Reclaiming the Republic by working together
SOUTH Africa is in the throes of a major political and economic calamity. There are deep divisions in the nation and the governing party, and these have been exacerbated by the politics of patronage, poor governance and unethical leadership within the public sector.
The private sector likewise is complicit in this crisis. The country’s constitution is under assault. Allegations of corruption and rent-seeking abound. Rising levels of social instability and inequality have caused deep fault-lines in South Africa’s fledgling democracy.
Throughout the country there are myriad whispered political undercurrents pertaining largely to the recent cabinet reshuffle; the wholesale replacement of key members of the Treasury, including a globally respected finance minister; the sovereign downgrading of the country; conjecture about South Africa’s future political economy; and a call for President Zuma to step down.
There’s no misgiving that these political trends are gale-force headwinds that will invariably affect the future of all who live in South Africa. Indeed, these are challenging times, and they may crystallise a new era for the country.
The pervading general perception is that South Africa, despite its well-won gains as a leading nation in the African continent, has lost its stature and magnificence of the Mandela era and is likened to a wayward child whose destiny is ruination. Rising levels of social instability and inequality have assisted in creating deep cleavages in our society.
The rainbow nation has become fractious. On the one hand we have the new bourgeoisie who have benefited because of a system of patronage and cronyism, and then there are those who are marginalised from the mainstream of society. Despondency has incrementally crept in.
Underscoring this new but evolving crisis is South Africa’s poor economic performance, and unmistakably this is reflected by some key indicators.
For almost a decade, our economic growth rate has barely passed the one percentage mark, and conversely, the unemployment rate continues to grow, and currently is pegged at 27%.
In essence, a relatively stagnant economy, poor governance and the mismanagement of the fiscus have cumulatively contributed to the recent crisis and simultaneously precipitated a political calamity of proportions hitherto unknown since the dawn of our democracy.
The recent mass gatherings of civil society groupings and opposition parties only serves to demonstrate that the ordinary people of South Africa have had enough and have expressed their anger politically, but peacefully.
The critical and existential question is how does South Africa’s mass of marginalised hopefuls move forward, especially given that by 2019, when the incumbent president is expected to stand down, the economy of the country could be hurtling headlong towards a Zimbabwean style of economic and political implosion? Is there hope?
Indeed, there is hope. Despite the political turmoil, the people and the economy are resilient. Our constitution is our citadel of hope and we need to guard it with our very lives.
The struggle for change has now entered a new terrain. The poverty-stricken masses have been enjoined by the middle classes, evidenced by the recent student protest for free education and the protest marches. The clarion call for inclusive growth is growing stronger.
We need to ask ourselves, especially in this time of turmoil, how we can effectively continue our fight to better the lives of all South Africans, especially the poor. Much depends on the will of ordinary citizens to seek change and a development trajectory that reduces inequality and poverty.
Civil society has to be empowered. As former finance minister Pravin Gordhan says, “We need to get back to basics, and empower every household to become voices for change”. In our public and political engagement, we have to maximise collective sources of legitimacy and power.
It is imperative for us to connect to the wisdom and creative power of our former leaders and freedom fighters.
We must constantly be reminded about the struggle of our immediate past and how we got here. We have to remember how these leaders sacrificed and shaped opportunities for us, making sure South Africa became a democracy and we became free from the legacies of a pernicious system called apartheid. Surely we are destined for a much brighter political and economic future than that which currently prevails?
A commitment to supporting those who follow in our footsteps must become our sacred mantra, and at the same time, we need to sustain the moral high ground of our former leaders.
We are obliged to work towards inclusive and democratic institutions, policies and practices – a promise which has been seriously compromised by the current political leadership.
Despite the seriousness of our current predicament, our previous struggle has demonstrated that change is always possible, particularly if we build on our long tradition of resistance.
Moreover, this can be done only if we resist the politics of corruption and cronyism. This is no easy task. Some of us may be marginalised. This, however, is the experience of resistance. If we exercise moral militancy, together with humility, it can fuel the courage needed to expand the domain of freedom and justice for all our people.
Towards this end, all those who are seeking a better future for South Africa, free from injustice and corruption need to strengthen their organisational resilience and effectiveness.
We have to reproduce excellence in good governance and leadership. Ethical behaviour has to become the bedrock of our resistance.
We need to raise politically organised voices in public campaigns, leveraging support for a South Africa free from corruption advocacy and becoming more rooted in our communities to which we are accountable.
This new narrative and context will require an adaptive response. This is possible only if we work across networks, coalitions and strategic alliances in service of our higher aspirations.
The only way to make substantial progress is to increase our collective ability to leverage differences and look for fundamentally different approaches to strategic collaboration. Civil society has to work with both the private and public sectors and the unions, too.
With the prevailing toxic political culture, now is the moment for civil society to explore new opportunities for strengthening civic engagement for the betterment of all.
This is the least we owe to the future generations of our relatively new and hard-fought-for Republic. Let us adopt the fundamental principles of the Cuban education campaign, “each one teach one”, in our strategy to mobilise all those who dare to shape a better future for South Africa.
Professor Soni is the director for research at the Regent Business School and writes in his personal capacity.