Time for South Africans to take hold of their own political future

AT its launch I signed up to support the Sidikiwe/Vukani campaign. The campaign is the most exciting development of direct electoral activism in our country. It is also exciting because one gets the sense that it includes many who are speaking from within the ANC, and they are addressing directly many of the members of the ANC and others who vote ANC but have become disillusioned and marginalised.

The campaign has the potential to change the nature of political life in South Africa, and could change the ANC itself for the better. I support it because it is responsible, direct action that should address voter apathy and indifference.

But I have another reason for supporting the campaign. I believe South African politics have become so conservative and unimaginative that if we are not careful we shall remain for many years entrenched in inequality, poverty and social deprivation. I am concerned that we are fast getting to a position in our country where the ANC behaves in such an arrogant manner that it almost believes it owns the people, and can do whatever it likes without consequence. I believe that it is important for South Africans to take responsibility for their political future. This future cannot be outsourced to politicians.

Twenty years into the constitutional democracy, the social and political environment may have been democratised, but the effects of democracy are not evident in the manner in which

South Africa must abandon the economic policies of the Washington Consensus, and commit to a social democratic ideal

South Africans live. The record of the ANC in government can be judged, not so much by how many black people have become richer, but rather by how many of the poor have had their lives changed for the better. One is looking at policies that make the poor less poor and the rich less rich.

What can be done to transform South Africa? Some options:

1. A radical restructuring of the economy. This means to me that South Africa must abandon the economic policies dictated by the Washington Consensus, and commit to a social democratic ideal – a developmental state, limiting private ownership of public assets, a fair and just distribution of wealth and enhancing productivity; limiting private ownership of land without compensation and distributing to the landless on the basis of equipping them for productive development of the land for agriculture; limiting salaries and bonuses for high-income earners and progressively closing the gap between the low-wage earners and the high earners.

2. Establishing a social democratic education, health and social security system. This will mean education will be free, and, in the age below 18 compulsory, but with state support at higher education; that those who complete Grade 10 or aged 16 and above will be required to stay on at school for another three years, in training or acquiring skills, and will be supported by the state through a bursary scheme and a stipend as long as they make progress, and once qualified will receive assistance to establish small business enterprises. Healthcare will revert to primary health in focus, and a programme of rebuilding hospitals and clinics, the provision of medicines, and training of nurses and doctors in South Africa accelerated. A public transport system will be re-established at subsidised rates, by a more widespread use of train transportation.

3. Constitutional development will result in the change of the electoral system to adopt a mixed system along the lines of the Van Zyl Slabbert Report; and to abolish provinces and focus development through properly equipped local and municipal government structures. Government under Jacob Zuma has been top-heavy and unaffordable. Government ministries will be reduced to 28, as it was until 2009. Deputy ministers and ministers in the Presidency will also be reduced to the essential minimum. There will be less focus on the bureaucratisation of government, but more on meeting human needs.

4. Social cohesion will become government policy designed to upscale human fulfillment: working actively to promote a radical South African citizenship; address human rights violations especially gender inequality, racism and tribalism, and reverse the bantustanisation of South Africa. Instead, establish an agency for rural development and work with local communities to grow rural livelihoods, with the active participation of traditional leadership. We should make South Africa a desirable place for asylum seekers, and those who bring skills to propel our economy and education system.

I believe South Africa needs a social democratic dispensation that will reverse the ills of the past and assure a future for all. South Africa needs a more humane system that works efficiently for the benefit of the people. That is why I support the Sidikiwe/Vukani campaign.