11 June 2024
Blaai af vir Afrikaanse weergawe.
The Free Market Foundation (FMF) has released its five non-negotiable terms in the formation of a national coalition government or ‘government of national unity,’ should the parties reject a confidence-and-supply option.
‘The FMF remains committed to a confidence-and-supply “no-alition” arrangement as the best way forward for the country,’ says David Ansara, CEO of the FMF. ‘However, if the political parties do decide to go the formal coalition route, they must embrace federalism, privatisation, labour market liberalisation, private property rights, and healthcare reform as preconditions for any such arrangement.’
These preconditions should be given legislative effect within the first month after Parliament’s first sitting on Friday, 14 June, to ensure the new administration is legally bound to grant the concessions.
1. Federalism
The rapid economic and political decline which South Africa has faced in recent decades has primarily been a symptom of the over-centralisation of political authority. Consequently, the single most important element of reform should be a radical decentralisation of political authority to provinces, municipalities, and communities to empower them to fix the myriad problems facing their constituencies without undue interference from central authorities.
By recognising the legitimate sovereignty of these spheres of government, they will be empowered to act more independently, with both the authority and the means to manage matters such as policing, transport, and energy.
To this end, the FMF recently launched its Campaign for Home Rule to encourage a more federalised approach to governance.
2. Privatisation
South Africa’s economy is characterised by high levels of state ownership, particularly in the so-called ‘network’ industries, such as electricity, ports, and rail. Underperforming state-owned enterprises act as a chokepoint on the South African economy by disrupting supply chains and increasing costs through inefficiencies. Moreover, their persistent financial losses have acted as an additional burden on the already overburdened South African taxpayer. Chronic mismanagement of crucial industries cannot be allowed to persist if we hope to generate tangible reform and move towards greater prosperity. Key state-owned enterprises such as Eskom, Transnet, and PRASA, should be privatised in whole or in part.
3. Labour market reforms
At over 41% South Africans face one of the highest rates of joblessness on the planet. Chronically high unemployment is the consequence of the government’s overzealous labour regulation which locks millions of South Africans out of the formal job market.
The FMF has long championed the Job Seekers Exemption Certificate, which would enable prospective employees to voluntarily exempt themselves from rigid labour laws. In doing so, those that are unemployed can finally take their first step on the employment ladder. Employers will also benefit from a more dynamic and flexible labour environment.
4. Strengthen private property
The right to private property is the foundation of a free and prosperous society. It is therefore essential that legislation which undermines this institution be promptly and unreservedly repealed. Chief among these are the recently adopted Expropriation Act, the Land Court Act, and the disastrous Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).
Repealing these laws would enhance investors’ security of tenure and reassure citizens that their rights to liberty and property will not be unduly and unjustly infringed upon.
5. Health
The National Health Insurance Act must be repealed and the prohibition placed upon private healthcare funders to provide low-cost benefit options must be lifted.
The freedom of South Africans to decide their own medical affairs should not be infringed.
To build a vibrant and accessible healthcare system in South Africa, there must be a renewed focus on incentivising broader access to our world-class private healthcare system as opposed to having these excellent institutions be commandeered by the very authorities which facilitated the decline in their public sector peers.
‘Given the inherent risks associated with coalition politics, any such arrangement which does not proceed under these preconditions would weaken opposition to the ruling party without guaranteeing any corresponding benefit,’ concludes Ansara.
Click here for a soundbite by David Ansara.
Ends.
Press enquiries
Anneke Burns
FMF Publicist
0714230079 | press@fmfsa.org
***
Die Vryemarkstigting se vyf voorwaardes vir nasionale koalisie
11 Junie 2024
Scroll up for English version.
Die Vryemarkstigting (FMF) het sy vyf ononderhandelbare bepalings vir die vorming van ‘n nasionale koalisieregering of ‘regering van nasionale eenheid’ vrygestel, sou die partye ‘n vertroue-en-lewering-opsie verwerp.
‘Die FMF bly verbind tot ‘n vertroue-en-lewering “no-alition“-reëling as die beste pad vorentoe vir die land,’ sê David Ansara, HUB van die FMF. ‘As die politieke partye egter besluit om die formele koalisieroete te volg, moet hulle federalisme, privatisering, arbeidsmarkliberalisering, private eiendomsreg en gesondheidsorghervorming as voorwaardes vir so ‘n reëling aanvaar.’
Hierdie voorwaardes moet wetgewende effek gegee word binne die eerste maand ná die Parlement se eerste sitting op Vrydag, 14 Junie, om te verseker dat die nuwe administrasie wetlik verplig is om die toegewings toe te staan.
