The South African Department of Education's draft strategy document for Human Resource Development for 2009 - 2030 contains 22 pages of general introduction, followed by a 7-page wish list of  achievements, and a 10-page discussion of the structures envisaged for controlling the strategy implementation. The 43-page appendix details more wish list items, each accompanied by a suggested method for measuring progress, and some statistical human development data, including some international results.

Whilst not wishing to be over-critical of an earnest and well meant effort, the following concerns exist:

1. An inadequate discussion of human development in the South African context leads to a faulty wish list for achievements.
2. Political correctness means there is no real attempt to start afresh, thus presenting an unmanageable, fragmented strategy.
3. A streamlined vision and credible mission statement is needed to inspire a new effort.
4. The strategy is in large part a recipe for red tape arising from a negative mind set.
5. There is no indication how the wish list is to be achieved in practice, nor why it should succeed better than previous ones.

KR's Introduction to a HRD strategy for SA 2009 - 2014

1.  Human development in the South African context

Fact:  Whilst human physical work is possible at a steady rate of 120 Watt (derived from 360 Watt for 8 hours in 24 hours),  actual consumption per inhabitant is  ~5000 Watt in Western Europe, 12 000 Watt in USA, 3000 Watt in South Africa and 200 Watt in Africa. The number is surprisingly large for South Africa, and knowing that there is ~40% unemployment and much poverty points to the fact that there is a very large gradient in individual access to energy.

Fact: South Africa is blessed with huge near-surface coal deposits and has  the lowest energy cost in the world, notwithstanding Eskom's efforts at changing that. We do not need to import energy in the form of nuclear power plant, uranium ore, oil, gas or coal; and we do not need to be ultra competitive in manufacturing goods or developing know-how so that we can make a profitable exchange for such imported energy. It is a myth that our top priority should be to achieve technological competitiveness in the global village. We are not Germany, Japan or Finland.

Fact: Since 1900 education systems have been geared towards servicing technology and serving the interests of the developed nations by producing technology workers and more importantly, consumers of technology products. This has been fantastically effective, particularly with the advent of television. It is not in South Africa's interest to submit to this strategy.

Fact: For physical and mental well being, every human needs some number of sensory stimuli per time unit; and depending on the individual genetic make-up, some cortisol from the adrenaline gland and/or release of aggression.

Fact: By far the most important outcome of education is mind-set, because it can block or facilitate current and further learning.

Thus in the South African context, Human Development should target the following attributes:

• A mind-set which facilitates learning.
• A mind-set which promotes exposure to sensory stimuli.
• A healthy skepticism with regard to technology.
• Enough learning to let each person position him/herself in past, present and future.

The above attributes will automatically deal with the problem of negative mind-set, which  similar to countries like Latvia and East Germany (dominated by Russia and Russians in the recent past) is otherwise extremely difficult to overcome.

2. Human Resources in South Africa

A country's human resource needs relates to the characteristics of the society envisaged by the planners. The DoE draft seems to target a consumer society something like Japan, Korea, Germany or Finland,  with South Africa joining the dog fight for natural resources by offering competitively designed and priced products in the global village. However, South Africa has its own natural resources in abundance.

• Rather the target should be a more culturally alive society with the focus shifting away from consumerism and materialism to activities giving input to the five senses.
• A strong mission statement will be needed to give purpose and direction for individual participation. ‘African Renaissance' must be a strong candidate for this.
• Media, particularly TV, must be brought on board with a huge reduction in advertising of materialism. (Botswana Television is an example)

The development of human resources in South Africa must therefore service both the technological fields and the cultural fields, possibly in equal measure. It can be both a weapon against hunger, sickness, indigestion, road rage and insomnia, and a tool for delivering more joy to more people.