ONE word (or acronym) could surely solve all this country’s woes if it was taken more seriously: KISS.
Now, for those not familiar with the principle (and that must be most of our politicians), KISS doesn’t mean that we all need to go out there and snog each other. (Look what happened to Helen Zille and Rampehle Mamphela during the last elections. They ‘kissed’ and broke up.)
K-I-S-S means: “Keep it simple, stupid.”
It was first coined by US Navy aircraft engineer Kelly Johnson in the 60s and the principle was very popular throughout the world in the 70s.
In a nutshell, KISS suggests that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than complicated. Therefore, simplicity should be a key goal in design and unnecessary complexity should be avoided.
Unfortunately, South African politicians and administrators seem to prefer the old Roman ways, favouring a word taken from Latin: ‘Obfuscation’. (And look what happened to those corrupt chaps in togas. They ‘declined and fell’.)
Even the Oxford English Dictionary finds ‘obfuscation’ too confusing to list, but a Google Search defines it as: “To confuse, bewilder or stupefy. To make obscure or unclear. Being evasive, unclear or obscure in telling the truth.”
Does that ring a bell? Nothing seems simple in South Africa at the moment, especially at the highest echelons of government. For example, for how much longer can we ‘obfuscate’ about Nkandla? Just pay for the $%#@! pool and get it over with, for crying out loud.
At local level, all the average John, Jan, Jay and Jabulane want to know is why life in general has become so frustrating and what the powers that be are doing about it.
• When will the unsightly, broken fence bordering Port Shepstone’s main thoroughfare be fixed?
• When will the municipality get around to potholes in ‘my’ road which are ruining ‘my’ car (and ‘my’ kidneys)?
• When will I be able to find a clean public toilet and stop having to pee in an alley in the CBD?
• In fact, when will we just spruce up the South Coast in general, act against litterbugs and those brazenly polluting our streets, beaches and rivers?
Ratepayers are tired of turd tossing and officials ‘obfuscating’ about their responsibilities and jurisdictions. Problems and issues just seem to go around and around in circles.
Rather, “KISS”… and just do the job.
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