Maverick News

‘Reduce salaries, reduce perks’ – What DM readers would do as president for a day

5 Feb 2025

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his annual State of the Nation Address on Thursday and address a long list of problems. Inspired by Bruce Whitfield’s The One Thing, we asked Daily Maverick readers: If you had the President’s seat for 24 hours, what’s the one thing you’d do?

Leadership is about choices and every choice carries weight. The 550 responses we received paint a picture of a nation eager for change. Some called for urgent action on crime, others focused on fixing broken infrastructure, while many expressed frustration with government inefficiency and corruption.

One reader suggested a creative employment solution by paying unemployed people to remove invasive plants and beautify their communities, but with strict supervision and no payment for half-hearted work – “They must be supervised very strictly, and no payment if the work is done half-heartedly.”

In a country where half-hearted service is practically a government department, applying this principle to highly paid ministers could be revolutionary.

Another reader added: “Fire the corrupt who still draw salaries despite low work performance… It is common practice to receive three warnings before losing your job for failing to meet expectations.”

These responses come from across the country, from cities grappling with crime, rural areas battling neglect. Some ideas were practical, others radical. But all of them spoke to a common theme: a deep desire to see South Africa work better for its people.

Here’s what you told us.

Our country is crumbling, fix the basics first

“Water is life. I would immediately address the state of our rivers and water supply. I know of schools and universities where water leaks are left unattended for weeks. Every institution, organisation and company should conduct a water infrastructure audit and fix leaks immediately.” – J Bhana

“Get ALL railways reactivated. That will be a MAJOR boost to workers, manufacturers, road maintenance/accidents/costs AND FIX THE ENTIRE ECONOMY.” – Chris

“Fast track issuing of title deeds to people living in townships and rural areas. Homeownership equals security, and we have kept too many people waiting.” – Doreen Atkinson

“Turn golf courses into mixed-income housing sites. People can still play golf, but the majority of apartments would be for low-income individuals.” – Amy

“I would initiate a national water and wastewater treatment and management programme. Access to safe water on tap would save children from helminthic infections known to enhance clinical TB and HIV. Wastewater treatment would save countless lives and greatly reduce the soil source for AMR, drug resistance which kills millions too. I would offer training to 100,000s of youth, paying them to become technicians and engineers for that task. I would call Elon Musk to help in providing high-level engineering to help do this fast. Yes, I agree we as humanity must look at Mars, but while preparing, we must educate and employ all our youth and clean up this marvellous country from diseases which we can prevent as was done in Europe.” – Garance Upham

Corruption is the real pandemic

“Fire all the parliamentarians that are implicated in the Zondo commission. No need for a long process. They took from the people – they must go.” – Samuel

“Do away with ‘consultants’ at all levels of government. We already employ people in those jobs and can employ as the need dictates. This will add to real employment growth, do away with tender nonsense, and eliminate non-accountability.” – Bronwyn Moore

“I would dismiss the current, bloated Cabinet and replace it with a real streamlined Cabinet appointed on merit. Similarly, all government officials need to reapply for their positions and undertake an oath committing themselves to service of South Africans.” – DM reader

“If I was President for one day, I would resign as Cyril and let someone who can do the job take over!!!” – Alf

“I would reduce the number of government officials from top to bottom, at the same time cutting their exorbitant salaries and perks.” – DM reader

“I would make ministers and members of Parliament use public transport to get to and from work. No private vehicles or blue light brigades. Use the infrastructure that is meant to be serving citizens of the country.” – Wisaal

Crime is killing this country

“Run police stations on a skeleton staff and get more officers into the field, concentrating on crime hotspots.” – Jacques van Zyl

“Follow the example of El Salvador’s president to bring crime rates under control. A safer environment is essential for economic growth.” – Ghalieb

“Ensure that the criminal justice system is fully capacitated. From detectives to forensic investigators so crime and corruption collapse.” – Ngwevela

“Tax cash withdrawals and deposits at 20% to curb illicit transactions and increase government revenue.” – DM reader

People need jobs, not handouts.

