Dear {{FirstName}}

1. Are Power Outages The Wake Up Call We Need?

In 1985 - a mere 23 years ago, while the late PW Botha was tripping over the Rubicon, Zimbabwe was the breadbasket of Southern Africa, newly independent, with Robert Mugabe hailed as the icon of African leaders. The Zim $ was, unbelievably, stronger than the rand - and currencies seldom lie. As Mugabe systematically strangled the life out of the country that put him in power, the world, and it's closest neighbour and biggest trading partner, South Africa, have put little or no pressure on Mugabe to govern responsibly. Zimbabweans continue crossing the border illegally in thousands every week. The elections due the end of March are already a farce for a myriad of reasons, as were Zimbabwe's previous elections. Suffice to say that they are merely a front so that ZANU PF can say they've held elections. So, to spell it out, on our northern border we have a current example of prosperity to despair in just one generation. The only benefactors have been the higher echelons of government, but the cake has flopped. The losers have been those who could not leave, the poor. In 1985 would anyone have guessed that Zimbabwe would come to this?

The demise of Zimbabwe into chaos has been a bit like the onset of cancer. Cancer is renowned for being the slow, silent killer, often detected when it's too late. Strangely, despite its shattered economy, Zimbabwe itself will survive Mugabe, because the earth and all that is on it has an extraordinary ability to rejuvenate itself in time. It's the shattered lives and legacies that I'm desperately sorry about. The degeneration of infrastructure, basic human rights, transport, distribution, sanitation, healthcare and so on will become part of the Mugabe - and African legacy of the 1990-2010 period. All this will have to be rebuilt, but in time it can and will be.

So, things change even though they appear not to be changing unless you look carefully. If you had told an Englishman just 5 years ago that a pound Sterling would buy him US$2.20 in 2008 - he would have laughed in your face and told you to have another beer. If anyone had suggested that the price of crude oil would stabilise at over US$90 per barrel (Brent crude US$91.80 as at 27 Jan 08), most people would have labelled you an heretic. Granted, the dollar is down, so in comparable value terms (a 2006 US$) it's probably around US$75. But the point is, things do change - and sometimes quicker than we realise. Sometimes the pace at which it happens takes us by surprise.

Let's pause awhile and discuss the electricity crisis that is poised to bring our economy to its knees, despite what our cabinet is currently claiming. In the 80's Eskom seemingly over-estimated the energy needs of South Africa resulting in 2 critical actions: SA started selling its excess capacity to neighbouring states, and mothballed capacity it could not sell. Those were the days of 1.5 to 2% economic growth. For example, as recently as 1992 Arnot Power station's capacity was temporarily halved due to an excess of power on the national grid. Then it only cost about 75 jobs. The past few years we've experienced growth in the region of 5%. You only need Class 7 maths to work out that a growing economy requires an expanding infrastructure to match the growth - especially if you're supplying essential services to the rest of the sub-continent, parts of which are growing even faster (as we would be if we could get rid of just half of our crime and corruption - for which you and I are paying). Part of government leadership's job is to forecast consequences of basic change, and if this is too much to ask, simply listen to those who warn you about such consequences.

Imagine if 20 years from now Zimbabwe was restored to relative prosperity and it was us exporting our refugees in droves across our northern borders? Perhaps you'd say I'm nuts, because it could never happen to us. Besides, considering our strategic importance, the world would step in quickly, wouldn't it? Just like it did in Bosnia Herzegovina, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Darfur, Kenya...you get the picture. Well, it won't step in. It will send a diplomatic delegation. Actions, if any, only tend to happen once the damage is already done. The reality is that unlike oil, the sea route to India has diminished in importance somewhat over the past few decades. And unfortunately, neither Moss gas nor Sasol really make a significant contribution to world oil production. To put this in perspective, Iraq makes up just 2.5%. So, in real life, we're really going to have to sort this out ourselves.

A key question is, are we (South Africa) immune from Zimbabwe's fate? We would like to think we are, for the sake of everyone who lives in this country. But immune we most certainly are not. There is no such thing as immunity. There is however something called proactivity, and that time seems to have come.

I am a positive person. I have read the comments of our masters of industry telling us that we must look on the positive side of things, and I agree, we should. But I am not prepared to stand by with my head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend that everything is OK. For too long, non-political people like myself have left politics to the politicians, and criticism of the status quo to the press who seem to be best equipped to perform this function. Isn't the electricity situation perhaps the wake up call we all need to do something about it?

2. Accountability in South Africa - It is time!

*feature article Febuary 2008*

Very simply, here is an example of how wealth is created. Buy a piece of barren land. Install services and build something on it. You either live in it, or turn it in to something that produces an income, goods, services,and perhaps employment - or you rent it out. You may sell what you produce. You pay your contractors and labour. They in turn buy things, they exchange money for goods and services, money circulates.

