SA needs to get more bang for its AU buck

AS one of the richest countries on the continent, it is no surprise that South Africa would be expected to pay much more than many of its neighbours for African Union-related projects.

The country’s financial muscle no doubt enhances its influence in continental matters while guaranteeing its status as a regional power and in world politics.

But we are simply paying too much and getting very little in return.

As African leaders meet in Sandton this week to discuss ways to make the AU less financially dependent on the European Union and other international bodies, there are clear indications that the continent will once again be calling on South Africa to pay even more.

Talk is that financially squeezed taxpayers will now be expected to contribute R700-million a year to help keep the AU functioning. This amount has not been budgeted for by our National Treasury and were Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene to say we don’t have the money, the AU would probably expect South Africa to raise the funds by imposing a hospitality, air ticket or SMS levy on our citizens and tourists.

All of this is over and above the millions of rands South Africa spends helping out troubled African states, the African diaspora and “sister countries” such as Cuba.

As service delivery protests — which have become daily occurrences — show, South Africa has a lot of pressing challenges that we are unable to address with our limited resources.

While children die unnecessarily in public hospitals due to shortages of medicines, and informal settlements go up as people protest over the lack of proper housing, neighbouring countries expect South Africa to play Big Brother.

We may not be able to escape many of these international obligations, but what we can demand is that we get every cent’s worth.

If we are to be expected to pay more for the AU, let us use our financial muscle to demand radical changes on the continent. These include an end to leaders who cripple their countries’ economic growth potential by insisting on clinging to power.

We should not just urge the continent, as President Jacob Zuma did recently, to put an end to the practice of serving more than two terms. We should demand that stringent conditions are imposed on those refusing to step down from office. The likes of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has no business presiding over the AU when he has been in power since 1980 and intends to continue holding office for yet another decade.