The Honour of being made a Fellow of CSSA

Last week, at the Computer Society South Africa (CSSA) Awards Breakfast, I was honoured to have had a Fellowship bestowed on me.  What a surprise that was, I had no idea!  I was sitting at breakfast, thinking about the speech I was going to make for the 2011 IT Leading Employer award, which we sponsor.  And Adrian Schofield, current President of CSSA started talking about the Fellowship.

As he was talking I was thinking that it would be really nice to get this one day.  When he reached the part when he said “this is the time that the recipient starts to recognise themselves”, I started to look around to see who it could possibly be, based on the citation.

As the citation moved on, Adrian mentioned “Talent”, and I thought, who else is concerned with IT Talent – I need to get hold of them.  And I looked around even more fervently.  Then - very slowly, it began to dawn on me – this is ME!!!

Where did Tony and Adrian get all that information from?  I must get a copy of that citation.  Gosh, they went back years and years to the different things that I have been involved in – all to do with people development in IT, and promotion of the IT industry.

It really is a great honour to receive this, albeit that I was really not expecting it at this time.  Don’t get me wrong, I really wanted to be a Fellow of CSSA, but I didn’t think that I had done enough as yet – there is still so much yet to be done.  We need to introduce the “Professional” qualification, we need to put in place a “scheme” and methodology for growing people in IT against a common “framework” of job competencies, we need to get organisational “buy-in” to growing their IT people in line with the framework.  That is still a LOT of work.

For the rest of the day I was walking around with this dumb smile on my face and the feeling that I had a sign saying “Fellow of CSSA” stuck on my forehead.  It was a wonderful feeling.

I would like to thank the CSSA past-Presidents and EXCO for this honour, and for acknowledging the importance of “people” in IT today.  I would like to thank CSSA for the opportunities that it gives me to “self-actualise” (top of the Maslow’s Hierarch of Needs), and to “make a difference”.  This is what organisations like CSSA are all about.  We don’t all get the opportunities to self-actualise or make a difference in our work, or even in our home environment.  But, being an active member of CSSA facilitates this.  You get the opportunities to create, to participate, and to be all that you can be.

I would like to encourage all other members to grab the opportunities that are afforded by CSSA.  Get involved, help to make a difference in the industry, for today, and into the future.  Like me, you just never know where it could lead to and, who knows, one day you too will be a Fellow of CSSA.

World Competitive Report – South Africa up 4 places, but still Room for Improvement!

Below is an extract from the report (Total of 142 economies included).

“South Africa moves up by four places to attain 50th position this year, remaining the highest-ranked country in sub-Saharan Africa and the second-placed among the BRICS economies. The country benefits from the large size of its economy, particularly by regional standards (it is ranked 25th in the market size pillar). It also does well on measures of the quality of institutions and factor allocation, such as intellectual property protection (30th), property rights (30th), the accountability of its private institutions (3rd), and its goods market efficiency (32nd).

“Particularly impressive is the country’s financial market development (4th), indicating high confidence in South Africa’s financial markets at a time when trust is returning only slowly in many other parts of the world. South Africa also does reasonably well in more complex areas such as business sophistication (38th) and innovation (41st), benefiting from good scientific research institutions (30th) and strong collaboration between universities and the business sector in innovation (26th).

“These combined attributes make South Africa the most competitive economy in the region. However, in order to further enhance its competitiveness the country will need to address some weaknesses. South Africa ranks 95th in labor market efficiency, with rigid hiring and firing practices (139th), a lack of flexibility in wage determination by companies (138th), and significant tensions in labor-employer relations (138th).

“Efforts must also be made to increase the university enrollment rate of only 15 percent, which places the country 97th overall, in order to better develop its innovation potential. In addition, South Africa’s infrastructure, although good by regional standards, requires upgrading (62nd). The poor security situation remains another important obstacle to doing business in South Africa. The business costs of crime and violence (136th) and the sense that the police are unable to provide protection from crime (95th) do not contribute to an environment that fosters competitiveness.

