RE-DEFINING ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
The African Context
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Our history and our future as a society, as an economy, are inextricably bound to the African continent. As we continue to lead the quest for the restoration of the economic citizenship of Black South Africans, it might enrich our wisdom to borrow from Africa’s experiences in this regard. As the recent political history of our continent has shown, the cold reality is that as Africans we are on our own. No foreign persons, institution or nation will come to our rescue.
Our story shows that whenever they have said they will, they have been merely pursuing their own interest, an interest seldom aligned to our own. This view must not be interpreted as an argument against cooperation among nations. It simply means that unless and until we Africans have the courage to do the things we must do in order to construct ourselves economically, we will never be taken seriously in the global trade and investment arena. We must accept that we shall never plead ourselves out of mass poverty and into our rightful and equitable place in the trade and investment world.As demonstrated by global history, productive enterprise continues to be the single-most viable foundation upon which all modern economies are built. If the architecture of any future economy on the continent is to be viable, it will have to be set on the plan to develop and entrench employment- generating and diverse domestic industries, both small and large.
Critical mass will be important if we are to sustain the development of Africa’s economies. Our leaders must accept that certain borderlines as demarcated today will only serve to hinder the development of our economies.Although desirable,the integration of the entire continent into a single market is not practical in the foreseeable future, but there are ready foundations for integration of regions within the continent.In the medium term, the single most important matter for resolution by Africa’s leadership is sustainable livelihoods for the citizens of the continent. As young Africans, we must insist on a future beyond poverty alleviation, and strive for a future of prosperity. This is part and parcel of the NEF’s role in the South African Economy, and thus its purpose and the task for our generation, a pursuit in which we dare not fail.
As the current board of the NEF reaches the end of its tenure, it is opportune to reflect on the challenges and achievements of the past four years, and look to the future, and to the NEF’s role in a dynamic and ever- changing society. We have learned from our experiences, and as new challenges such as the global financial crisis present themselves, our greatest strength will lie in being alert to the changes taking place around us, and in being able to deliver on our objectives by being focused yet flexible.
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