The social fabric of this country is under strain, and you can't help but feel that something has to give. (David Harrison/M&G)
The combination of a brutal pandemic, anemic growth, massive job losses and an increasingly austere state has created a sense of constant insecurity among millions of South Africans.
The country was unprepared to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic when it occurred. Inadequate service delivery, weak oversight institutions, and depleted finances have pushed the state's social capital to an all-time low. Testimony submitted to the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture suggests that for some in power, the concept of a better life for all was of primary concern in the run-up to the first lockdown. are doing. Against this backdrop of economic despair and growing awareness of declining political agency, it is no surprise that citizens are beginning to respond outside of traditional channels to make their voices heard.
In 2019, as gross domestic product (GDP) growth came to a near standstill for the first time, South Africa experienced its largest-ever wave of protests, riots and mob attacks. According to the Armed Conflict and Location Event Data (ACLED), the country recorded 21 incidents of her.cent A century of national records of 1,544 incidents of social unrest. The majority were peaceful protests, 841. There were 644 incidents of violence, with the rest being attacks by small groups of mobs.
The global shift from the physical to the digital realm is likely to accelerate this growing public dissatisfaction. The nature of social mobilization is rapidly changing due to the increasing penetration of the internet, the virality of social media, and the strengthening of grassroots movements and networks. If political institutions remain unresponsive to economic grievances in the coming years, there is a risk that the balance will tip from democratic protest to destabilization.
The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation’s (IJR) nationally representative poll, the 2019 South African Reconciliation Barometer (SARB), reveals a sober truth. They showed that in the same year that civil activity peaked, South Africans were experiencing severe economic insecurity.
The SARB revealed in 2019 that 59% of South Africans felt their economic hardship would remain the same or worsen over the next two years. At the same time, almost three in four South Africans (72%) link current poverty to historical disadvantage under the apartheid regime.
This pessimistic assessment likely stems from consideration of persistent structural barriers that disadvantage historically marginalized groups.
A large proportion of the population believes that achieving their goals requires access to adequate financial resources, human resources, space, and education. Broken down by race, South Africans of color have the highest structural I felt very restricted. The effects of historical discrimination continue to be felt, especially among the majority of the poor, who attribute their circumstances to structural rather than individualistic causes.
The economic insecurity of nations is due to a number of state failures, including policy choices, policy implementation, corruption, and failure to collaborate with trade unions and the private sector. Although the country has made important strides in development, the spoils of economic growth have not yet “trickled down” to the poorest people.
Heteroscedasticity in the first half of 2021cent The century's growth increased inequality because its profits were concentrated and largely exclusive. In retrospect, it can be argued that the Mbeki government's revenue surplus was not fully utilized by him and subsequent governments to create greater agency among the population.
Of further concern is the clarity with which our government pursues its human development goals, from the Recovery and Development Plan to the Growth, Jobs and Redistribution Plan, the South African Growth Acceleration and Share Initiative, the New Growth Path, and national policy. This is a contradiction. development plan. The policy became a victim of factional instability in the ruling party. These contradictions were further reinforced by the lack of a unified vision between the state, trade unions, and the private sector. Therefore, there may be a stronger connection between the lack of unity among the population and the lack of unity among policy elites than the latter would like to admit. A zero-sum game may have resulted in a zero-sum outcome.
Prioritizing strengthening trust will become increasingly important in the coming months as we struggle to contain the impact of the pandemic on society. There have been some positive developments in this regard. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are gaining momentum as a key strategy for strengthening and aligning private and public interests. These partnerships are increasingly being championed as a vehicle for recovery and growth in post-COVID-19 South Africa. If they want to do so, officials must learn from the failures of his previous PPP attempts. Many of these failures can be attributed to a lack of trust, transparency, and accountability systems. Overcoming these challenges will require increased oversight, building a common vision for the country that establishes strong relationships and consistent policy choices, and greater concern for the dispersion of economic growth rather than for growth itself. is required.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy or position. email and guardian.
