In praise of the private sector and the power of human enterprise

Published on:

04 Jul 2014, 1:17 pm

Something remarkable is happening in our country. Below the surface, away from the headlines, people are just getting on with it. Making a plan, bending a rule, finding a way. The official statistics have always been, at best, blunt instruments. But now they appear to be completely missing what is there for all to observe. SARS said this week that despite our economic contraction, it will deliver on tough tax revenue targets set in the Budget. And where I live in the commercial heartland, there are rather obvious signs of progress everywhere.

Hit the highways around Johannesburg at 6am and you'll see what I mean. Ditto when you travel through OR Tambo or catch the Gautrain. There's bustle everywhere. An undeniable vibe. And the bright eyes of ordinary folk who are ignoring or working around obstacles, leveraging off infrastructure we've become so used to, that we hardly recognise its benefit anymore.

Viva private sector. Viva the human spirit. Viva South Africa.