“Another major concern remains the health of the workforce, which is ranked 129th out of 142 economies—the result of high rates of communicable diseases and poor health indicators more generally.”

The full report can be seen at http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-2011-2012/.

Thoughts about Wealth and Wealth Distribution

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for, without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody, anything, that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work, because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work, because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

And candidate number 6 from Margaret Thatcher:

1. Socialism fails when it runs out of other people's money.

Where does Democracy End and Anarchy Begin?

In South Africa we purport to be proud of our “Democracy”.  Well, I question that we actually have a democracy – see my post “Do we Really Have Democracy in South Africa?”.  But more importantly right now is – where does Democracy end and Anarchy begin?

Well – where else do you go for definitions these days but to the web.  So various Web Definitions of democracy are:

• A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives
• A form of government in which all people have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.
• The practice or principles of social equality
• The political orientation of those who favour government by the people or by their elected representatives
• A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
•  Majority rule: the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group

What then is Anarchy – back to the web:

• A state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority
• Absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal
• A state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
• Most often, the term "anarchy" describes the simple absence of publicly recognized government or enforced political authority.

Do you remember Polokwane?  Was that “democracy” – or was that the first stage of “anarchy”?  What about the way the strikes these days seem to be going?  Is that “democracy”, or it is Anarchy?  And what about the recent antics of the ANCYL?  Is that “democracy”, or is it Anarchy?  And what about the threats to Zuma and his government – “we will bring you down” – is this “democracy” or is it Anarchy?  And what about the threats to the Botswana government?  Is this “democracy” or is it Anarchy?

Certainly, in my opinion, recent trade union and ANCYL activity has demonstrated “absence or non-recognition of authority”.  Equally certain, in my opinion, the reaction of government has demonstrated an absence of “enforced political authority”.  But the definition that I think best suits the situation is “a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)”.

Recent political comment has included the concept of the lack of intellectualism in government.  Both Zuma and Malema are cases in point.  And they are both “charismatic” leaders.  What does this mean?  According to Money_zine.com “Charismatic Leaders are often thought of as heroes that are able to use their personal allure to lead others.  But that charismatic charm can be both a blessing and a curse on society.  That's because charisma can be used for the good of a company or nation - but also for less-than-honorable reasons.”

So, South Africa, what is the situation here – and, if we really DO have a democracy, what are we, the population of eligible members going to do about it?  Are we going to work to get our hard-earned democracy back?  If we don’t do something, we will get the political system that we “deserve”!  Remember – all it takes for evil to survive is for good men (and women) to do nothing!

(Photo by Bryan Porter - News24 User)

Do we Actually Have a Democracy in South Africa?

Is our “new democracy” actually a Democracy?  I know that we can now all vote – but isn’t that to do with “franchise”?  Is the ability to vote a definition of Democracy?  I don’t think so.  The concept of Democracy has more to do with what we do with our vote – or maybe, what we are allowed to do with our vote.

Even Google seems to have a problem with this question.  If you Google “What is Democracy”, Google choices are “What is Democracy” and “What is Democracy in South Africa”.  So, clearly there is a difference.

Some definitions of Democracy:

• A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives
• A form of government in which all people have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.
• The political orientation of those who favour government by the people or by their elected representatives
• A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
• Majority rule: the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group

So, what do we have in South Africa?  Firstly, except for the Local elections, it is not possible to elect a member to represent you in government.  You can only vote for a party.  And then, the person who will represent you needs to come from a prioritized “list” of people.  And, in the case of some parties with Local elections, they give you the only candidate that is permitted to stand for the ward.

But, where does this “list” come from?  Now, for me, this is the biggest problem that I have in calling what we have a Democracy.  The “list” is actually a “popularity contest” held among the “elite” of each political party.  We have no say as to the names on the list, or their relative position on the list.  This is part of the “popularity contest” process.  The more “influential” you are, the more votes you will get from the “elite”.  The more votes you get, the higher you get on the list and the more chance you have of becoming a member of parliament – or the provincial equivalent.  And then, to confound it even further, the top names become the Executive Committee.

