The South African Question

South Africa requires seasoned leadership to turn things around in favour of historically disadvantaged groups. The perpetuation of an obscene economic gap between the rich and the needy is disturbing. Social emancipation must be translated into reality.

The elitist transition from apartheid has largely benefited those advantaged by apartheid, in particular a white minority elite. This contradiction is beginning to create tension.

To ensure South Africa is a global force to be reckoned with, political parties should adopt a more relevant trajectory.

One of the contributing factors to the ruling elite’s failure was to adopt policies falling short of addressing the essence of the South African question – offending socioeconomic imbalances.

The concept of leadership should not only be confined to politics. We need leadership with strategic capabilities in all spheres, including business, politics, trade unions and education, with a shared vision of how to grow the economy and preserve the democratic project. The lack of equitable distribution of wealth is one of our country’s biggest challenges and a vigorous debate around equitable distribution of wealth should be pursued in earnest, including an alternative approach to the current neo-liberalism.

Business can not be obsessed only with maximising profit and surplus, without investing in efforts to address social ills at home.

Tertiary institutions have been criticised for mismatching their offerings to contemporary needs. Symbolic change is overemphasised over content transformation.

In order for trade unions to make an impact in the reconstruction of South Africa, they should ensure they are not appendages to political parties. This affects their decision making processes and traps them in factional battles which have got nothing to do with working people's interests. Cosatu and its affiliates are trapped in politics perpetuating a skewed developmental agenda inconsistent with the South African cause

The unresolved question of deeply entrenched socio-economic problems is a menace to the foundation on which the democratic project was founded.

The government as a leader of society should take a lead in this regard. At the moment it seems as if this responsibility has been abdicated.

Compounding the situation is the lack of a rescue plan. The ruling oligarchy is obsessed with the December elective conference. By then, the kleptocratic class that has permeated the ranks of the ruling dynasty would have made irreparable damage through “witch hunts” and tactical errors. The economic downturn has complicated the situation further.

The elective conference will exacerbate political rifts, which could fracture the ruling dynasty and cause more political anxiety in the buildup to 2019 general elections.

Chopping and changing developmental trajectories has opened space for policy uncertainty and instability within the ruling party. These dynamics have spilled over into the government.

This has contributed to regression in key aspects of society. Society’s leaders, who should be giving guidance and direction, have opted to play an invisible role.

The crime rate has increased and key sectors of the economy have become soft targets. Criminals are using the fluidity of the situation to their advantage, and to the disadvantage of law-abiding citizens. Crime and greed thrive in uncertainty. Keypoint nodes are also vulnerable to premeditated crime.

High crime is a deterrent to investment – and politick- ing is not a solution to urgent societal problems that require decisive action. Everyone, irrespective of social status, is prone to crime. Some of the social ills are a microcosm of the macrocosm.

As the army of the unemployed grows, poverty levels balloon, and inequalities skyrocket, social instability is inevitable.

Organised crime syndicates in the form of drug lords and transnational contraband thrive under such circumstances, capitalising on the vulnerability of economically deprived sectors.

Conspicuous consumerism and crass materialism has compounded the situation. Everyone would like to be seen running in the fast lane 24/7. Sadly, institutions of learning have been identified by drug lords as a quick money generating market.

Without justifying the breaking of the law, there is a saying that says “the hungry stomach knows no law”. The rule of law does not provide a solution to socio-economic problems; it serves as a deterrent not to commit criminal offences. The very same law- enforcement agencies are also vulnerable to bribery and recruitment by drug lords into layers of clandestine cells.

These problems require a political solution and the resolution of deeply entrenched socio-economic disparities. This area has been neglected and taken over by interests serving a different purpose.

Crimes of greed require a different approach altogether. These forms of crime are usually committed by well-off people, some living in leafy and affluent suburbs.

This category tends to use financially needy individuals as their contacts, couriers and sales agents. They wield enormous power and some play a potent role within political circles. Bankrolling serves to pull strings from behind.

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