A country in ruins: Government self-sabotaging the once-mighty SA

South Africa faces a growing cocktail of risks, resulting from the fallout of a failed economic policy, rampant crime and corruption, growing unemployment, the Covid pandemic, government-driven populism and racial tensions, political instability, and the conflict in Ukraine.

It is time the government started focusing on fixing what they broke, as well as looking closer to home to regain some of its former self and become a continental driver for economic development and growth.

The government seems reluctant to admit that we are part of Africa, even though our country is named after the southernmost point of the continent.

As democracy initially came – and later went – we found ourselves swept up in the euphoria of short-lived freedom.

Our government loves posing as something it isn’t. It has developed a strong sense of arrogance and entitlement towards its fellow Africans.

It frequently boasts of how much better it is than other African countries.

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It is time for members of the government to practice real and inclusive governance, adhere to our constitution, and look towards our continent and not only towards their personal bank accounts.

We have so much to offer Africa if only we are willing to pull up our socks and prove that we are indeed a continental power.

Our government shouldn’t try to offer political, governance, security, or economic advice as it has failed miserably in those fields.

Africa doesn’t need our government’s advice on how to destroy an economy, further racial and ethnic tensions, and create a failed state.

South Africa, once known as a hub for innovation, medical science, military technology, business acumen, resource extraction, power generation, and rail networks lies in ruins.

If we can regain those lost skills, South Africa can contribute immensely to Africa and its wellbeing, while creating a welcome boost to the continent’s and especially our own economy and development.

We ought to be a major exporter of high value goods and products. Instead, we have become a major importer of cheap products from China.

We can become the powerhouse of Africa and a world leader in certain expertise the government has tried to stifle and destroy.

But to do that, the government needs to come to its senses, do some serious introspection, admit its failures and work to rectify them.

Legitimate African businesspeople who reach out to us get caught up in so much bureaucracy and red tape that they eventually lose interest.

Obtaining a visa to visit South Africa is a difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming process.

Many simply lose interest in investing in South Africa and go elsewhere, as it is less frustrating and much simpler.

For those who wish to enter illegally, it is made much easier – they just cross our very porous borders, at times helped by those who are supposedly there to guard and protect.

We ought to be welcoming African and foreign businesspeople into our country. We need to work at developing better relationships with especially our continent and its people.

We need to be sharing ideas and approaches to growing economies. But the government has neither the will nor the desire to do so.

We were once an exporter of electricity. We lost the specialists in this field and employed ill-suited staff to serve and maintain our national power grid.

Resultant from corruption and maladministration, Eskom went from producing 38 megawatts of electricity with 17 000 employees in 1996, to 24 megawatts with 47 000 employees.

It provided power to Botswana, Lesotho, and Mozambique. This is no more. We ought to be contributing to Africa’s power-generation capacity to boost our own and Africa’s industrialisation.

Recently, 35 of South Africa’s largest companies have left our shores and relocated elsewhere.

Start-up companies are doing the same. This has cost us dearly in terms of our economy and employment.

Our criminally battered farmers that have left South Africa due to intolerable conditions imposed on them are making a great success across Africa and beyond in helping states ensure their food security.

Our technicians and tradesmen who have left are likewise making a huge impact in African countries where their services are appreciated and valued.

We have unquestioningly allowed this government to sail us into the doldrums and allowed them to betray not only us, but also Africa in general. –

• Mashaba is a political advisor .