To solve South Africa’s pressing problems, elected leaders will need to stop playing the blame game.

Although many global pressures impact local economic forces, that should not prevent our country from getting its own house in order first.

That was the message delivered by Groutville-born author and political and economic analyst, Phumlani Majozi, when addressing the Business@Breakfast event at the Ballito Junction last week.

Hosted by the iLembe Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with The North Coast Courier and The Robert Group, the regular networking meet-ups also aim to offer insights into the economic landscape we face.

“We should remember that South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with huge potential and an amazing workforce – but almost 50% of us are unemployed,” said Majozi.

“The country experienced just 0.6% economic growth last year and has averaged less than 1% annually for the past 10 years.

“Growth levels of around 5% are needed to properly address our unemployment rate, which is the highest in the world.”

While acknowledging a sluggish global economy amid the impacts of war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, Majozi suggested it was time for South Africa to look inwards.

“Politicians like to give excuses of ‘global issues’, but an honest look at the situation shows that many of the problems that suppress growth are domestic,” he said.

“There needs to be policies for youth employment, SMEs need to be given support and we need to become more attractive as a manufacturing option for major corporations.

“At the end of the day, South Africa is not providing a competitive environment – in education or business. At a basic level, we have to get back to a point where we are producing goods the world needs.”

Majozi said solutions to structural issues of loadshedding, service delivery and crime should be fast-tracked where possible.

But he remained hopeful about our future as a country if interventions are made soon, reflecting on how decisive interventions in his life led him to become successful.

“I’m very excited to launch my book [Lessons From Past Heroes] here in Ballito, surrounded by my family and former teachers from Nonhlevu Secondary School in Groutville.”

After identifying the potential in Majozi, a group of teachers from the school fundraised for his university application fee and helped with transport.

Majozi went on to attend Rhodes University and was the first university graduate in Nonhlevu’s history.

“My first job was as a gardener in Salt Rock, and now I can come back with my own book, with those teachers and Dr Albertina Luthuli looking on, it’s very special.”

His former headmaster Roy Naicker said he was immensely proud of Majozi.

“The job of a teacher is to see a child’s potential, open his mind and recognise that one day he is going to be bigger than you,” he said.

Majozi can regularly be found giving expert opinion on television news programmes and sits on the board of four major organisations, including the South African Institute of Race Relations.
Find out more about him and his book at phumlanimajozi.com.

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