Opinion
The Future of South Africa: Seven Things That Need to Happen
By Jakkie Cilliers
A new paper by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), called South African Futures 2030, outlines several plausible scenarios for the country, based on the most likely implications and actions by South Africans and their leaders.
Of these, the most prosperous scenario is dubbed ‘Mandela Magic’. In order for the country to be set on this pathway, seven strategic interventions are required. The first is the reform of the state’s political institutions, Parliament in particular, to bolster accountability.
Implementing the recommendations of the Van Zyl Slabbert Commission would go a long way in facilitating accountability between party leadership over rank-and-file legislative representatives, and the voters who the latter purport to represent.
Appointed in 2002, the commission recommended that the electoral system be changed to a mixed-member proportional system, with 75% of legislative representatives elected from 69 multi-member constituencies, and the remaining 25% from the party list, to ensure overall proportionality.
In addition, Government needs to fully implement its stated intention to tighten regulation to avoid conflicts of interest. The ruling party needs to ban slate voting during its internal election processes, end cadre deployment in favour of merit and adopt general instead of narrow numerical goals regarding representation.
The second is a focus on values and ethics. While South Africans have among the lowest direct experiences of paying bribes in return for public services in Africa, public perceptions of corruption in the country are nevertheless remarkably high. This is due to the tolerance shown towards the abuse of public funds for personal gain that was widely reported to have taken place at the highest levels in the country.
To shed that perception, politicians need to lead by example, and Government has to demonstrate the importance that it attaches to the Chapter 9 institutions and other structures that deal with corruption. Action must be taken in every instance of abuse of public trust, and politicians need to be seen to take this action.