1. Federalisme
Die toenemende ekonomiese en politieke agteruitgang wat Suid-Afrika die afgelope dekades in die gesig gestaar het, is hoofsaaklik ‘n simptoom van die oorsentralisering van politieke mag. Gevolglik behoort die belangrikste element van hervorming ‘n radikale desentralisering van politieke mag na provinsies, munisipaliteite, en gemeenskappe te wees ten einde hulle te bemagtig om die talle probleme wat hul inwoners in die gesig staar, op te los sonder onnodige inmenging van sentrale owerhede.
Deur die wettige soewereiniteit van hierdie sfere van regering te erken, sal hulle bemagtig word om meer onafhanklik op te tree, met beide die gesag en die middele om sake soos polisiëring, vervoer, en energie te bestuur.
Vir hierdie doel het die FMF onlangs sy Tuisregeringveldtog van stapel gestuur om ‘n meer gefederaliseerde benadering tot bestuur aan te moedig.
2. Privatisering
Suid-Afrika se ekonomie word deur hoë vlakke van staatsbesit gekenmerk, veral in die sogenaamde ‘netwerk’-bedrywe, soos elektrisiteit, hawens, en spoorweë. Onderpresterende ondernemings in staatsbesit dien as ‘n wurgpunt vir die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie deur voorsieningskettings te ontwrig en kostes deur ondoeltreffendheid te verhoog. Boonop dien hul aanhoudende finansiële verliese as ‘n bykomende las op die reeds oorlaaide Suid-Afrikaanse belastingbetaler.
Chroniese wanbestuur van kritiese bedrywe kan nie toegelaat word om voort te duur as ons hoop om tasbare hervorming te skep en na groter welvaart te beweeg nie. Sleutelondernemings in staatsbesit soos Eskom, Transnet en PRASA moet in die geheel of gedeeltelik geprivatiseer word.
3. Arbeidsmarkhervormings
Op hoër 41% staar Suid-Afrikaners een van die hoogste syfers van werkloosheid op die planeet in die gesig. Chronies hoë werkloosheid is die gevolg van die regering se oorywerige arbeidsregulering wat miljoene Suid-Afrikaners uit die formele arbeidsmark sluit.
Die FMF staan al lank die Werksoekers-vrystellingsertifikaat voor, wat voornemende werknemers in staat sal stel om hulself vrywillig van rigiede arbeidswette vry te stel. Sodoende kan diegene wat werkloos is uiteindelik hul eerste tree op die indiensnemingsleer gee. Werkgewers sal ook baat uit ‘n meer dinamiese en buigsame arbeidsomgewing.
4. Versterk private eiendom
Die reg op private eiendom is die grondslag van ‘n vrye en welvarende samelewing. Dit is dus noodsaaklik dat wetgewing wat hierdie instelling ondermyn, spoedig en onvoorwaardelik herroep word. Die belangrikste hiervan is die onlangs aanvaarde Onteieningswet, die Grondhofwet, en die rampspoedige Wet op die Ontwikkeling van Minerale en Petroleumhulpbronne (MPRDA).
Die herroeping van hierdie wette sal beleggers se besitsekerheid verbeter en burgers gerusstel dat hul regte op vryheid en eiendom nie onnodig en onregverdig aangetas sal word nie.
5. Gesondheid
Die Nasionale Gesondheidsversekeringswet moet herroep word en die verbod wat op private gesondheidsorgbefondsers geplaas word om laekoste-voordeelopsies te verskaf, moet opgehef word.
Die vryheid van Suid-Afrikaners om oor hul eie mediese sake te besluit, moet nie geskend word nie.
Om ‘n sterk en toeganklike gesondheidsorgstelsel in Suid-Afrika te bou, moet daar ‘n hernude fokus op die aansporing van breër toegang tot ons wêreldklas private gesondheidsorgstelsel wees, in plaas daarvan om hierdie uitstekende instellings onder die beheer te sit van die einste owerhede wat die agteruitgang in hul openbare sektor eweknieë bewerkstellig het.
‘Gegewe die inherente risiko’s verbonde aan koalisiepolitiek, sal enige sodanige reëling opposisie teen die regerende party verswak sonder om enige dienooreenkomstige voordeel te waarborg, mits dit nie aan hierdie voorwaardes onderhewig is nie,’ sluit Ansara af.
Klik hier vir ‘n klankgreep (in Engels) deur David Ansara.
Einde.
Persnavrae
Anneke Burns
FMF Publisiteitsbeampte
0714230079 | press@fmfsa.org
