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The untold stories of 2014

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Mmusi Maimane is leader of Build One SA.

With 2014 nearing its end we are given the opportunity to reflect on what has been a landmark year for South Africa. We have not only marked the 20th anniversary of democracy in our country, but also the first anniversary of the passing of former President Nelson Mandela. In the coming week there will be many retrospective pieces written about the past year, with the majority of them focusing on the people and events that made headlines. But I would like to draw some much needed attention to a number of critical issues that have been eclipsed by other headlines yet that remain no less important.

The widening equality gap

I recently had the opportunity to visit Gateway in Kwazulu-Natal, as any Joburger in need of a taste of home should do. I was taken aback when I saw the exceptional line that was forming for the Coca Cola “Share a Coke” promotion stand. It was not the length of the line that struck me, but the racial composition thereof. The line was almost exclusively composed of black individuals – many bearing name tags or uniforms that identified them as cleaners or shop assistants employed in the mall – while the surrounding restaurants were predominantly filled with white patrons enjoying lunch. It was clear to me that while black people in South Africa still seek any means to simply get ahead – or in this case merely get a free cold drink – their white brethren are largely capable of living a more comfortable existence. It is not unforgivable to conclude from this scene that if you are white you are generally wealthier, while if you are black you are generally still poor.

Key to this correlation between race and income in South Africa is the legacy left by Apartheid that sees the majority of assets and capital in South Africa in the hands of a white minority and a black elite. Even 20 years since the fall of Apartheid white children have a greater chance of being born into privilege, while black children – Including the born free generation – are still predominantly born into a life of economic exclusion.

It follows that most young black children are not supported by the same networks that young white children are, and are not exposed to the same level of social capital from which to glean knowledge about the economy or business expertise.

I grew up in Soweto in the 1980s when this lack of social capital was particularly evident. During those years we knew that one day we would be free and would require the skills and expertise to make a success of our lives. This motivated us to share textbooks, electricity and candles. If one person could type, they helped everyone who needed this service. This helped me a great deal to achieve decent marks in Matric, and allowed me to subsequently earn my Masters degrees at university.

Much has changed in Soweto since then, but young black entrepreneurs still lack social capital. They still face greater barriers to entry than many of their white peers as they do not have access to those with the requisite skills and knowledge to advise and assist them in becoming part of the economy.

The reality is that two decades since Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected president, South African society is still hallmarked by a congruence of race and class. As long as we continue to accept this status quo and fail to address it – or at the very least debate it in an open and honest forum – our society will not progress toward economic equality. This will negate the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution and undo the progress we have made since 1994.

I must emphasise, however, that this cannot be a discussion for politicians alone. It requires an inclusive platform to tackle the issue with civil society and businesses engaging on this problem together. Many companies have taken this issue on board as part of their social responsibility, but change is slow and the challenges are great. In 2015 I would like to this issue prioritised by both the public and private sector in order to make real progress.

Skills shortage for black South Africans

The second critical issue I have identified follows closely from the first as it reinforces the lack of social capital and skills that act as barriers to entry into the economy. I am of course referring to the woefully lacking skills base that exists in young South Africans who have been deprived by the ANC-led government of a quality education. This is the worst possible failure of the governing party. We may have improved access to education, but have certainly not done enough to provide a solid skill set to black South Africans who are forced to rely on second-rate government schools for their education. We run the risk of becoming a nation where if you have money you can purchase quality education and if you do not you doomed to an inferior offering and a diminished chance of success.

The Eastern Cape is the principle example of the sad state of education under the ANC-led government. During the State of the Nation Address, President Zuma assured us that mud schools would be complete in the province yet this has not been done. We can speak at length about Nkandla and executive accountability, but if we fail at this task, we are holding our country to ransom. It is common cause that higher levels of basic education and adult literacy promote economic growth; as long as we allow our education system to offer a sub-standard offering we are destined to fail.

Our ailing economic growth

While the sad state of our economic growth has received some degree of coverage this year, it is by no means enough. The current growth projection for 2015 is 1.4%, while during 2014 some quarters grew with a meagre 0.6%. Considering that it is widely accepted that we need to achieve growth rates of at least 6% to make serious inroads into inequality and unemployment, it is worrying that it does not feature high on cabinet’s agenda. It is unquestionable that without growth we will not be able to create the jobs required to improve the standard of living of the millions of South Africans living in poverty.

In the meantime the cost of living continues to rise – with inflation generally falling at the upper end of the target spectrum – while income is not. The electricity tariff increases proposed by Eskom will only serve to exacerbate this and make it increasingly more difficult for ordinary South Africans to keep food on the table.

Setting aside for a moment that our economy is historically structural unequal, we have to recognise that it is also hamstrung by poor policy decisions taken by the ANC-led government that is increasingly turning to the regulation of our economy.

The inflexibility of our labour market and exchange controls are but two of the policies that increase the cost of doing business and deter foreign investors. Coupled with the energy crisis that is facing our country it is no surprise that we continue to suffer ratings downgrades by international credit agencies and an outflow of foreign direct investment.

In order to achieve the open opportunity society for which the DA strives, it is imperative that we create an environment that is conducive to economic growth. This is something the ANC-led government has clearly not been able to do. There has to be a greater level of trust between the private sector and the government to encourage investors to make long term commitments and create the jobs we so desperately need.

Deputy President Ramaphosa’s role

The final issue I would like to emphasise is the role increasingly being played by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in his position as Leader of Government Business.

In the context of a President that is increasingly uninvolved and silent on the issues of national importance, the Deputy President is progressively more being called in to do damage control for President Zuma and his failing cabinet. The most recent example of this is the role the Deputy President is being forced to take in the energy crisis. But while he is busy putting out fires caused by an ineffective President and cabinet, he is not attending adequately to the issues such as the prioritisation of the NDP or the effective functioning of Parliament.

In recent weeks the Deputy President has had to come out in defence of the President for his failure to appear in Parliament as a result of the lack of decorum in the National Assembly. These issues should be of secondary concern to a government that is facing the fundamental issues highlighted above. Yet as long as President Zuma remains an absent president this will not change.

It is not the role of the Deputy President to serve as a surrogate for an aloof President. President Zuma needs to step up to allow the Leader of Government Business to do his job and make sure that the real issues are prioritised. Moreover, the President needs to show leadership on the issues crippling our state instead of adding to them through his inaction.

Hope for a New Year

My hope for 2015 is that the ANC-led government will move away from its tendency to seek scapegoats for it many failures and rather accept responsibility for these and work to overcome them.

The fifth Parliament has so far been hallmarked by conflict but this is ultimately indicative on an Opposition that has grown tired of the ANC’s inability to deliver. In 2015 I would like to challenge the ANC to part partisanship aside and work with the Opposition to bring about real change. We owe it to the people of South Africa to make sure that in 2015 we put their needs first as is our Constitutional obligation.

The ANC and opposition parties alike should do nothing less than place the well-being of South Africans at the top of the agenda. It is time to set ideological agendas that serve specific needs aside – such as those that merely serve labour or business or government itself – and make sure that the agenda in Parliament serves the needs of the people of this great land. They have placed their trust in us and it is our obligation to work tirelessly to serve them. DM

Maimane is DA Parliamentary Leader.

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