The North-West University (NWU) Business School hosted its third PITSO discussion for 2023 during which experts deliberated on the President’s State of the Nation Address on 9 February 2023. With 184 attendees, topics discussed included the current energy question, issues pertaining to the current energy crisis, economic growth and the reality of crime, corruption and renewal.
The chief director of the Business School , Dr Joseph Sekhampu, welcomed all speakers before Mr John Simpson, editor of BBC News, shared his views on the current situation in South Africa. According to Simpson, South Africa’s friends are, to a large extent, silenced by the country’s current degeneration, as they perceive South Africa to be drifting into a zone of influence from Russia and China. There is the fear that South Africa is slipping into an orbit where the Chinese and Russians will use the country’s economic weakness and grab their own economic power from it, as they have done with several countries in Africa.
When asked by Dr Piet Croucamp why, considering that South Africa currently has all the ingredients preceding a civil war, there is no sign of such, Mr Simpson said that, indeed, this is quite remarkable. He can only attribute this to the spirit of the country. When tourists visit South Africa, the image they get is still that of a country that seems to be in charge of itself and that upholds healthy social structures.
Dr Croucamp went on to ask Mr Dawie Roodt, chief economist of the Efficient Group, what about the previous night’s presidential address had encouraged him. Mr Roodt said that, although the President had not spent nearly enough time on it, he did mention that he was going to put an effort into transferring property deeds to poor people. This may seem a small thing, but it is significant and positive.
In terms of the current energy crisis, Mr Roodt stated that the appointment of another minister was futile. He felt that, instead, the main issues should be addressed, namely too many people working for Eskom, wasting money on the wrong things, and a lack of a solid financial plan. He also stated that privatisation is not a shift in ideology or a change in policy, but simply a practical shift following the collapse of the government, which leaves no alternative.
Dr Croucamp asked columnist and analyst Mr Khaya Sithole why the President seemed unable to turn things around. Mr Sithole confirmed that the public had been left with more questions than confirmations after the address. He said that the ANC and the government at large simply do not have the capacity to run state-owned enterprises. He believed that a big problem is exclusion of competent individuals, as only people who are loyal or close to the ANC seem to be appointed in positions of leadership.
Finally, Dr Oscar van Heerden, a scholar in political economy, explained that he did not believe declaring a National State of Disaster would make any difference to the current crisis. Although it does allow the government to make additional funding available, sidestep red tape around making use of alternative energy, and control organised labour when it comes to accessing additional capacity, what is really needed is effective, ethical leadership and a direct address of current corruption.
The PITSO ended with encouraging words from Mr John Simpson, who shared some perspective as an outsider to the country. He reminded everyone that South Africa still has a good judicial system,
an amazing degree of entrepreneurship, a vibrant press, a vibrant academia, and a level of expectation of what the government, cities and townships should look like and how they should be run, which is rarely seen in other African countries. It has a sense of itself, its identity and where it ought to be. These are all significant qualities, keeping the country’s head above water.
“Do not despair; you have got so much going for you. It is just a question of getting the right political system and the right kind of politics that will enable these things to lift South Africa out of many of these problems,” Simpson said.
Overall, this was a very insightful discussion with great input from our four experts. The topics addressed led to attendees requesting another round table discussion on related matters. The Business School will continue to create such opportunities, as we have the responsibility to deliberate in pursuit of the possibility of a well-governed South Africa.
The full recording of the PITSO discussion of the NWU Business School is available here: https://youtu.be/TnqqsCqyrqA
