By Alec Hogg
Having finally gotten over the shock of what it costs to get to London, I’m settling in for a week on the other side of the Atlantic, primarily to connect with our UK partners and better understand what’s happening in the 99.5% of the economy that’s outside SA’s borders.
It’s usually a two-way conversation, and after this week’s discussions with some of important political players, I’ll have good news for British acquaintances. Herman Mashaba got the ball rolling on Monday and Gayton McKenzie is now stepping up. Yesterday’s self-explanatory Whatsapp is copied below.
___STEADY_PAYWALL___Uplifting, too, was yesterday’s update from the executive mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro where the turnaround is impressive. More so is how it is being achieved. Retief Odendaal is running a 10-party coalition as equals – even though the DA, with 48 seats, dwarves the next biggest member’s three. Click here to listen.
Some years ago during a memorable long weekend in the bush, Benjamin Zander taught us when “you give the other person an A” positive relationships become inevitable. Respect goes a long way. In a country with SA’s sad history, realising this creates a foundation from which amazing results flow. Witness the NMB turnaround. And, dare we hope, Johannesburg’s?
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie has many critics after twice switching sides in the Jhb because, he says, of a lack of respect from coalition partners. He is now offering to become the Metro’s new mayor. I’d give him a chance. Not just because Rob Hersov rates him as having presidential potential. But because the one thing beleaguered Joburg needs right now is a strong man of action to sort out plundering criminals. For that job, no other SA politician possesses McKenzie’s credentials.
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