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UFS Thought-Leader: Looking at 2022 and beyond – declining confidence in government

29 November 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath

Panellists at the University of the Free State (UFS) Thought-Leader webinar, titled: Looking through a crystal ball – predictions for 2022, felt that the ineffectiveness, lack of skills, and incompetence of the government forced communities to change their attitude and start doing things for themselves. Eskom is considered a major obstacle to growth and those responsible for corruption will not be held to account, according to the panel.

The panel comprised Dr Pali Lehohla, Consultant: Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative and former Statistician General, South Africa; Dr Ina Gouws, Senior Lecturer: Governance and Political Transformation, UFS; Ms Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, Chief Convention Bureau Officer, South African Tourism; and Mr Dawie Roodt, Director and Chief Economist: Efficient Group.

This was the sixth webinar in the series, which is part of the Free State Literature Festival’s online initiative, VrySpraak-digitaal.

This year is better than next year

“In South Africa, there is the absence of policy systems with no leadership in the country at all levels,” said Dr Lehohla. The Treasury promises nothing for South Africa in terms of the future. Although South Africa can still reach 5,3% growth, which is reasonable, the elephant in the room is the macro reforms. The apartheid regime had a master plan in terms of how things were designed and developed – the current administration does not have a master plan, nor does it have good leadership, according to Dr Lehohla. If we do not have sound technical skills and the support of science, we will not move forward. We need competent people to drive the state, and the current government does not have these skills. This year is better than next year, according to Dr Lehohla.

People are ready to come back

The tourism sector is seeing signs of recovery. “South Africa is working on recovery – first on a domestic level, national, and then international,” said Kotze-Nhlapo. South Africa has the business events and conventions sector, and there is the need to get people to meet. South African Tourism is focusing on and targeting specific markets to build confidence in South Africa. “Twenty-four markets are being looked at as potential tourism gains for South Africa,” said Kotze-Nhlapo. The meeting industry, which looks good, will be prioritised and will trump leisure travel, according to Kotze-Nhlapo. She said tourism could be a catalyst to improve the broader economy of South Africa. Specific projects, such as Africa’s Travel Indaba, are looking at helping with the recovery in order to bring buyers back, as well as participation in international travel expos – people are ready to travel again, to meet, and to come back, according to Kotze-Nhlapo.

Listen to recording below:

An incompetent government cannot implement a bad idea

The three important aspects that ensure basic economic growth are private property rights and private property rights protection, free trade, and sound money. It is difficult to trade if there is no property rights protection and money, according to Dawie Roodt. “In South Africa, private property rights protection is under threat, free trade is being limited, and the reality is that South Africa has lost 99% of the value of its currency,” said Roodt. South Africa is experiencing significant supply chain disruptions, with high global inflation. In 1994, South Africa generated more electricity on a per capita basis in relation to the rest of the world, and today we generate less than 65% – without electricity the economy cannot grow. As an emerging economy, our fiscal debt levels as a percentage of the GDP are extremely high and unsustainable, according to Roodt.

While we have a corrupt government, the lack of effectiveness causes more damage to the economy. The ANC was the biggest loser in the local government elections, not in numbers, but in confidence. Coalitions and instability are in the pipeline – the ANC will lose its absolute majority in the 2024 elections, according to Roodt.

In South Africa, twelve million people are without jobs and 14 million have jobs. We have two million civil servants plus 18 million grant recipients – in total, 20 million people receive income from the state every month, plus grant recipients of ten million odd. In SA, 33 million people receive an income from the state every month. Only 12 million people in the private productive sector are paying for 30 million people who are recipients from the state in one form or the other.

Roodt projects that in terms of the budget, we will see less money being spent on the 30 million people over the next couple of years, because money will run out. “If less money is spent, we will see an increase in social and political tension, because money will be taken away from 30 million people,” said Roodt.

“We are seeing an increase in privatisation, because the government is one of destruction and collapse,” said Roodt. The private sector is taking over – the police is privatised, with an increase in private security that is three times more than the police; electricity is being privatised, with the allowance of 100 megawatt for the private sector; and a third of the railways can have the private sector as partners, according to Roodt. “The good thing about an incompetent government is that it cannot implement a bad idea, and therefore the NHI will not happen; we will have to cut back on grants as this is not affordable,” said Roodt.

Expropriation, import duties, and minimum wage undermines growth, coupled with Eskom, which is a major obstacle to economic growth. However, within this, an incompetent government has created opportunities in technology, education, electricity, and many other areas, according to Roodt.

A darkness hovers over our nation

We find ourselves on the other side of local government elections, where the results at local level have not been seen before. The economic hubs of our country are now being governed by minority opposition parties. “A darkness is hovering over South Africa and it is no longer possible to conceal it with empty promises and excuses from those in charge of creating better ways,” said Dr Gouws. We need service delivery to attract investment and to stop relying on government grants. The current national administration has no interest in creating an environment for entrepreneurship, and people are tired; they are expected to care about everything without seeing changes in their daily lives, according to Dr Gouws. The run-up to the recent elections illustrates that communities have started to change their attitude; in a few pockets, communities have shown that differences are an asset in solving their problems, where they have to rely on each other as opposed to the politicians. “What made the difference was the necessity and realisation that people cannot rely on government, but only on themselves as a community to bring together what they can on the foundation of ethical leadership and integrity,” said Dr Gouws.

The insistence on integrity in the way that people live their lives, and in their communities, really matters.

