To face the music means to accept the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions. The saying originates from an age-old tradition where disgraced officers were ‘drummed’ out of their regiment. In other words, dishonourably dismissed to the sound of the Rogue’s March or a drum.

The opening lyric of the Rogue’s March is: “I’m ashamed that you’re not more angry.” I am ashamed that South Africans are not “more angry” at the economic and socioeconomic torment to which government is subjecting them. It is undisputed that most, if not all, of South Africa’s challenges are self-inflicted.

There is nothing new about that. Even the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) patience must be waning as it continues to issue its repetitive annual messages while at best only receiving lip service in return. Is government not listening or not hearing? As Daniel Barenboim so eloquently stated: “And in English you have this wonderful difference between listening and hearing, and that you can hear without listening, and you can listen and not hear.”

On March 22, at the end of a mission lasting from March 1 to 17, the IMF released its Staff Concluding Statement on its 2023 Article IV consultation with South Africa. The consultation entailed the collection of economic and financial information and discussions with officials responsible for economic development and policies.

If this was a movie, what follows would well be considered a reboot, meaning you would have seen the movie before. The last header of the IMF’s Staff Concluding Statement, 'Structural reforms to achieve job rich, inclusive, and greener growth', evokes the words of Yogi Berra: “Deja vu all over again.”

Apparently, reforms should aim at improving energy security, fostering private investment, promoting good governance, and creating jobs. To this end, the IMF argues that there is an urgent need for eight structural reforms, namely: restoring energy security; implement the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan; alleviating transport logistics bottlenecks; rationalising State-owned enterprises; fostering competition and regional integration; tackling high structural unemployment; promoting good governance; and addressing gender disparities.

On the reform aimed at restoring energy security, the IMF sates: “This will require attracting private-sector participation in the electricity market and addressing Eskom’s operational and financial deficiencies. Conditions attached to Eskom’s debt relief operation should ensure material improvement in the company’s operation and establish its long-term viability, if strictly enforced. Eskom’s operational viability also hinges on stopping further accumulation of municipal arrears to Eskom and making the electricity tariff setting mechanism fully cost reflective.”

With respect to tackling structural unemployment, it states: “The mechanism for setting the national minimum wage should strike the right balance between reducing in-work poverty and enhancing the job prospects of disadvantaged groups. Labour market reforms aimed at introducing greater firm-level flexibility in the collective bargaining system and streamlining the enforcement of employment protection legislation are necessary steps to boost job creation. Improving the quality of education, along with facilitating high-skilled immigration, are key to address skill shortages.”

On promoting good governance, the IMF states: “South Africa’s economic future depends vitally on State capture being tackled forcefully. Criminal prosecution and enforcement of sanctions against corruption offences need to be strengthened and credible and effective deterrence mechanisms established. Anticorruption agencies need to be equipped with sufficient legal power, capacity and operational autonomy to prevent political interference. The new procurement legislation and regulations under preparation are an important opportunity to address some of the deficiencies in the public procurement process. They should help centralise procurement and increase the standardisation of processes and transparency requirements in line with international good practice.”

As with documents of this nature, it is overly expressive on what should be done, but silent on exactly how.