An ‘SA first’ foreign policy
We need a pragmatic, less naive approach that raises economic growth rates
SOUTH AFRICA’S FOREIGN policy must prioritise the country’s national interests rather than the narrow interests of the ANC as the governing party, the self-enrichment of prominent leaders or inflexible ideology.
South Africa’s national interests are chiefly to raise economic growth levels, foster racial inclusivity and strengthen the country’s democracy. Foreign policy must therefore be aimed at ensuring raising economic growth rates, promoting racial inclusivity and strengthening democracy at home.
This means a pragmatic foreign policy. South Africa will have to stop having a naive foreign policy which argues that partners such as the other BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will altruistically built the South African economy. South Africa’s foreign policy cannot be overly ideological either, meaning ditching the notion of partnering with allies for purely ideological reasons.
A “new dawn” foreign policy must still be based on the pillars of Africa, the US, EU, BRICS and the Commonwealth. However, these partnerships must now more overtly promote South Africa’s national interests.
Furthermore, South Africa must more aggressively seek out new dynamic markets in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and eastern Europe.
Raising South African growth levels to deal with poverty, unemployment and inequality depends heavily on the country growing its exports to African markets.
Africa is South Africa’s premium market, which must be secured at all costs for South African manufacturers, producers and farmers.
This means that the South African government must support the country’s companies against the highly subsidised competition from industrial, emerging powers and BRICS country companies. This must be absolutely the first order of South Africa’s Africa policy.
The government must help local companies export to Africa, or set up shop on the continent, and support them through accessible finance and supportive regulations, and open markets on their behalf.
In cases where South African companies are being persecuted in African countries, the government will have to intervene quickly on their behalf. South Africa must support small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) to make products for export into Africa.
The country’s massively flawed BEE policy must change to emphasise black-owned SMMEs and farmers to manufacture and produce for export to African markets. Parallel local blackowned SMMEs must be supported to produce into the supply chains of large established white-owned companies that are exporting to or setting up in African markets.
South Africa will also have to change its Africa policy of noninterference in the domestic affairs of African countries to one which actively intervenes when South Africa’s national interests are imperilled.
Poor governance in African countries is the central reason for violence, economic collapse and people fleeing to neighbouring countries or to Western countries.
South Africa’s Africa policy must compel African governments to govern honestly, inclusively and democratically, lest their citizens flee to South Africa, putting additional pressure on our resources.
South Africa must scrutinise trade, investment and political deals on the basis of whether they’ll lead to growth and employment and strengthen the country’s own companies.
Most black South Africans have little industry and technology-relevant and entrepreneurial skills, which are vital to make a living in our times, because of the legacy of Bantu education and astonishing mismanagement of post-apartheid black education.
This means a South African foreign policy would aim to get as many youth coming from failing township and rural public schools to secure industry, technology-relevant and soft skills wherever they can abroad.
Furthermore, state-owned entities with presence in Africa must be compelled to partner with private companies – providing development finance and facilitating market opening in markets in Africa, emerging markets and industrial countries.
SA can learn from the Asian “tigers”, the US, EU and China, where the public and private sectors and civil society team up to compete in foreign markets, and where diplomacy pushes growth and industrialisation at home. Gumede is the chairperson of the Democracy Works Foundation (www. democracyworks.co.za) and author of South Africa in BRICS (Tafelberg)
The government must support our companies against the highly subsidised competition from BRICS countries