South Africa: State of the Nation in Despair

In three months’ time South Africans young and old will head to the polls to exercise their hard earned rights, and vote for a party to lead them for the next five years. There is not much doubt that the party that will win these elections will once again be the African National Congress (#ANC). The ANC will use its dominance in parliament to vote in a new President which will be Jacob #Zuma. Prior to these elections, which may be the most significant since 1994, Jacob Zuma is set to make the last State of the Nation Address of his first term. Zuma will use the occasion to not only summarise his own legacy in the past five years, but also review the accomplishments of the ANC led government over the past 20 years. He will also draw up his government’s objectives for the coming year.

A nation in despair

President Zuma will be speaking to a nation that is still facing enormous challenges such as income inequality, poverty and unemployment. In the past five months the country has witnessed frequently violent service delivery protests across disempowered communities in the country. These protests have been spurred by the demand for better service delivery, with protesters making accusations of corruption against local government officials. Community members have often attacked and burned down government buildings in their demonstrations. The police have responded with a hard hand, and the number of people that have died in 2014 protests has reached nine lives.

The economy is struggling as a result of these myriad issues, with the pressures on emerging markets exacting a heavy toll. The growth rate is not expected to reach the 3% level that government is hoping for. The economy’s performance over the past five years has also done little to reduce the unemployment rate which sits at 24.1%. This rate is considered conservative by some as it only registers those who are actively searching for work. When figuring those who have given up on searching, the rate could rise close to 40%. The pressures on poor South Africans struggling against high food and transport costs will be further exacerbated as a result of the declining rand.

South Africa is clearly in a precarious position and the President has a difficult mission in attempting to restore the confidence of the nation. He will need to assure the country that the democratic experiment of the past decade has been a success. He should encourage the nation that there is still hope for better future under his leadership; and he must convince the people of the country that their fates are safe in the hands of his government. This will be a nearly impossible task to achieve.

20 years of Freedom: Lots to celebrate?

Firstly the President is going to take us through a journey of the last 20 years. In its 2014 elections manifesto, the ANC has ensured that it reminds South Africans of how much it has achieved since 1994, particularly in the delivery of basic services. It also touches on the successes of the ANC leadership that stepped into government in 2009.

During his State of the Nation address, President Jacob Zuma will continue reflecting on the past achievements of the government under the ANC. The President has a lot of evidence to back up the claims. There have been significant improvements in basic services for many South Africans, with access to housing, water and sanitation increasing across the country. The 2011 Census had key findings showing access to electricity had increased from 58.2% (1996) to 84.7% (2011). More South Africans are accessing education, with no-fee schools spreading in communities which need them the most. Statistics show that the average quality of life for most South Africans has improved over the years.

President Zuma will reflect on his own legacy since 2009. When he came to power he made many promises - with job-creation being high on the list. The figure presented by the President at the time was 5 million job opportunities. The Expanded Public Works Programme (#EPWP) initiated by the Zuma administration to achieve had created about 3 million job opportunities by 2013. The government has made major investments in infrastructure development over the past five years, injecting billions of rands in energy and transport infrastructure. One of the most critical improvements has been in the health sector, with the Department of Health making major strides in the fight against HIV/Aids.

These major achievements are unlikely to placate the South African public. Over the years, the public has become accustomed to the rhetoric used such public addresses. They have seen government action not living up to expectations a number of times. One key area of government not fulfilling promises in education. The President promised to ensure all schools in the country had adequate facilities in 2009. This has continued to be an issue highlighted in his speeches but by 2013 there are many schools in the country with no basic facilities such as sanitation and water.

Turning despair in to hope

That being said, South Africa is a fairly forgiving nation. In order for the President to restore some the optimism in South Africa, he will have to be convincing on a number of key areas. He needs to give a substantial response on the states of crime and corruption, unemployment and the economy.

Corruption is an area where the President’s words can be said to be quite hollow, as a result of a number of issues directly involving him. The President needs to give a clear indication he will be addressing the extreme levels of corruption in his government. The South African public will want to see genuine moves by government to provide transparency on efforts to battle corruption. The President will also have to address the security situation in the country - particularly crime, protests and police. The loss of life and extreme violence in protests does not paint a picture of stability in the country.

While the Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, is the one who will give a clear direction on the path of the economy in 2014, Zuma needs to provide an overarching theme that will relieve the anxieties of business and ordinary South Africans. The future of the country’s economy is not looking good as a result of what is happening across the globe; particularly the slowdown in emerging markets. President Zuma must show that he has a sturdy hand on the South African economy and he will be able navigate it through the murky times ahead. This means the President needs to highlight the key economic policies which will drive growth and employment. It will also mean talking about resolving the conflicts in the mining sector.

On unemployment, the President must avoid the usage of now common phrase “job opportunities”. This word is easily paraded about by government officials and various politicians when trying to depict a semblance of a plan to deal with the unemployment crisis in the country. What South Africans need is a real jobs plan which will guarantee security and dignity for the millions of poor and unemployed.

After 20 years, South Africa has come a long way but we have come to a point where the country’s progress seems to have stagnated. There is a need for a re-invigoration of the spirit of 1994. As the elections loom near, President Zuma must set his sights on rebuilding the vision and hope of a better South Africa.

Originally published on africapractice's website here: http://www.africapractice.com/blogposts/page/26/?id=4923

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