President Jacob Zuma was widely derided last month for his belated admission that our economy was ''sick'' only a few weeks after declaring that it was ''not all gloom and doom''. Zuma, who had caused consternation by admitting to MPs that he was unaware that his mining minister had suspended the operating licence of a major coal mine at a time when thousands of jobs were being lost, was clearly in damage control mode when he delivered his revised prognosis.That our economy is indeed ailing was underlined by Stats SA figures that showed that our GDP contracted by 1.3% in the second quarter, led by sharp declines in agriculture, mining and manufacturing.Some of the major problems bedevilling the three sectors are beyond the powers of the government to fix - plunging commodity prices, financial turmoil in China, monetary tightening in the US, rising input costs, a devastating drought - but there is much we can do to stop the rot.First, the new Eskom management team needs to continue ensuring that load-shedding is kept to a minimum. Until significantly more power is available for the national grid, effective management of our inadequate electricity supply is all we have.Second, unions and company owners need to keep talking to each other. Unions must moderate their wage demands and employers need to do their utmost to preserve jobs and help their employees attain additional skills.Finally, Zuma's commitment to promoting direct foreign investment to grow the economy requires a policy shift. The Security Bill, which is intended to force foreign-owned security firms to sell 51% of their business to South Africans, should be amended. So, too, should the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill, which EU countries believe does not provide sufficient protection for their investors.And the cabinet review of the contentious visa regulations, which are causing untold damage to tourism, must be speeded up...