affirmative action or whatever you want to call them received an education which the white kids in Hout Bay found below their "level".
I have to be honest to admit that what you say is true, but this is a problem with youth across the land and not limited to the white deaf kids from Houtbay.
This is the very reason the trade related industries are in dire straits not getting quality tradesmen anymore. Under the previous administration you had to complete an apprenticeship of between 4 - 5 years and then passed a qualifying trade test at Olifantsfontein (red seal).
It is also a fact that since 1994 there are fewer apprentices yearly and the local government funded private training centres to "qualify" tradesmen - and the sorry state is that some issue certificates after just a few weeks of basic training. ...
I had been an apprentice instructor during my tenure as a boilermaker and prepared people for Olifantsfontein testing. Between these duties we also trained "semi-skilled" persons that were mainly black with some pre-requisite that he should at least passed Std 8 then and get paid for his 16 week training.
Sad part is that some could not even read or write
(Std 8/grade 10??) and after me failing a complete class with a basic task that was totally unacceptable, I was reprimanded and told that at least 80% must pass, regardless.... Needles to say I went and built boats.
But this was still in the old SA and after 1994 events turned worse and because of affirmative action being forced down by current anc law, these silly certificate are the norm flying around in the industry.
And herein lies the problem; white kids morale is in tatters, what is the point of getting training or education if you have really no chance in getting employed because of skin colour, even if you have "real" and not dubious qualifications? The tragedy of these white victim kids is the fact that they were not even born in the "apartheid" era but a product of the anc regime, but get "punished" for apartheid sins just because they are white....And this make me very sad.
To side track a bit - the ESKOM power fiasco in 2009 when the country nearly lost its power grit and power cuts the norm of the day, was a direct result of affirmative action policy and ESKOM did acknowledge that fact in the press when exposed.
ESKOM was the biggest affirmative policy enforcer that employed people
(got rid of the capable) in management and all spectrum's of employ based on skin colour and not qualifications or experience. This was a direct result of poor management, and maintenance. After the fiasco and press exposure, suddenly they made known the fact that they now need qualified persons, regardless of skin colour
I run an
"on site" construction/fabrication concern from 1993 - 1998 on a mega ESKOM power station and in 1994 a new station was earmarked and approved to be in production by 2000. After the 1994 election the shortsighted anc said we need houses and not electricity and abandoned the plans for new power station. Needless to say they build millions of homes that is electrified, millions of squatter shack sprung up from basically all the illegal immigrants in the country and most of these shacks are illegally wired into the power grid. Businesses grew asking more juice and in 2000/2001 the DP party warned the anc that the country is out of power and desperately needed another big powe rstation at least. This was rejected because the whites are paranoid and knows nothing. The rest is history...
Now the anc is building new power stations only to get a wake-up call that it takes about 5 - 6 years to get the whole station in production and at least 2.5 years before it produces a bit of juice when the first boiler and turbine is on line. BTW, we may have the same problems again this year with ESKOM according to the press.
Finally,
Just before I retired from the Harmony Gold Mining group
(another big affirmative enforcer) in September 2009, the foreman called a black "qualified" female fitter into the office whilst I was present as charge hand. There were complaints that she is not able and capable to do her work and has to be "carried" by her semi skilled helpers - working on small diesel locomotives underground.
He ask her if she was qualified and she response affirmative and ask her this one question: "what is the difference between a water cooled and an air cooled diesel engine" and her answer? I dont know
:!: The FM had to stay calm and said he was sending her for retraining.
Fact was this incompetent black women was the highest paid fitter on that shaft, even got more than real qualified fitters with many years of service...
Why would some not try to learn to build boats? Simple, not that big a market and not many boatbuilders out there to offer employment to such trained persons. Then there is the current poor economy of the country. Few working class people can afford to survive let alone buying boats and the reason I shut down my GRP boat shop. For the rich it is another matter all together and they would not look at any basic boat unless it cost half a mil or more.
Yes, the trade you learn them is an invaluable craft which can make them independent should they choose to work for him/herself. Finding a market and potential buyers on an ongoing basis would be the real challenge.
But I suppose every little bit helps.
