[Fwd: Simple logic]

Dear Mr Malema and ANCYL members,

I would like the opportunity to ask you some simple questions regarding
your struggle for economic freedom. At the moment, I am failing to see
how your actions are in the long term interests of South Africa.

Please enlighten me by addressing the following points:

Mines

At the moment, mines contribute roughly 8% to total GDP. I do not
understand why you are so fixated on nationalising this rather small
portion of the nation's wealth and causing significant amounts of
political uncertainty in the process.

The services sector constitutes 66% of GDP. Therefore it seems logical
that short term economic freedom lies in a friendly service mentality
and functional literacy. When compared to the mines, 8 times more
wealth lies in this direction. Unfortunately, however, I do not really
get an impression of a friendly service mentality and functional
literacy from your present membership.

Farms

Your calls for expropriation of land without compensation have badly
polarized society. What are your reasons for this seemingly
thoughtless act? Agriculture contributes about the same to GDP as
mining, so there is not much economic freedom to be gained here
either.

Also consider that history has shown land redistribution to result in
productive farms going to ruin and the black recipients selling the
land back to the original white owners. This affects every citizen of
South Africa in terms of food prices and food security. How do you
plan to address this problem?

Education

Ninety-nine per cent of whites do not own any farms or mines. Yet, on
average, white people earn 8 times more than black people. Why? White
people have an eight times higher ability to earn, to add value. This
ability to earn comes from education, an excellent work ethic and a
willingness to serve. I am convinced that this is the only route to
economic freedom. Why are you not influencing the youth of the nation
in this direction?

Your mother body, the ANC, has produced an education system that has
been proven to only educate one out of every 29 black learners to a
level of functional literacy. Seeing the crucial importance of
education, why do you not demand better government performance instead
of nationalization and expropriation?

Compensation

I can understand that you feel aggrieved with the situation that
apartheid has left you with and therefore demand compensation from
white people. However, on average, each white person already supports
around five blacks by means of social grants, RDP housing and free
services. By doing this, white people give you a fair chance to make
something of your life by taking care of your basic livelihood. What
more can we do?

Would you be satisfied if all white people were just as poor as
blacks? Do you want every white person to leave South Africa? Please
consider that both these options will remove significantly more than
half of the nation's wealth, while keeping the population roughly the
same. The poor will remain unemployable, but there will be no funds
for any kind of state support – no housing and basic services,
dangerous shortages in food and water, no public healthcare and no
affordable schooling. Is this what you want?

In closing

If you can intelligently answer these questions, I will be more than
willing to listen. If, however, you cannot, one has to conclude that
you are doing the country and its youth a terrible disservice and the
loss of an entire generation of South Africans has to rest squarely on
your shoulders.

Regards,
Schalk