Tag: Government

Life might have been harder in the times of Moses, but it was simpler: Move towards a promised land, move away from an evil persecutor, and survive in between. His people understood where they were going and what they were prepared to sacrifice for it, and they had a clear purpose.

Eustace Davie | Director | Free Market Foundation | mail me | It is not simply what education teaches us directly, but how well it...

As with the bosomy among the fairer sex, big government inevitably stimulates public interest and invites frenetic courtship and unrelenting pursuit. The pursuers are usually rent-seekers, lobbyists and representatives of all sorts of sectional interests.

Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala recently suggested that Eskom should consider hiring an international candidate to succeed its outgoing CEO, André de Ruyter. Although Mr. Tshabalala is trying to be helpful, his suggestion misses the mark. A foreign appointee – no matter how capable or qualified – will not be able to fix the mess at Eskom. Another South African in the post won’t succeed either.

“While spending on government consumption has been held down over the last ten years, demand for public services has increased substantially. Meanwhile, as public employment in health, education and criminal justice has stagnated, employment by private companies providing the same services has surged.

In January 2023, I will be joining one of South Africa’s leading think tanks, the Free Market Foundation (FMF), as its new Chief Executive. It will be an honour to serve an organisation that has promoted a market economy, the rule of law, and individual rights for nearly half a century. My appointment has led me to reflect on what think tanks are for, and their rapidly changing role in the policy - and political - landscape in South Africa.

Read our exclusive cover story titled WHO WILL WATCH THE WATCHMEN? - THE RELEVANCE & ROLE OF THINK TANKS by David Ansara, Chief Executive (Designate), Free Market Foundation, as well a host of other topical management articles written by professionals, consultants and academics in the December/January 2022/23 edition.

The South African Constitution envisages public participation in the formulation and adoption of public policy. Government claims to consult the public through the participation process, but recent events have confirmed that it effectively ignores public input and regards it with contempt.

Read our exclusive cover story titled BUILD BACK BETTER | NOW IS THE TIME FOR POSITIVE RADICAL ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION! by Chris Hattingh, Deputy Director Free Market Foundation, Member of the advisory council Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity and Senior Fellow at African Liberty, as well a host of other topical management articles written by professionals, consultants and academics in the August/September 2021 edition of BusinessBrief.

The Apartheid government’s Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974 forced black schools to integrate Afrikaans as a language of instruction. This event struck a nerve that triggered the Soweto uprising of 1976 and contributed to exposing the Apartheid system for what it was: government tyranny.