Slomo, you're right. ("Should the anger not be directed to the institutions that make the programs possible"). But not that they make the programs possible. The programs for the airlines are normal. But when the airlines cannot offer them employment once they are trained, the politicians shouldn't be turned to to force smaller outfits, who have their own training and recruitment programs, to take them on.
What should happen is that the responsible people at SAA should be called upon to provide account why, after spending so much money training the cadets, and being aware throughout the entire period of training that these people had to be integrated into the airline upon completion of that training, there were no plans made for such an integration.
Sure, I would have jumped at an opportunitity to join a cadet scheme when I started flying. I would be a liar if I denied that.
The cadets are actually in the middle of this furore. What gets my goat is this affirmative coercion, this empowerment pressure.
Look at this mining charter. R100-billion worth of assets in the mining industry to be under black control within 10 years. The ostensible reason presented by Mzi Khumalo is so that the normal black guy in the street has a chance to benefit from the mining industry. Well, it's a free stock market. Anyone may buy shares in any listed company. Why force companies to hand over stock at a discount ? The only people it enriches are the black elite who jump at these empowerment opportunities, and get out as quickly as possible, making as much money as possible. How does that benefit the average man in the township? It doesn't.
If SAA hasn't made provision to employ its own cadets at the end of their training, heads should roll at SAA as the program obviously hasn't been efficiently managed. But heads won't roll, excuses will be made and to avoid uproar, jobs will be found for these cadets, using political leverage, even if others have to suffer.
It is not right.