Letter in Business Day , 19/3/2013

Does poverty help the ANC ?

John Kane Berman’s article on social spending as a permanent feature of the SA economy is a useful reminder ( Business Day, 18/3/2013). In essence this means that the ANC employs its  own electorate- just like the National Party did in days past. The difference is that the one catered only for three million people, while the other caters for 14 million plus. 

The problem there is that , as Pravin Gordhan knows only too well, the supply of other people’s money (with apologies to Maggie Thatcher) to pay for this is running out , and in  fact will get less as the ANC fails to implement the policies that will bring our economy above 2-3% per annum growth. But when it comes to voting, no matter how bad the economy it is very hard to bite the hand that feeds you. Especially as the alternative, earning much more  than the paltry social grants by having your own job, continues to recede into the distance.

 So it could be argued that the poor economic performance of South Africa benefits the ruling party by increasing dependency on the state.

Dr Gavin Lewis

DA MPL Gauteng Legislature

Spokesman: Economic Development

Deputy Spokesman: Finance