Choosing a legacy, for good or ill

DEAR President Zuma: congratulations on being elected to another five years. With the post-election victory party over and the future lying ahead, there is much for you to ponder and act on.

There are plenty of things that deeply concern the majority of South Africans… and if you suc- cessfully address them you will be remembered by history as the president who achieved.

It is grievously wrong that, 20 years after the dawn of democracy, children still learn under trees and that they don’t get their books on time. Also that promotion to becoming a school principal is allegedly available in exchange for a bribe. Our children are our future and it benefits no one for them to be poorly educated.

The economy is sluggish. One of the biggest challenges we face is reducing the gulf between rich and poor, both in our growing metropoles and in the rural areas where the land issue is yet to be definitively settled. Creating employment opportu- nities is vital: your government needs to provide a structure and an atmosphere which is conducive to allowing business to grow and protecting workers’ jobs.

In introducing the National Health Insurance scheme, you need to ensure that quality care is made accessible to all without destroying a thriving private medical sector (which, after all, relieves the burden on your government). At the same time, you must tell that same sector that profiteering out of people’s pain and illness will not be tolerated.

Crime, despite all the assurances and smart graphs your security cluster people produce, is still a major concern for most South Africans. The entire administration of justice needs to be professionalised: from the police to the courts, those administering justice need to be monitored and be accountable to the people.

You need to surround yourself with competent people dedicated to transforming and building this country – and allow them to do their jobs. You have five years in which to cement your legacy as the man who put South Africa on the road to prosperity.