Why not world-class in 2016?
Why not world-class in 2016? This is a serious question for South Africans. Our country has achieved so much, overcome so much and has great potential for the future; why do we seem prepared now to settle for third rate?
As we travelled from Johannesburg to Southbroom for the holidays, we experienced the great road network of world-class roads for hundreds of kilometres. Whatever other sins SANRAL might have committed, neglecting its primary task of providing and then maintaining excellent roads is not one of them. If only other authorities would pursue their primary jobs with the same determination. Too often government departments have high-falutin’ mission statements and “visions” instead of recognising what their specific job is and then doing it.
Take our city councils as a case study. Their job is to provide services catering for the needs of the citizens. Johannesburg pats itself on the back as a “World-class African city.” Most people would recognise that if large areas regularly go without water; without lights; without traffic lights; without correct utility accounts; without refuse collection; without adequate traffic supervision; without consequences for dangerous driving and other offences; and without repairs to potholes in suburban and major roads, a city is hardly world-class.
No one sensible expects miracles overnight. However, it would be great if we had confidence that those elected to govern us had a proper plan to get there.
Far more important than the plan itself - South Africans are brilliant at formulating plans and turn-around strategies – is the implementation on a systematic basis of the steps needed to improve. And with each improvement, there must be a recognition that maintenance is essential. Even the best electricity, water, sewerage, or road system needs regular and timely maintenance, in the absence of which, they deteriorate and fall into disrepair. Third world and not first world.
To me, one of the problems is that politicians feel they have to put a finger in every pie. Instead of appointing competent officials, setting clear policy guidelines and then letting the officials get on with it, subject of course to proper report-back and assessment procedures, too many politicians get too big for their boots.
They think that winning a vote and becoming a public representative imbues them with mystical powers far removed from their own particular experience, skills and education. They feel they are running the show instead of recognising that the officials are there for that very purpose. Politicians are there to oversee the officials and represent the public.
Central government impacts heavily on our cities and towns. Can you imagine any other world-class city where there is no postal delivery and no post-box service before and after Christmas – not for a few days, but for weeks on end, because the rent was not paid on the post office premises and the owners locked them out?
This is Bryanston in Johannesburg. A new post office will open sometime soon and there might even be another side to the story but I have seen no explanation of why the rent went unpaid, who was responsible for the non-payment and what the consequences are for her/him.
Perhaps the new CEO, Mark Barnes, will save the Post Office from its current near-death. If he fails, South Africa will have successfully privatised the postal services (to Postnet and to the courier services) just as it has largely privatised health care, education and security, at least for middle class people who pay twice: once for the service they do not receive and again for the private service they simply must have. The rest of the public, unable to afford privatised services, does without or puts up with the dregs.
I would like to see us resolve to become world class by implementing whatever steps are necessary at every level of our administration and sharing our determination with all our citizens so that they climb on board a national effort belonging to all. Not only that, why do we not capitalise on what we have that is already world class?
Potentially, we have the best country in the world to live in. Our people are some of the nicest, friendliest people anywhere on earth. We have the most beautiful beaches, mountains and game parks, offering unparalleled holiday destinations. Our Rand is at historic lows against hard currencies, leading to South Africa becoming a world-class value- for- money destination with resorts of all types comparing favourably with anything else in the world.
Tourism is the biggest potential job-creator we have and nothing should excite us more than attracting another few million tourists.
What of our financial regulation, our constitution, our protection of property rights? All excellent and all offering business opportunities for canny investors. We need to signal them that we are seriously open for business.
We could start by putting all the communist ministers now in power to work at trade unions or wherever; getting rid of a whole heap of unproductive deputy ministers who could stay on in parliament representing their loyal supporters, and by reducing the cabinet by more than half.
If we show that we are a constitutional democracy that can and sometimes does get rid of “big men” presidents and others, we could resume our role as a trusted bastion of freedom, with friends right across the world who trade with us and serve our interests. We could again become Africa’s best example of a successful transition to a working democracy with a population starting to enjoy upward mobility in a market economy.
Endowed with great natural beauty and so many natural advantages, we must choose to be the best we can be. We could become world-class. Why not make 2016 the year when we resolve to go for it?
Douglas Gibson is a former opposition chief whip and a former ambassador to Thailand.
This article first appeared in The Star.
