By Jack Stroucken*
It may sound like a simple dream or clichéd wish but I dream that South Africa achieves a status where it stands out as being an example of a country that is “governed by the people, for the people”.
What is often not understood in that simple phrase is that it envisages a government chosen by all of the people for all the people. Arguably, we currently have a situation where we have government by all of the people, as we do indeed have a working democracy in which all the people partake, but I believe it is manipulated for the benefit of only some of the people.
The word “manipulated” may seem rather strong. The situation however is, as the “State of capture” report shows, that our current elected leadership, yes, with notable exceptions, seems bent on manipulating their given power, or allowing it to be manipulated, to the benefit of only some of the people. This has reached a level as illustrated by the “Nenegate” affair where, arguably, non-democratic intervention was needed to rectify the situation. Our president, after misusing his authority for the ultimate benefit of some people, was forced, by a handful of influential leaders, to backtrack on a decision it is his prerogative to make. This created a situation where some people acted to the benefit of all the people.
This is not democracy in action. I dream of a country where elected leaders work to the benefit of all the people of the country.
The local elections last year showed us that things may be changing and that people are using their vote to voice their opinions. This is good progress. However, would it not be an indication of a more mature society if that vote was used in support of a dream, a positive or aspirational vote in other words, rather than being used as a vote illustrating dissatisfaction, which is likely to have been the situation last year?
Democracy demands a level playing field. In my opinion two things are needed to achieve that level playing field. Firstly, our society requires a huge step up in education. The average level of education is not high enough for our population to compete on equal terms for the opportunities available in our country. Secondly, the wealth gap needs to be narrowed in order to allow for more commonality in deliverables required of the state. The latter can be achieved with a greater focus on creating business, especially small business, opportunities which in turn will create wealth.
With this we will become a society with economically more in common than we are economically diverse. Then the people can govern for the people and this country can take its place again as the world leader it was in 1994.
- Jack Stroucken recently left formal employment with a bank where he dealt with residential development and small business finance to consult and research in the SME area. His background prior to that was in residential property development and construction. Apart from a deep interest in developing small businesses has has been asked to assist with mentoring and coaching.