There’s no assessment of ability, no assessment of commitment, no assessment of service orientation.  Nothing that could actually translate into service delivery and the will of the people.

Three of the definitions above talk about “elected representative”.  We do not elect our representatives.  Instead, the "election" of "representatives" is about who can do what to whom among the party elite.  And please don’t try to tell me that it is not so.  It IS so.  Have a look at the appointments that get made in any one tenure.  It’s all about rewarding friends, currying favour with those of influence, and making appointments that ensure that your “line” is the line that is followed.

This is just not Democracy.  And neither does it lend itself to Service Delivery – or at least not Service Delivery to the vast majority of the population anyway!  If we want to inculcate Service Delivery as a value and a standard in government, we simply have to change the system from the current “popularity contest” to a real Democracy where every eligible person has the ability to vote for the person that they believe will serve them the best.

Or is this just a pipe-dream?

South Africa's Second Miracle

The “legend” of South Africa’s first “miracle” is well known.  The peaceful transition from the apartheid era to the new democracy.

Those who have read Nelson Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom” – and maybe even those who have not, will know and acknowledge the huge part that this icon played in the miracle.  But the main part was played by the people of South Africa.

For days and hours we stood in long lines waiting for our opportunity to vote.  The voting process was not slick or elegant at that time.  Everything was so new.  We had never done this before – black and white, standing side-by-side.  Census information was not that reliable, and no-one knew exactly how many people would turn up where to cast their vote.

I personally stood in line for about 5 hours.  What was so amazing was the camaraderie that existed.  There was no frustration at the long wait, no “racial” tensions, no police presence – just South Africans getting on with it.  We were all unprepared for the long lines, we didn’t bring food, or water.  That was no problem, someone would go and fetch bottles of water from home, from the shop, and share it out with all around them.  Others would buy bread and make sandwiches for themselves and the people around them.  Those remaining in the line would “keep their place” in the line.  No fuss, no bother, just come back into your place in the line when you returned.  Calls of nature were treated with the same goodwill and co-operation.  How amazing is that?  Is that what anyone expected at the time - South Africans from all cultures and creeds mixing together for the first time?

Let me assure you, it was a time of immense pride in being a South African, and a time of incredible excitement at the prospects for South Africa in the future.  I had learned the new national anthem and stood proudly in front of my TV singing the words at the inauguration of our first democratically elected President.

Photo: Gail Sturgess

So, what is this about a “Second” miracle?  Well, one thing I discovered comparing the second miracle to the first is – it’s the PEOPLE of South African that make miracles.  Not politicians, not business leaders – the people!

The second miracle is the World Cup that took place in South Africa in June and July 2010.  There was so much questioning and Euro-pessimism leading up to the World Cup.  And even people in South Africa – the same people who still don’t understand the first miracle – were pessimistic about what would happen.

Stories of soaring crime because the police were all engaged in the World Cup.  Stories of attacks on tourists.  Stories of stadia not being ready.  Stories of not enough visitors coming to South Africa.  Stories of what would happen with “white” people going to Soweto, and “black” people going to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.  The world abounded with these “stories”.

But, “cometh the hour, cometh the man” (John 4:23), in this case - cometh the people of South Africa.  Man – were those “doomsayers” knocked back in their socks!  The people of South Africa, as ONLY a South African can do, opened their cities, their restaurants, their parks, their homes, their vuvuzelas, and, most of all, their hearts to the visitors, the players – and yes, even to the FIFA officials and foreign dignitaries.

Oh, of course the politicians were there – the “blue light brigades and squandering our hard-earned taxes as only they know how best to do.  But they really didn’t matter.  They played no role in the magic and miracle of the South African World Cup.

I have the privilege of living in Cape Town.  I didn’t have tickets to any of the games, but “did” the Fan Walk for two of the major games that were played at Cape Town Stadium.  Between 120000 and 150000 people were on that Fan Walk – about 60000 (?) had tickets!!  What an experience!.  The friendship and solidarity of all, the mingling of supporters of all sides, the “side shows”, the stalls of memorabilia, the painted faces, the waving flags, the “fan gear” adorned by fans, the endless sound of the vuvuzelas, the fellowship of just enjoying each other’s company and the basking in the pride of just being a South African!

