YAAB

South Africa whether we admit it or not has a booming economy, that is spinning off its’ spiral concerning the fact that we have an economy that is a living breathing tyrant of capitalism. However we must consider the fact that our successful economy is only benefiting certain parts of South African society, and these parts being the middle to upper classes.

President Thabo Mbeki himself has openly provided critique of our South African economy and the fact that we have bought into a capitalist economy, which ultimately further disenfranchises the poor and the marginalized. Our concern in corporate South Africa should be, “How can we find a hybrid of an economic system that is governed by intentions to seek economic growth within a model that simultaneously seeks to empower the multitudes of South Africans that are of the lower class, who are in many cases stuck in generic poverty and struggling just to make earnings to put bread on the table.

There seems to be a social process of hegemony, where people of influence and power are not willing to question the tremendous flourishing of the rich and the elites in a South Africa where post apartheid has not dealt with issues of chronic poverty, housing, unemployment etc.

Why is it that people, organizations and institutions have no social conscience and desire to ask critical questions about the state and the plight of the poor? Instead we come up with simple answers to complex situations. Simple answers such as, “the poor are poor because they are lazy; they don’t seek out opportunities, they are too happy to just go from door to door begging and they don’t have drive.”

What response will corporate South Africa provide to the growing gap between the rich and the poor? Will corporate South Africa choose to be silent, by ignoring the plight of the people, or will corporate South Africa come alive to having a concern for the social demise of many of our country’s sons and daughters.

There may be a need for a radical revolution within our economy, where we seek out a custom made socialized democracy that is driven by a concern for the development of all South Africans, a hybrid economy that allows profit without a cost that further denies the healthy development of our people.

Blessings and ‘alutta continua’, “la lucha continua,” the struggle continues.
Shalom, Shanti, La Paz sea contigo, As-Salamu’Alaykum - Peace be upon you!

Yours sincerely
Seth Naicker
Program and projects director
Office of Reconciliation Studies
Bethel University
3900 Bethel Drive,# 2083
St. Paul, Minnesota
55112-6999, USA
Tel: 651 638 6417
seth-naicker@bethel.edu
indiAfrique - Training and Development
smnaick@hotmail.com