National dialogue 2.0 ... the last throw of the dice?

IT IS A common cause that 31 years since the formal demise of apartheid, the promises, great expectations and dreams of democracy are rapidly turning into horrific nightmares for the poor and disadvantaged. At the same time, (new and old) elites rule the roost.

- PROFESSOR BRIJ MAHARAJ

Socio-economic and spatial inequalities of the apartheid era widened, while the politically-connected continued to accumulate wealth and power at the expense of the poor.

Crime and corruption escalate exponentially and are inextricably connected to political elites, global mafia operations of every genre magnetically gravitate to our country, and gender-based violence is a pandemic.

South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world (33%), especially among young adults.

The poor have inadequate access to essential services like water, electricity, health care and basic education.

Many of these challenges were aggravated by state capture. As highlighted by the Zondo Commission, state capture in South Africa involved the systematic and deliberate subversion of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for private gain.

State capture eroded good governance practices within SOEs and government departments (including law enforcement and intelligence services), decreasing operational performance and effectiveness.

This entailed influencing appointments, procurement procedures, governance and institutional structures to favour specific individuals and organisations.

Key SOEs like Eskom, Transnet and South African Airways were significantly impacted by state capture, with subsequent multiplier effects on all aspects of South African life, destroying the economy.

All these problems and challenges were aggravated during the hegemonic rule and reign of one political party, the ANC.

Not surprisingly, some of its senior members were implicated in the state capture report. Still, no one has yet been convicted because of the hollowing out of capacity in the National Prosecuting Authority.

When he was firmly ensconced on the throne, Jacob Zuma repeatedly said that the “ANC will rule until Jesus returns”.