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Blog : 31 October 2016 (What could Dudu's gravy train bailout have bought South Africans)
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We take a look at what the South African government could have bought with Dudu Myeni's gravy plane bailout money of R5billion. A friend of President Zuma, and executive chairperson of the Jacob G Zuma Foundation, Dudu Myeni is unfortunately also the chairperson of South African Airways (SAA). And under her leadership the SAA has been in the news more than ever.
And unfortunately not for the right reasons. From dodgee plane financing deals to SAA making millions in losses and reporting on their financials much later than they should. It seems she is hell bent on sinking the SAA. Below we take a look what the South African government could have bought with R5billion in SAA bailout money instead of giving Dudu more money to burn. |
What does R5billion well spent by government get us?
The infographic below shows what the SA government could have done with the R5billion bailout it is guaranteed the SAA.
The infographic says all there is to say. With the #feesmustfall campaign in full force. The South African government could have paid for 55 000 students to go to univerity for 3 years. While this is a drop in the ocean in terms of providing free education for all it is a start. It is money that could have been applied to a greater cause than giving it to a money sucking black hole that is SAA.
Almost 93 000 RDP houses could have been built for the poor, to get more people out of shacks and into an actual home to give so many people the dignity of staying in a house. We are sure those staying in townships would have appreciated that a lot more than seeing a SAA branded airoplane frly overhead.
Almost 93 000 RDP houses could have been built for the poor, to get more people out of shacks and into an actual home to give so many people the dignity of staying in a house. We are sure those staying in townships would have appreciated that a lot more than seeing a SAA branded airoplane frly overhead.
With ESKOM spinning it's wheels and producing less and less electricity (as we showed before here), this could have been the perfect opportunity for government to roll out buying 1 000 000 solar geysers for South African households. To lessen there dependence on the ESKOM grid which is shaky at best, but to lower the amount of strain that is placed on the grid. And this would have come in as a handy electricity bill saving for households. Who could have used that money on something else, stimulating spending and assisting our ailing economy.
Pensioners's (of which there are about 3.1million receiving old age grants) whose government grant money is becoming worth less and less (as inflation eats away at the real value of money) could have received a R134 a month boost for a year if government rather used the SAA bailout money on pensioners instead of helping the airline (yet again). Perhaps government should let go of the idea of trying to run a business, and rather focus on running the country, and let business people run businesses. We think a private equity partner or privatization of the national carrier is the best bet. This will see the SAA being run more efficiently and it will reduce the demand of the government wallet. Hell SAA might even one day make money and pay large sums of taxes towards the government if it was privatized. Which is exactly the opposite of what is happening now as government is using our hard earned tax money to try and run the SAA. (But seems Dudu wants to run it yes..Into the ground).
The last number we have up in our infographic (631 313) is the number of school children government could supply a R30 meal a day for, for every school day for a full year. Thats right government could feed 631 313 hungry school children every school day for a year instead of feeding the money eating machine that is the SAA. Next time the SAA board meets (without their phones that are conviscated by Dudu's guards, I hope they think about these numbers before making costly business decisions and dodgee deals again.
Pensioners's (of which there are about 3.1million receiving old age grants) whose government grant money is becoming worth less and less (as inflation eats away at the real value of money) could have received a R134 a month boost for a year if government rather used the SAA bailout money on pensioners instead of helping the airline (yet again). Perhaps government should let go of the idea of trying to run a business, and rather focus on running the country, and let business people run businesses. We think a private equity partner or privatization of the national carrier is the best bet. This will see the SAA being run more efficiently and it will reduce the demand of the government wallet. Hell SAA might even one day make money and pay large sums of taxes towards the government if it was privatized. Which is exactly the opposite of what is happening now as government is using our hard earned tax money to try and run the SAA. (But seems Dudu wants to run it yes..Into the ground).
The last number we have up in our infographic (631 313) is the number of school children government could supply a R30 meal a day for, for every school day for a full year. Thats right government could feed 631 313 hungry school children every school day for a year instead of feeding the money eating machine that is the SAA. Next time the SAA board meets (without their phones that are conviscated by Dudu's guards, I hope they think about these numbers before making costly business decisions and dodgee deals again.