I drive down the main street of my home village of Fishhoek and look sadly at all the shops that have closed in the last year. It’s been a tough year for businesses of all kinds, what with Covid-19 and massive looting of taxpayers’ money and an impending election where all the contenders appear to be almost equally corrupt.
Interestingly, one or two businesses have actually thrived during this depressed time. I’ve been wondering whether there’s a magic message in there somewhere.
Do the successful businesses have some magic formula that’s separating the winners from the losers? I believe there is and I think the secret is Focus. If you have a single aim and stick to it, you’re likely to succeed.
I occasionally frequent a local fish shop when I feel too lazy to cook supper and I’m always impressed by the efficiency and focus with which they serve their customers. They’re doing well and there’s always a queue of happy customers waiting for their fish suppers. The service is slick and the quality of their food is consistently high. The prices are consistent and affordable.
Okay, I accept that it’s easier to be focused when you’re selling a limited range if products, but there’s none of that irritating hype that other businesses seem to find important.
They don’t offer a “chance to win a car”, or a “60% discount on carrots every Tuesday for cardholders”. They just sell well cooked food week after week at the same prices.
On a far wider scale our country is in a mess. The postal service is broken, the national airline is grounded, the railways don’t work, politics has descended into a meaningless slanging match, worthless crooks earn fortunes doing unnecessary things while capable, qualified people are unemployed. What has happened to this once great country of ours?
I believe we have completely lost focus, that’s what. Just listen to our so-called leaders spouting their inane drivel on TV. Do any of them even pretend to be concerned about the state of the country? I think not.
They’ve decided their political parties are what matter. Rather than say, “We must make South Africa great again”, they’re saying, “we must put our party in power at all costs”.
Starving, jobless, hungry, homeless people need help and frankly they don’t care which political party offers that help.
It’s time South Africans of all political parties, all races and all religions woke up and said, “Set politics aside. Forget the fancy cars and freebies for a while and let’s build a better future for us all.”
Last Laugh
A policeman knocked on Harry’s door and said, “Sir, we’ve had a complaint that your dog was seen chasing a man on a bicycle.”
“Nonsense,” said Harry. “My dog doesn’t even own a bicycle.”
* "Tavern of the Seas" is a column written in the Cape Argus by David Biggs. Biggs can be contacted at [email protected]
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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