Why should we go?-why should we stay?

[Duck Rogers]

I sound so negative...

No, not negative..........just a realist

[John Boucher]

From the African Pilot Newsletter.....

The state of aviation expertise in South Africa
Our country has been witnessing severe shortages of qualified and skilled people in almost all fields of the economy in recent years. This situation has become all the more noticeable as a direct result of government’s failed Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy, which has impacted on the economy of South Africa. Every business has experienced the blunt end of ESKOM’s inability to provide adequate electrical power to a growing economy. By now any person with an understanding of economic forces will be in a position to understand that a distinct lack of appropriate leadership and technical ability has led to the present disastrous economic situation in South Africa.
However, in aviation circles, businesses are witnessing a serious ‘brain drain’ to countries where qualified ‘white people’ are appreciated for the expertise they can deliver to the companies who have successfully recruited them. It is now a well known fact that several Middle Eastern, Far Eastern and Australasian countries have been actively recruiting well qualified pilots, technical and engineering aviation people from South Africa. Information at hand suggests that South African Airways (SAA) alone has lost more than 200 qualified technical personnel and pilots in the past two years. The airline cannot hope to replace these skilled people in the short term, which means that ultimately the serviceability of its aircraft will suffer. In addition, many well qualified Airline Transport Pilots from SAA have sought greener pastures in countries where their skills are genuinely appreciated by the host country, and where they and their families can live in a much safer environment.
When will government realize that it cannot ‘fast track’ black people who have not had the correct exposure to economic forces in business? Whilst African Pilot fully supports education and support structures that will uplift black people into a first world economy, this undertaking should be mindful of the correct economic forces within the economy. Simply said, it is impossible to take people who do not have the required academic, technical and business acumen and force these people into unfamiliar economic environments. Mentorship is what is required. There are plenty of well educated white people who have the desired qualifications to assist with the orderly ‘on the job education’ of aspirant young black people who will do well in the aviation community when they have the standard of training that is required within the global community.
AVIATION CANNOT BE ‘FAST-TRACKED’ – BECAUSE THE RESULT WILL HAVE DISASTEROUS CONSEQUNECES, WHICH WE ARE ALREADY STARTING TO WITNESS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Government needs to ‘wake up’ and place a moratorium on forcing its ‘BEE’ policy on financially viable businesses. The very businesses that are presently being targeted to prove BEE compliance are the most significant tax payers within the South African economy. My question to government is – “do you wish to lose all the current benefits you have in terms of a viable economic tax base? Furthermore, if you destroy the goose that lays the golden eggs, where are you likely to be in the future of the global community?”

Thanks Duckie.... REALITY CHECK

[Gadget]

I Thin I have made up my mind after this:

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Afri ... 89,00.html