“Do away with ‘consultants’ at all levels of government. We already employ people in those jobs. This will add to real employment growth, do away with tender nonsense, and eliminate non-accountability. Your department, your engineers, your builders, plumbers, etc. Your accountability.” – Thabo Mabula

“Create an employment programme that upskills & pays people to upgrade their own neighbourhoods. Get skilled people in civil engineering, like paving, guttering, plumbing, and electrical cabling. Set up in an area to upgrade. Pay people R100/day to work on the project. They learn, they work, they grow.” – Thomas Cleghorn

“Open up more posts for doctors and nurses in the public health sector. Newly built ICU units stand empty while unemployed doctors can’t find work.” – DM reader

“Slash Parliament salaries by 50% and thus attract people to public office that really want to make a difference for others and not to their pockets.” – Gary

Fix education. Give our children a real chance.

“Make the art of integrity a compulsory subject at school.” – Heather

“I would institute a special dispensation for five years in education. For five years, the government will pay professionals in STEM disciplines to go into schools and teach as well as train teachers. Imagine if, for five years, kids in schools were taught by people who are smart, capable, and have a deep understanding of fundamentals within the STEM disciplines.” – DM reader

“Decolonise Math education by using indigenous games (Moruba & Marabaraba) to teach math skills.” – Joshua Paine

“I would focus on the young children from 2-5 to instil in them self-worth, a passion for learning, giving them opportunities to develop a positive self-image irrespective of where they come from. The next group will be the retired people. These people have been dumped in old-age homes. Some families drop their parents at these homes and never visit them again. These old people sit alone, every Sunday with no people visiting them. The aged have stories to tell these young children, or help them with colouring books, drawing, and getting them to work with wool. We have no idea how this can impact on the children and those who are ‘waiting in the wings.’ ” – Natalia Da Rocha Egelhof

On social issues and governance

“Appoint Geordin Hill-Lewis as ‘fixer’ with significant executive power to sort out the country’s many problems!” – Dave

“I would reduce the number of ministries, employ people below 60 years as ministers, invite as many investors as possible.” – Monicca

“Make sure all national laws and local ordinances are being applied 100% correctly.” – Rick Grobler

“Provide better support for pensioners. No one can survive on R2,000 a month, Sassa grants should be at least R5,000.” – Sonel

“Everybody who is 65 years old does not pay income tax any more. Hell man, they contributed their whole entire life to income tax. And I will also say it doesn’t matter if they earn R1 a day or one trillion rands a day. The government never foresees and helps them to get and earn them that money. So why can they not live tax-free after 65?” – Andre Nortje

“I would prioritise childcare by ensuring paid maternity leave for the first three years, allowing parents to nurture emotionally healthy children. Ensure that domestic workers have the right to take their children to work if needed. Workplaces must support parents raising the next generation.” – Romy Chames

“Legalise cannabis completely. This frees up prison space, redirects police to serious crimes and boosts small businesses, especially in the Eastern Cape Wild Coast. It opens South Africa to cannabis tourism, the medical cannabis market, and global trade, while creating jobs, expanding the tax base, and improving service delivery” – Rodney Weidemann

“Remove red tape for small businesses and start-ups. Entrepreneurs should be supported, not suffocated by bureaucracy.” – Muhammed

A cleaner, greener South Africa

“The one thing that I would implement is the banning of plastic clothes pegs. I believe that this first small step will lead to bigger things and create an environmentally friendly society.” – Colin Belter

“All new houses to have water tanks and solar geysers.” – Joy

“1. Fund the means to teach all people old and young, rich and poor, how to live more frugally and regeneratively grow their own food, without fertilisers and chemical sprays. 2. Cancel municipal by-laws that prevent residents keeping just two hens per person for healthy free-range eggs – no crowing roosters needed. 3. Install rainwater-catching tanks and self-cleaning gutter systems for catching rainwater for each and every household big and small, rich and poor. The result will be increased movement, healthier eating, more energy and the realisation that if with so little effort so much can be achieved, it will of its own volition build momentum and break people free of the mindset that the government is the saviour and have to be obeyed and slavishly followed no matter how nonsensical their multitude of regulations may be.” – Adri Henn

On foreign strains

In response to the recent diplomatic strains, particularly regarding land expropriation policies, US President Trump’s remarks and recent decision to suspend aid to South Africa, readers advise: “Foster better relations with the USA” and “End your bromance with Russia.”

Another reader says: “I would sign the Magnitsky Act.” The Magnitsky Act allows governments to sanction foreign individuals implicated in human rights abuses. DM

ChatGPT was used to collate some of the audience responses.

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