Opinion
If there was an Olympic medal for not living up to potential, South Africa would win gold.
South Africans in the richest to the poorest hope for a different future as unemployment sores to the worst in the world.
Over the past week Stats SA released South Africa’s unemployment numbers. The figures tell a grim story: 35% general unemployment; 70% youth unemployment;45% discouraged workers; true unemployment.
After the initial flood of economists, political enemies, and talking heads discussed how horrible these statistics are, the focus fades.
Today, after the flood receded, the news is overrun by the next problem a true analysis of the situation may be completed.
Bloomberg mentions South Africa as the country with the highest unemployment on a list of 82 countries it monitors.
The country with the worst unemployment, the country with the most inequality, the country with the most volatile currency.
If there was an Olympic medal for not living up to potential, South Africa would win gold.
Billionaire Tomorrow recently shared a story with the author and Futurist, Clem Sunter (find the link below). In our discussions with him, he shared an interesting thought.
While lecturing in Beijing, the scholars with him did not view Mao as the catalyst for change but rather Deng.
Deng’s method to change the country was rather simple;
“He encouraged two principles, firstly China required world-class infrastructure. Secondly, individuals should be allowed to create personal wealth, encouraging entrepreneurism.”
Deng was the leader that superseded Mao after his passing.
Moa was a communist at heart who applied the principles of Marxism and failed.
After his death, China was the 100thranked largest global economy by GDP -today China is second –suffering mass unemployment, mass civil anger, mass chaos.
Sound familiar?
South Africa is currently facing mass unemployment, mass civil anger, mass chaos. We are led by a political party that continuously seeks to apply the principles of Marxism.
The ANC has recently released papers detailing a 12% nationwide contribution to a government-controlled pension fund and basic grant.
The contrast is obvious. Similarly, the choice is obvious.
Our current leaders must see the light and change their methods.
I believe the inherent problem is the South African government believes it is its responsibility to create jobs. This is a flawed belief. Their responsibility is to create a society with the freedom to allow others to create jobs.
Their flawed belief system has created a society where many university graduates would rather take their skills elsewhere, to a more welcoming environment.
The poster boy of the brain drain, is Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men.
He was born and raised in the capital of South Africa, yet left many moons ago, taking his talent, jobs, and success with him.
There are millions more on a smaller scale.
A poll taken down main street would reveal pessimistic South Africans. The humorous saying is: “we’re going the way of the dodo.”
I cannot predict the future, however, my belief in South Africa has the opportunity ‘to go the way of the United States.’
After the American civil war, the USA found itself in a similar position to China after Mao.
Mass unemployment, mass civil unrest, mass anger.
The then-president, Ulysses Grant, came up with a solution to create a national goal. This was to encourage personal wealth via the California Gold Rush. Wealth was enabled because of basic infrastructure including a world-class railway system transporting people from Eastern to Western United States.
This resulted in the United States becoming a world industrial power; the precursor to its role as the world’s sole superpower. Similar to how Deng applied the basic infrastructure dynamic.
President Grant encouraged wealth by expansion to the West, gold was found in California and a gold rush followed.
This was a national goal and the American Dream was born.
Neither of these two giants of nations was born into brilliance. They both experienced civil wars, mass economic downturn, disappointing leadership, and hardship.
However, at one point in time, a leader stepped up and said, “enough is enough”.
Deng and Grant.
They both applied two basic principles world-class infrastructure and personal wealth creation,
Our national government does not require a further 100,000-word plans, nor expos.
Simply apply these two basic principles and the South African population will do what we do best; solve problems.