Photo: Gail Sturgess

My friend and I stopped along the Fan Walk for a drink.  We sat and watched the joyous cavalcade of humanity pour by.  No problems, no arguments, no incidents.  Just the most amazingly happy amity.

As I sat watching, I experienced, as I had experienced in 1994, the deep-down, gut-wrenching feeling of absolute and total pride in just being a South African.

So – I’ve experienced two South African miracles in my life-time.  Greedy or not, I can’t wait for the third one.  Until then, I refuse to give up on that feeling – my mirror socks are still on, my flag is still flying, and my scarf still adorns my neck.  I wait in excited anticipation.

When “Sorry” Just Doesn’t Cut It!!

“Sorry” – a word that is sometimes just SO hard to say, and sometimes just TOO easy!!

So, when is “Sorry” just not enough? I suggest that any attempt at saying “sorry” by the taxi driver, Mr Jacob Humphries, is just not enough. Mr Humphries was directly responsible for the death of 10 young school children outside Cape Town, South Africa, on Wednesday 25th August 2010.

He was the driver of a taxi taking them to school early in the morning. He had been doing this for years. On this morning, for some reason known only to him, he got impatient. There was a line of vehicles waiting at a railway crossing. The boom was down – meaning the arrival of the train was imminent.

Mr Humphries, however, could not wait patiently in the line of cars, like other responsible drivers. He had to drive past the waiting cars, on the wrong side of the road, and through the boom. Maybe he had done it before – I think one can assume that he had.

Photo: Henk Kruger, Cape Argus

This day, however, fate was not with him. A train crashed into his vehicle, throwing it into the air and against a nearby pylon. Nine children died at the scene and one died a few days later in hospital.

So – if he attempts to say “sorry”, what does it mean? Sorry for being impatient? Sorry for being irresponsible? Sorry for driving on the wrong side of the road? Sorry for driving through closed booms? Sorry that the train hit them? Sorry for killing ten children? Sorry for the sadness brought on ten families? Sorry for the trauma of the children that survived? Sorry for the trauma experienced by their classmates? Sorry for trauma to the train driver? Sorry for the horror of the other drivers that waited patiently and then had to witness such violence? All of the above? Well, I’m sorry, but this is just not enough.

He’s out of hospital now and in police custody charged with manslaughter. But a gaol term is also not enough – that’s also just too easy. What, then, would be enough?  I, for one, would like to know:

• What has he really LEARNED from this tragedy? Has he learned to be more patient? Has he learned to be more law-abiding? Has he learned to be more respectful of the passengers he transports? Has he learned to be more respectful of other drivers on the road? Has he learned to be more respectful of the laws of the road in this country? If he has not learned anything, then ten young lives were taken in vain!

• What will he DO to make recompense? Is he prepared to work in the Childrens’ Hospital trauma ward? Is he prepared to work in a trauma unit looking after victims of “accidents” such as this? Is he prepared to provide aftercare for victims who may take a long time to recover? If he is not prepared to take time to understand the aftermath of events such as the one that he caused, then ten young lives were taken in vain!

• What is he prepared to DO to make our country a better place? A week later, not much further away than the horror of the 25th August, a taxi transporting another group of school children overturned. Fortunately, no-one was killed. Is Mr Humphries prepared to give lectures to other taxi drivers on the need to be respectful of the laws of the road? Is he prepared to teach other taxi drivers what it means to respect their passengers? Is he prepared to teach other taxi drivers to be more patient in traffic? Is he prepared to be an example to other taxi drivers by driving with respect for people and laws? If he does not pass on the message of the horror of the result of negligent driving to other taxi drivers – then ten young lives were taken in vain!

Sorry, Mr Jacob Humphries, but “sorry” just doesn’t cut it!!! We want, and expect a whole lot more.