Daily Dispatch
Old has past, time for the new
IT is often said gatherings such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) are little more than talkshops. But when a country is as economically hard pressed as ours, in a region characterised by low growth, dire unemployment and a huge infrastructure deficit, it is important to grab any opportunity to stimulate trade. More so considering the shocking findings of an Oxfam study into inequality and poverty released this week. It showed these challenges are far more acute in sub-Saharan Africa than was previously thought.
A growing population translated into 50 million more people living in extreme poverty in 2012 than in 1990. And the numbers are rising.
In fact, projections show poverty is about to explode. Between 250 to 350 million more people are likely to be living in extreme poverty in this region in the next 15 years.
Against this a tiny elite has continued to amass monstrously disproportionate wealth.
“Seven of the 20 most unequal countries in the world are African: Swaziland is the world’s most unequal‚ now closely followed by Nigeria,” the Oxfam report said.
In South Africa‚ “three billionaires own the same wealth as the poorest half of the population – around 28 million people”.
Poverty was acute in Africa because “decades of record GDP growth … benefited a wealthy elite but left millions of ordinary Africans behind”, said the NGO.
Whether an old or a new problem, the implications of the numbers are clear. Unless things change dramatically mass starvation lies ahead and with it an acceleration of the violence already ignited by inequality.
It will matter not whether poverty hits hardest in Swaziland or Zimbabwe or South Africa – society will implode around us. Basically sub-Saharan Africa could be about to face collapse of apocalyptic proportions.
That is the harsh extent of the challenge in our part of the world.
So we should not kid ourselves as South Africans. Our biggest problem is not President Jacob Zuma or who wins the ANC succession race. Rather it is the fact that virtually every system, construct or organisation devised or built to serve society has pretty much run out of steam. In their present formations neither political parties nor the WEF are likely to save us. Truth be told our backs are pressed so hard against the wall that soon we may be unable to breathe. Time is terrifyingly short.
At such a moment we must recognise this as a point in history that screams out for the new – for innovation and new solutions to address, not only present needs, but which will reach far into the future.
To try to reinvent the wheel or revive old experiments that have already failed is futile – both have already been rendered inadequate for what exists and what lies ahead.
Our leaders need to grasp this and so should we. In this we dare not cave in to fear. Rather these is much reason for hope. Our country is loaded with resources, human and natural.
What is needed is: A unifying vision and a solutions mindset; courage to push ahead and cut a new path; largeness of heart to ensure everyone is in the fold; and to keep reminding ourselves we have done this once before. It is well within our means to step up and be the best of who we already are.