Bandwidth and technological issues aside, South Africa is faced with a number of significant problems. But according to Jakkie Cilliers from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), there are a number of ways and solutions that we can employ to avoid a disastrous future.
“South Africans have a very different view on the country, and across the board there is either a half full or half empty attitude. But South Africa is poised for change in the next couple of years. The ruling ANC government can no longer rely on their liberation credentials,” Cilliers said during the opening session of TEDx, Johannesburg.
He pointed out that apart from a leadership change in the ANC, there is a big change happening, as the youth will play a major role in determining the future of South Africa. “Young voters will carry the tide in the next elections. But the questions who they are going to vote for? It seems like they are certainly voting on policy.”
He noted that the opposition parties in South Africa have been making some strides, and the general populations is not satisfied with how things are being governed at the moment.
Cilliers explained a couple of scenarios that the ISS have been looking at, and according to him the 2016 elections will be more violent than ever before. The reason for this is that there will be intense competition for ground as there are more active political parties who enter the fray.
But what needs to happen to make the change in South Africa? For Cilliers it’s simple and all boils down to the National Development Plan. “We need to implement the NDP, we need to work on our social compact by coming together as a nation and we most importantly we need to grow the economy as well as need to fix the government.”
There are a number of other factors that Cilliers details, which involves a capable government at a local and national level, reclaiming political accountability, and making voting mandatory.
“If we do this, we will be able to live to the dream of the South Africa and future that we want.”
