NAP…Next Addiction Please
Tags: Politics, Elections, Africa, South Africa, Corruption

Instability in South Africa — too small a ladder

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As the South African May 2019 General Elections fast approach there is a growing discontent amongst the people of South Africa.

I am a permanent resident of South Africa and thus not allowed to vote in the elections. I should however not complain about it as it was my choice as my Angolan citizenship comes first. Why Angola? Because that is where I was born as well as my father and grandfather. Mom came from Lisbon to marry my Dad in Angola (more about this in NAP enclosing chapters).

Back to South Africa. I’m not a political person but I am very aware of my surroundings and the rapid decline that we are experiencing in South Africa. Since independence from the abhorrent apartheid regime, save for the honeymoon with Mandela and the rainbow nation, I always said that South Africa would encounter the same fate of all the other Sub-Saharan countries post-independence. Why? Because I read a lot about Africa and why would South Africa be different? It could have been different if Mandela’s rainbow nation’s dream had become a reality but unfortunately it was just a pipe dream, as beautiful as it was. No segregation based on race, colour or creed. Maybe two or three generations from now. We should learn from children who truly do not see barriers and befriend others based on character only, which we adults call personality profiles.

When South Africa won the bid for the 2010 World Cup in May 2004 I was overjoyed. The decline not only would be halted for six years but a lot of infrastructures would have to be built. Sweet news indeed. And so it happened just as I had envisaged. In the years leading up to the 2010 World Cup we were all drunk with excitement.

It was beautiful! I had managed to buy a few tickets for us and for some of our staff as well to watch Bafana Bafana in Pretoria. We watched Ghana vs Uruguay at the FNB stadium also known as the Calabash. We decided to take the train from town. There was an electrical atmosphere with all of us going to support Ghana. It was a good match but most of all there was this spirit of camaraderie and elation. This was the South Africa we had all dreamed about. Everybody united and elated during this magical month. I remember the euforia taking its time to abate after the World Cup was over.

But alas, after a few months and years the country was starting to slide backwards, just as I had predicted.

With stories of corruption, government mismanagement and public services deteriorating the mood soon turned into a national gloomy feeling. Small and medium enterprises started falling apart and with it unemployment and crime rates soared. The small elite got richer and more powerful in detriment of the general population. From a previous work force of over one hundred we were now employing ten. Ninety odd families affected by the new rules that are not working and contributing to mass unemployment.

Crime is rampant and the quality of life is amongst the lowest in the world.

According to the Bloomberg misery index South Africa is now ranking as the second most economically miserable country in the world.

The brain drain is very real with thousands of people emigrating these last few years.

Is there hope? I would like to think so but unfortunately I see the people who do matter leaving South Africa in the next five to ten years leaving the country to be run by incompetent or a handful of greedy people.

If this is the scenario South Africa will hit rock bottom like so many Sub-Saharan African countries and it will take years until we see a slow comeback.

What can South Africa do to avoid this decline? Invest in immigrants! The success of America is greatly due to its immigrant society and it is about time that Africa follows their example and re-evaluate xenophobic tendencies.

It’s not too late to save South Africa.