What is wrong with doing it right?

STEVE DU TOIT of Glen Marais writes:

When I was growing up, I remember what it was to achieve. I remember being rewarded in various ways and my self-esteem increased as I understood that by having goals and with even a little effort, success was possible.

My first B+ I achieved at school drove me to learn with more enthusiasm. The first race I won drove me to practice more. Achievement is not only a word; it is a driving force I believe all living things have. The older we become the more we understand and learn to think for ourselves and to make our own decisions.

We understand that achievement brings reward, be it mentally or physically.

To just plod along in life and sit on the fence while others strive to achieve a better life is merely existing. However, there are many humans who achieve the small things in life that that they are forced to, such as learning to walk, to speak and the basics of life. As they grow older they get to a point where they realise they can just sit back and piggyback on the efforts of others.

The dictionary states that the meaning of achieve/achievement is to bring to a successful end; to carry through; to accomplish; to get or attain by effort; to bring about an intended result; to triumph and to accomplish.

To quote Mahatma Gandhi: “The future depends on what you do today.” It is logical that if you have no goals or drive your tomorrow will be the start of the end of you.

The media gives us daily reports of the sorrowful state of South Africa with government failing in so many ways and being corrupt and greedy. I have come to believe they do not want to be successful in running this country.

It appears there is not one department that can proudly state that it is successful and has made a better change for the people of this country. From the local government to the state officials, achievement seems to be a way of life that is intended for their pockets only.

In Ekurhuleni our local Kempton Express is filled with the many problems that we encounter on a daily basis. Letters sent in by the public reflect the total dissatisfaction of services and the reaction, attitude and behaviour of our so-called officials. Where is the success?

I am not a youngster, not uneducated nor stupid. I know and understand that it takes effort and drive to succeed and the running of a country is not an easy matter, but that does not mean that this can be used as the reason for failure.

In working I soon discovered that successful companies were those that have purpose, goals and drive. The management who had been hired because of their qualifications, proven experience, knowledge and history, motivated and demanded success from their staff and the management have themselves taken the responsibility of failure and corrected any shortcomings, be it staff or product.

I have finally come to the theory that there is a conspiracy to fail. Why would someone want that? Well, lets be honest, if we all fail, then it shows the people of SA that the work we do is so difficult and no-one can do this as we have “proven” this to be the state of affairs.

We can’t get it “right” but leave us here and we will try, when forced, to make a little difference and do a little good. If one of our comrades in another municipality “gets it right” then we will be shown as incompetent (as is usually the case), proving that we need to be replaced and that’s not good. So keep it in the party comrades and we will all dance together.

It is too coincidental that overall, they fail to get it right.