By Alec Hogg
A growing body of thought among white business and academic leaders says all will soon be well in South Africa. The thinking goes that the country just has to see out the next three years of President Jacob Zuma. It matters not that this is based on the fragile assumption the incumbent won’t be replaced by someone in his image.
I heard that hope expressed again last night by Piet Naude, head of Stellenbosch University’s Business School. Naude, a part time preacher proud of his humble roots, is a skilled orator who combines pathos, ethos and logos in the right proportions. Surrounding the post-Zuma optimism was his compelling case for the dawning of a more competitive political scenario, arguing it would have a positive impact on the country.
For me, three years is a long time. And Zuma is a wily campaigner. But I did like what Naude said about the potential for the Eskom disaster to have positive consequences.
This week’s decision by Government’s Eskom War Room to dust off privatisation proposals is an admission, Naude reckons, the Developmental State ideals are finally colliding with economic realities. He believes this is sparking the appreciation that Public Private Partnerships are the most logical solution not just to problems at Eskom, but also SAA and, indeed, the entire education sector. He got a standing ovation from a largely Afrikaner audience at the PSG Konsult annual conference. Whether they’d be applauding just yet in Luthuli House, is a different question.
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