It’s time to build a South Africa 2.0, for a better future for all
South Africans have no real shared heritage despite 29 years of democracy. This became apparent during Heritage Day last Sunday. There was once a golden opportunity to forge a shared heritage for South Africa, but the government failed to lead in weaving an inclusive and binding social fabric attractive to all.
As a new democracy, we were proud of a set of shared values: ubuntu, togetherness, respect, community, accountability, equality, dignity, unity, servant leadership and inclusiveness. These are now just reminders of what could and should have been.
Consider the collective attitude towards politics, governance and national pride today. Citizens are fed up, frustrated and angry because they feel the country is headed in the wrong direction.
In truth, we are a divided nation, with divided future prospects. We are split between good cities and forgotten ones, good neighbourhoods and dangerous ones, excellent private services and inhumane public ones.
A fraction of the country’s citizens have access to private health care, private security and private education that compares with the best in the world. The rest are forced to use public hospitals that are life-threateningly dysfunctional. They must rely on an untrustworthy police service for their safety and send their children to overcrowded and poorly resourced schools.
Some South Africans have fast-lane access to economic opportunity and success, while others have to struggle daily just to get by. About 70% of young people — most of them black — still cannot find work. Others are trapped in underemployment. An entire generation is being robbed of its dignity.
Our role is to break down these barriers and build one South Africa using all our country’s resources. The Springbok rugby team exemplifies what Build One South Africa (Bosa) seeks to achieve — an environment in which South African children of all races can work together and thrive. If it can be achieved on the sports field, then surely it can also be realised in our country.
Bosa has been bringing South Africans together since its inception. We’ve attracted more than 20,000 activists, and the party is growing in both black and white communities. We have revealed the first 24 of our community candidates —a diverse group of talented South Africans. We have appointed provincial leaders in all nine provinces and launched our policies. We have won legal battles against Eskom and the government, as well as rolled out community-based projects for vulnerable citizens.
As South Africa is on the cusp of change, our job is to build a shared heritage for the country and its people. We call it “South Africa 2.0”. Bosa is ready to fill the leadership vacuum and rebuild pride and prosperity throughout the land.
To do so, Bosa tabled its “Build, Build, Build” manifesto at our birthday celebration in Tshwane yesterday. It consists of four elements.
First, to build a thriving economy, we will invest R200bn in the country’s townships to create jobs and wealth, as well as expand the public works programme. We will also introduce a year of voluntary national service to provide paid work experience for school-leavers, and establish a jobs and justice fund to which businesses will contribute. Finally, we will expand the use of renewable energy in the economy and, to maximise trade, replace Transnet’s leadership and fast-track the creation of public-private partnerships to turn around underperforming ports.
Second, to provide quality education to every pupil, we will introduce a performance grant for science, technology and mathematics to give young people the skills they need for school-leaving success. We will also bring in a school voucher programme that will allow a pupil’s parents to decide which school he or she attends. We will create “collaboration schools” that have private financial assistance to help them succeed. We will also establish an education ombudsman to adjudicate on school and teaching standards.
Third, to ensure safety and security, we will decentralise policing to areas where crime is rife. We will also recruit 120,000 extra police officers and improve police training. We will ensure that police vehicles, firearms and forensic resources are well managed, and we will set up a specialist investigative and prosecutorial team to convict the nation’s worst criminals.
Fourth, to improve the administration, we will reduce the number of government departments and embark on a recruitment drive to professionalise the public service. We will also establish specialised corruption courts to investigate and prosecute graft, and we will implement forensic lifestyle audits of all politicians and senior officials. We will ensure that those convicted of corruption are sent to prison for at least 15 years. Finally, we will digitise the tender process and make it transparent.
Every South African problem is every South African’s problem. There are shared solutions to our country’s shared problems. And, contrary to what some say, diversity is not our biggest weakness — it is our best weapon and greatest strength.
It’s time to bring the country into the 21st century and build a South Africa 2.0 that is modern, resilient and flourishing — a South Africa every citizen is proud of and plays a part in building.
Contrary to what some say, diversity is not our biggest weakness — it is our best weapon and greatest strength