How a vertical adventure brought a smile to this South African face

Among the benefits of being based in London is an ability to more easily access that helicopter view my one-time boss and mentor Dr Danie Cronje often urged on me. Absa's astute former leader taught that when confused, a useful hack is to take an imaginary vertical adventure. From that  elevated vantage point, things usually fall neatly into place.

I applied this mind experiment yesterday ahead of a consulting session with a multinational weighing a SA business opportunity. Despite the shrill headlines about downgrades and mismanagement, for the first time in ages it was difficult to temper my enthusiasm. Because in assessing what's coming, the trend is always your friend. And at last it is moving in the right direction.

The recent rather obvious "uncapturing" of some key public enterprises has been a critical turnaround. As is the indication of the economically literate candidate winning the race for the ANC presidency. Equally exciting is a sudden admission within the Zuma Administration that SA's national books require balancing – stripping away the destructive arrogance of ignorance.

Of course, much can go awry ahead of next month's ANC elective conference. And with newspapers to sell, SA's courageous but noisy and often confused media will surely add to the bedlam. But those in mind-driven helicopters will see what's obvious from a quiet cockpit: although the Beloved Country has much rebuilding ahead, the worst is well and truly behind it. Hope springs.