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Liberal ideas are under threat in South Africa. The government continues to drown the economy in regulation and red tape, stifling entrepreneurship and innovation, which is vital if the country’s economy is to grow at levels capable of creating jobs in meaningful numbers.
At the same time, there are growing threats to the property rights of all South Africans. Property rights are the fundamental building block of any prosperous society, and, without them, South Africa is doomed to failure.
In addition, racial essentialism is on the rise, not only from radical parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), but also within the governing African National Congress (ANC). Despite evidence from our surveys that race relations are actually fairly sound, there are those who would like to deepen divisions, not only between blacks and whites, but between black people and coloured people, and between black people and Indian people. Some are even trying to awaken the demon of tribalism from its long slumber.
At the same time, the Democratic Alliance (DA), one of the few political parties which explicitly backs non-racialism and a free market economy, is floundering. It has made a number of missteps in recent times and it must be asked whether it can still be thought of South Africa’s main liberal political movement. Not so long ago, the DA looked as if it could well have been a senior partner in a governing coalition after next year’s election, but it may well be that holding onto its current share of the vote in 2019 could be considered a success. Recent by-election results in its Western Cape stronghold will have the party worried, and, if it is not, something is very wrong.