The idea of state intervention to revitalise the inherited township and informal settlement landscapes is principally informed by the unacceptable character and personality of the living and working conditions still prevailing after 21 years of democracy. Although apartheid and its limitations are in the rear-view mirror, it is always tempting to link the failure to address the triple challenges of poverty, income inequality and unemployment to its ghosts.But little or no investment has been made to improve understanding of the link between time and effort.Time that is not associated with effort is wasted.A lot has been said about the economics of townships and the fact that about half of the urban population lives in townships - accounting for 38% of working-age citizens but nearly 60% of the unemployed.An understanding of the structure, if any, of the township economy and the economic and financial realities and choices available is essential in developing action programmes.The state's role is often misunderstood, resulting in misplaced and ill-informed programmes that fail to appreciate the power of the human spirit that has allowed thousands to escape the geography seamlessly.There are far too many people operating in the mainstream economy who used to live in the townships to allow anyone to create a new category called "township" economy, when in truth geography confers no limitations.If there is a universality to human identity, then one has to look for philosophical and other dimensions in the search for solutions that can transform the townships into vibrant and promising places.This article is inspired by my own experiences recently.I was invited to Orange Farm Primary School by the 1873 Network, a not-for-profit organisation, to a function in support of its diversity project.During the visit, I was struck by the school' s obsolete and redundant computer equipment and approached several companies to rescue the school.I was humbled by Accenture South Africa responding to my call by donating 20 computers.If one visit can produce 20 computers, then I have hope that the market system is capable of converting even virgin land into an oasis of activity.Progress must start with knowledge .Knowledgeable people often have a different relationship with time than people with less knowledge.When one examines the relationship that township inhabitants have with time, then one can appreciate the predicament.It cannot be asserted that the time given to a person residing in Sandton and to a dweller in a township is different.However, when one looks at how time is used in the less privileged addresses, one immediately realises that it is the use of time we often refer to as "work" or "effort" that matters.Surely, it cannot be asserted that it is the purpose of life to confer through the intermediation of the state rights to people who fail to use their time to serve mankind.The state would soon be broke and the people who pay taxes would be aggrieved if it becomes a habit to penalise the hard-working citizens in pursuit of empowerment schemes that are doomed to fail simply because it is the use of time that matters and not time itself.Time is neutral but effort is not. Those that choose to serve humankind will be rewarded, but those that elect to wait for state actors to tax others to lift themselves up will fail as socialism has done in other contemporary societies.It is not "township people" who require uplifting.What is needed is a better understanding of the rules of the market system...