South Africa is a highly contested space

The geo-political position of South Africa has made her one of the potent players in global affairs, in particular after the attainment of political freedom. The advent of freedom through a 1994 democratic breakthrough has enabled South Africa to forge strategic and diplomatic relations with sister African countries, and other countries outside the continent.

The Mandela Generation raised the bar; unfortunately the bar has been lowered to a point of disbelief. South Africa is endowed with a multiplicity of resources. We have relatively good weather, the population is diverse, and deep sea harbours contribute to the sustainable economic trade relations. Our diversity has made us unique to other African countries.

The political environment is relatively peaceful compared to other countries inside and outside of Africa. We have a relatively solid road network infrastructure, railway network infrastructure and competitive airline space. Recent developments in relation to the latter are quite disturbing, however.

Porous border lines are of great concern and are vulnerable to trans-national crime. Disturbingly, it is reliably reported that the government lacks the ability to man border lines. The Minister of Defence, Nosiwe Mapisa-Nqakula, con- ceded to that effect in Parliament. Well resourced underworld organizations with intelligence capabilities are exploiting this risk gap to their advantage.

For example, luxurious top of the range vehicles are sneaked through poorly manned borders like hot pancakes into other African states. It’s alleged that such commodities and other valuable commodities are in demand within the circles of the ruling elite in some of the African states.

Pervasive misgovernance characterising many African states has contributed to the inflow of people into South Africa, in many instances against their will. This noxious development contributes to the displacement of people, and also contributes to the disintegration of family units.

Political developments and socio-economic factors have disfigured the family unit. In extreme cases external interventions have contributed to the obliteration of family unit infrastructure. The gradual withering of this “basic unit” may have contributed to the proliferation of the so called “street kids” or may have contributed to the creation of the so called “nomadic vagabonds”.

The African diaspora has become a salient feature of society. People, who were supposed to have been contributing to economic growth and development in their places of abode, have been forced into “self-imposed exile” in other spaces. This phenomenon has turned a sizeable number of people into being internationalists of a special type.

It’s significant to mention that people have a right to explore opportunities in other countries, willingly and not through cohesive acts. Anyway, South Africa is seen as an economic destination.

South Africa, in order to meet some of the demands from domestic and external circumstances, requires a new approach to the management of the country’s affairs. The crux of the matter relates to leadership challenges, and the lack of will to provide guidance.

It’s my considered opinion that the ruling elite should engage real owners of the productive economy in substantive discourse about the state of the economy. These people should also be made to understand that they accumulated and inherited capital acquired through unlawful, immoral and unethical means. Colo- nialism and apartheid were meant to affirm the interests of a particular group in every aspect of life through cohesive methods.

The contradiction between the haves and the have-nots is being sharpened daily by the conditions under which the majority of the people live. The escalation of tensions may eventually lead to the proliferation of spontaneous revolts in every aspect of society. This could result in full blown discontentment with unfortunate outcomes.

Competing interests could compound the situation and open space for over-reliance on security forces which has the potential to radicalise the political space. Their usage is not a solution to socioeconomic problems. The nonresolution of this anomaly may also lead to populist politics with the intention to regain confidence and lost political ground.

The engagements should not be talk shops; they must produce tangible results. South Africa should think along the lines of developing its own inclusive developmental model informed by its peculiar needs and demands. Misplaced white monopoly capital rhetoric could lay the basis for the escalation of the politics of polarisation.

This debate hinges on political dishonesty informed by hidden interests, biased to factional interests. The genuine cause is not underpinned by the notion of replacing white monopoly capital with black monopoly capital.

Quite interestingly, this rhetorical charge is implicit in the restructuring of the existing power-relations. It’s also implicit in the following: how to grow the economy, how to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, and in general, how to reverse the frontiers of the past on all fronts.

We need leadership with the ability to take advantage of the country’s competitive geopolitical position within the global context.

At national level in particular, we need leadership with high level conceptual skills, who understand how the economy functions, in particular the political economy and its dynamics.

Strategic apex leadership should be well conversant with power dynamics characterising the world, in order to avoid getting into trade relations and state-to-state arrangements in disfavour of domestic interests.

We also need leadership with the ability to rise above political and ideological distortions designed to advance the politics of hatred and divisions. The envisaged leadership should bring the culture promoted by the fathers of our democracy to operate within the confines of the law. Leaders should be willing to be held accountable for their actions. The required leadership should be able to strike an equilibrium between national and sub-national issues in order to provide a leadership informed by national imperatives. Side issues, laughable developments and the celebritisation of politics has confused those who lack an indepth grasp of their political mandate.

I like and love Bonang Matheba, Kiernan “AKA”Forbes girlfriend, she knows her space very well. She must caution politicians turned into “celebrities” about challenges characterising that space. Tabloid papers soon will flourish, new entrants have arrived, welcome them, watch that space.

•Christian Mxoliswa Mbekela is a strategic work consultant specializing in HR, EE and risk management. Former SAYCO NEC member and he was part of the team that re-established the ANC Youth League. He is currently doing PhD in the Sociology Department at Rhodes University. www.cmmmindpower.co.za