Philosophy
As passionate promoters of Free Market principles, we have been outspoken over the years in our endeavours to promote such principles. Umbhaba’s founder, Roy Plath, was instrumental in contributing to the deregulation of the then Banana Control Board in the early nineties.
Government interference, even with the best of intentions, typically creates distortions in a market which results in an unbalanced re-allocation of production factors such as entrepreneurial skills, labour, land and capital. Interference dampers incentive, cripples true enterprise and holds back progress. This ultimately results in the destruction of wealth for all.
Conversely, Free Market principles promote an environment where entrepreneurs are able to grow and flourish. True profit in the context of a competitive and free market is not something to be feared or ashamed of, because it works to the benefit of all.
The deregulating of agriculture by privatizing or liquidating the control boards and the ending of subsidies, gave us a relatively free-market environment in which to operate in the agricultural sector, which allowed our business to grow. However, various state controlled monopolies still exist that Agriculture relies on. It is a fact that State controlled monopolies, generally speaking, have a poor record of delivering on their promises to citizens. Instead of freedom, higher productivity and a better life for all, they generally achieve just the opposite in the long term.
The evidence is overwhelming that more regulation means less prosperity. According to the World Bank “the least amount of regulation fosters the strongest economies”.
A free market can only flourish if there is freedom of association and freedom of choice in the context of a truly free society where individual rights are respected and protected irrespective of race.
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