipline! SIR Yes SIR! Commitment! SIR Yes SIR! Quality! SIR Yes SIR!

What the hell ever happened to the boy that didn’t finish school that joined the army and become a skilled hardworking South African! See the fact is the army was earn while you learn and people could support themselves. Today that system does NOT exist. Why because the government said so... If I had half the opportunity to have joined the Army and trust me I like the system and I enjoy the discipline but I was not good enough! SO this is what you get