In most modern democracies, it's the private sector (also known by the wise as the goose that lays the golden egg) that produces the wealth and pays the salary of the government and its bureaucrats - people who are appointed by the electorate to serve them. If it weren't for business, there would be no place to get the money from. Governments produce absolutely nothing - if they do, it's because they have taken away something that once belonged to an entrepreneur. The government's job is to serve it's people, administer the country, and be rewarded for their effective performance, while the people go to work every day to earn money to fuel the economy so that everyone has something to eat and somewhere to stay.

So the wealth is always created by the private sector. Anywhere in the world where businessess have been nationalised, like mining or telecommunications for example, the result has been inefficiency. Governments rise to power through democratic elections - or that is how democracy should work. The most important component for democracy to be effective is that those in power should be accountable for their portfolios in every sense and should suffer the consequences of failure to perform.

In the most developed parts of Asia, the Americas and Europe, if politicians misuse their positions, make poor decisions or merely fail to perform, they are red carded. Right now the English are kicking out cabinet ministers for not declaring donations for heaven's sake - you don't even have to steal anything there and you're out. Unfortunately this seems not to be the case in Africa - and sadly not in the country which boast one of the finest constitutions in the world - South Africa. Our track record shows that our politicians seem to be immune from accountability.

The world over, politicians who stand for office are seldon required to have qualifications, neither do they have to write examinations of competence in order to govern - the criteria to govern is to be well ensconced in the upper echelons of the most popular party, and know how to promise their constituents things that will get them elected, and bingo, you're on the gravy train! Some promises they manage to deliver, the balance remain undelivered, because the sum of promises are seldom rooted in reality or to capacity to deliver, they are merely stated policy. The most important component for democracy to be effective is that those in power should be accountable for their portfolios in every sense and should suffer the consequences of failure to perform. To a reasonable extent one would also hope that they would keep their promises.

For example, the portfolio of Finance seems to be getting it right. The Reserve Bank has on balance kept inflation down, helped to fuel economic growth, and we have a currency that still competes in the marketplace. SARS is collecting record amounts of income tax and closing various loopholes. The Department of Justice has it's problems, predominently in it's leadership, but the system still works even though it is groaning at the seams. However, this can not be said for other government departments and institutions.

1. Parliament is there to promulgate laws by which all the countries citizens should abide - including the parliamentarians themselves - it is not a private travel club!
2. The purpose of the traffic department is, first and foremost to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic. That's why it's called the Traffic Department and not the Department of Fines! We have SARS to receive income - they at least do it properly, and it's their job.
3. The job of the Health Department is to provide clean, adequate health care for the citizens of our country. Those that can afford to have long ago resorted to taking the management of their healthcare in to their own hands. Why?
4. The Department of Transport should, amongst other things, be maintaining our roads properly. If our tax was being properly allocated, there wouldn't be a toll road going up every time a new road is built, and roads with potholes would be speedily and properly repaired. Why are municilalities sponsoring sports events when they should be using our rates and taxes to maintain the infrastructure properly, something that is not happening?
5. The Department of Home Affairs should be able to issue a valid Passport or ID document in a few days instead of weeks or months. As a result of widespread corruption at Home Affairs, it seems that soon South Africans visitng the UK on holiday or business will have to purchase visas at a cost of R1000
6. The Department of Education should by now be turning out skilled, productive graduates. Instead, it supports an army of bureaucrats, earning comfortable salaries paid from Seta levies, and the skills shortage has worsened.
7. The Department of Water Affairs has had to be alerted by press reports of serious contamination issues in our water before leaping in to knee jerk action and setting aside R1,5 billion to address the problem.
8. The ANC is frantic to quickly close down the Scorpions - the elite Police unit created to bust the crime syndicates that are killing our people. Why? Because they're doing a superb job of bringing real criminals to book.
9. The cabinet was warned buy Eskom in 1999 that by 2007 we would face an electricity shortage chose to ignore it. If they had acted then, we'd have no electricity problem now.

And now, because it's something we have all tangibly experienced this year, we are finally starting to take notice. This is not the way to run a country. I could go on, but you get the picture. We now have 2 out of 3 South Africans living off state grants. This is all paid for by the productive minority without whose tax (and Trevor's diligent management thereof) the whole stack of cards would already have collapsed. If SARS can collect record amounts of tax, why can't the other departments simply do their jobs? It is because there is a culture of non-accountability permeating our government.

We need a government that is measured according to the standards of its delivery and held accountable for it's performance. Just as Zimbabwe held the future of their country in their own hands in the early eighties when Robert Mugabe swept to power on a wave of populism, we South Africans have the same decisions to make. Do we adopt a drastic Mindset Shift, admit that things are going wrong and do something about it - for instance elect people who do what they are elected to do - run this beautiful country effectively and with integrity, or do we let the rot continue?

The Goose is still laying those golden eggs, but she's getting jumpy. We need to nurse her back to health. They did it in Chile. They're doing it in Argentina. If we have the collective will, we can do it here.

We have living proof that a major South African City can be run properly and effeciently by dedicated South Africans - Cape Town! Helen Zille is a bit like the Jake White of South African politics - she took over a shaky ship, turned it around and made it work properly - and now they want her head on a block. Eish!

Do we collectively have the will to do the same for the country?

Paul du Toit

Professional Speaker, South African, Mindset Shifter,

3. Upcoming scheduled 2-day courses in Johannesburg in the next 2 months

Mind Blowing Presentations 19-20 February www.presentationskills.co.za

Effective Time Management 10-11 March

Assertiveness Skills 12 March (one day only)

Stress Management 17-18 March

Advanced Customer Relationship Skills 9-10 April

Congruence Training (Pty) Ltd is a accredited with the Services Seta (#0522) and is a recognised national leader in customer service, presentation skills and soft skills training. For more info contact us at www.congruence.co.za or phone 011 804 3520 or 0860 503 191.

4. Mindset Shift seminar Johannesburg 5 March 2008

As you read this I will be on my way to deliver my now internationally acclaimed Mindset Shift seminar in Mossel Bay (Tues pm) and George (Wed am). I was invited to deliver this talk to a London based group from the Academy for Chief Executives in the UK on 12 December last year and received this feedback:

"Paul, Many thanks for a stimulating and engaging session yesterday which you will know from the discussion how much members enjoyed it. You provide a comprehensive and unique view of bringing about mindset shift in individual teams and corporates. It's focussed, pragmatic, challenging and makes a difference. I know our paths will cross again in 2008"

- Eric Peacock, Chairman, Academy for Chief Executives

I have decided to conduct one Mindset Shift seminar in Joburg for this year - and it will be at Avianto on the West Rand - accessible to both Joburg and Pretoria folk, and just a stone's throw from Krugersdorp. It's still the best value for money management level seminar around at just R675 per head - that includes VAT, refreshmens, a finger buffet, complimentary DVD and a world class 3 hour talk.

Wednesday5 March 2008, Avianto Conference Centre, Muldersdrift, Johannesburg Registration from 16h45, seminar 17h15 to 20h15, finger buffet at midway break.

For all the details and online bookings go www.mindsetshifter.com or phone us share call on 0860 503 191

5. What YOU can do to save electricity.

In his 2008 State of the Nation address, President Thabo Mbeki apologised for the Eskom power debacle, effectively admitting that he and his cabinet were at fault and have failed us. Let us therefore show what we can do to save unecessary power wastage by each doing our bit to conserve energy. The advantage to us is, of course, lower Eskom bills!

Electricity rationing is on its way. so the choice will no longer be ours, each us us will have to be more careful about our electricity consumption whether we agree or not. So, it will be a good idea to start developing some good electricity saving habits now. The goal seems to be 10%. If you do all the things listed below - you'll save plenty more than 10%. The benefit to you is a lower electricity bill. Here are ten tips that could well halve your electricity bill!

1. Hot water geysers are the biggest all year round electricity guzzlers. So, buy a geyser blanket, and switch off the geyser during the day. Your blanket will keep in most of the warmth anyway. If you have two geysers....(I'm sure you can do the sums!)
2. Educate your family and staff to only use hot water when necessary. For instance one does not need to wash hands in warm water during summer!
3. When using a kettle, boil just enough water for your needs. You'll save electricity and the kettle will boil quicker.
4. Use dishwashers and washing machines only for complete loads.
5. Take a short shower rather than a full bath. If you need to bath, do not fill more than necessary. A twenty minute shower will defeat the object of the exercise. Most of us can do what needs to be done in 5-7 minutes.
6. Defrost fridges and freezers regularly. When using the fridge, do not leave the door open longer than necessary.
7. Underfloor heating is a wonderful luxury, but very expensive, and should be switched off while there is an electricity shortage. Only use heaters when necessary and for a limited duration. When the weather gets colder, add a layer of clothing. Best to wear a vest which hugs the body. And take a 10 minute walk each evening. It will get the blood circulating and warm you up.
8. Replace standard light bulgs with low watt light bulbs.
9. Switch off equipment at night rather than leaving it on standby.
10. Get rid of your electric blanket. The body generates sufficient heat to keep you warm in bed.

With compliments from the Mindset Shifter www.mindsetshifter.com.

Footnote: The 3rd annual convention of the National Speakers Association of SA (NSASA) will be held in Durban from 4-6 April this year. Go to www.nsasouthafrica.co.za for details. There will be a number of excellent overseas speakers in South Africa to attend the convention around about that time. Let me know if you'd like more info. It looks as if I've secured a handful of top class international speakers for a Joburg seminar while they're over here. So, stand by for some great news about how you can hear some of the Convention Speakers in Johannesburg on 7 April 2008!