“Looking to the future, the new communal solidarity and local focus on fit-for-purpose solutions may be the only hope to prevent a complete collapse while national government sorts itself out,” said Dr Gouws. People are tired of having to bounce back and finding ways to cope with situations they are presented with or find themselves in. People want to be able to predict a problem, mitigate a crisis, or prevent the impact altogether, according to Dr Gouws.

Complete distrust exists between government and communities, and there is the need for government to approach communities and partner with them. Communities should be given the opportunity to show what has been done in communities, what has been achieved, and where they are going; there is insistence on this now. “The national government will remain as paralysed as it was, and the president will not make changes, especially to hold the corrupt to account. Relying entirely on national policies and unexecuted plans should be avoided by local communities desperate for better lives,” said Dr Gouws. The expectation of investment to grow the economy and create the growth that people will feel on ground level will not happen until the next leadership conference, according to Dr Gouws.

Listen to a recording of the webinar below:

News Archive

Questions about racial integration in residences answered

2007-07-31

Answers to frequently asked questions about the racial integration of student residences at the UFS

1. Why does the UFS want to change the current situation in the student residences?

There are many reasons why a new approach to placement in the student residences is necessary. However, the main reason is of an educational nature. As a university, the UFS should create an environment in its residences where students can learn to appreciate and respect the rich diversity that is on offer at the university. A university accommodates students from many different backgrounds in terms of race, language, religion, economic status, culture and other aspects. If a student can learn to appreciate the value in this rich diversity at university, he or she will also be able to appreciate the value of this diversity in the workplace and broader society.

The current situation of predominantly white and predominantly black residences has not been able to cultivate such an appreciation for diversity and respect for one another as human beings, and will not equip students with the knowledge and skills required to manage diversity.

Besides this, there are many other areas of life in the residences that need attention. For one, we need to urgently establish a human rights culture in the residences so that the rights of all students can be respected. We need to address the abuse of alcohol, provide disabled students with their rightful place, and last but not least, really entrench a culture of learning in student residences.

Let us make the residences places we can be proud of – places of learning, of diversity, of respect; places of growth and development. This is the ideal we should all strive to achieve.

2. Why does the management want to force us to integrate?

It is a false argument to debate the issue in terms of “force”. Any decision by a University, or any other organisation, regarding matters of policy, rules and regulations implies a restriction on the choice of an individual and an obligation to comply. What we should focus on is whether this decision of the Council is in the best interests of our students.

The management of the university believes that it has a responsibility to give students the best education possible, not only in terms of what you learn in the lecture rooms, but especially in the residences as well. The residences can be very powerful places of learning about matters of great importance, both academic and non-academic.

The parallel-medium language policy separates students into largely white/Afrikaans and black/English classes. Efforts are being made to bridge this divide in the classroom, but we can also try to eliminate it in the residences.

The university is committed to building a new culture for the entire institution that is based on values and principles – such as an academic culture, non-racialism, respect for human rights and diversity – among staff and students.

In the context of student residences, the application of these values and principles still allows substantial room for the voluntary exercising of choice by individuals as well as by Residence Committees, notably with regard to the placement of students (they can still place 50 percent of first-year students), as well as the determination of the future character and traditions of a diverse residence.

Furthermore, students can still choose their residences (subject to availability of places), can choose a roommate, and so forth.

3. What about freedom of association?

The rights we enjoy in a democracy must be balanced against other rights, as well as the laws of the country. This means that the right to freedom of association must be balanced against laws that make it illegal to discriminate against other people on the basis of race, language or religion, for instance.

Freedom of association pertains to the right of individuals to form voluntary organisations such as clubs or private boarding houses, or their right to join or not join existing organisations. You exercise that right when you decide to become a student of the UFS, and again when you choose to live in one of its residences.

However, once you have decided to join an organisation voluntarily, you cannot subsequently demand that that organisation should provide a “club” or residence to your liking where, for instance, you only associate with your choice of co-members. You must accept the policies of that organisation.

In any case, how would that right of yours be balanced against the right of another individual who wishes to associate with a different set of co-members? (For instance – what about the freedom of a student to associate with students NOT from his own background, but indeed from another language, cultural, racial or economic background?)

The constitutional right to freedom of association can, in any case, not be used to exclude or discriminate on the basis of race or religion (Section 18 of the Bill of Rights).

Besides, the new policy guidelines will still make provision for freedom of association. This right can be exercised freely within a diverse residence with regard to friendships, joint academic work, socialising, sport, etc.

4. Will residences not lose their traditions?

The University appreciates that there are many valuable elements of tradition in residences. However, we must bear in mind that the traditions and character of student residences have evolved and changed over time, and they will continue to evolve and to change. In addition, we do not need to accept all aspects of residence life purely on the basis of tradition, including the unacceptably high level of alcohol abuse and unsavoury, humiliating and discriminatory orientation practices. The new approach to integrated residences provides the opportunity to retain the positive aspects of the current traditions and character, but also to develop new traditions and give residences a new character.

We can now establish a tradition and a character for each residence that are reconcilable with the values of the University as a place of scholarship and are aligned with the human rights approach of our country’s Constitution, the laws of our country and the strengths and diversity of the students in a particular residence.

5. Have students been involved in this process? Is there a role for them to play after the decision has been taken by the Council of the UFS?

In the first semester of 2007, during two rounds of consultations, the primes, SRC and student organisations were consulted about the proposed new placement policy to increase diversity in residences. Some residences also made written submissions on the matter (such as Madelief, Soetdoring, Wag-'n-bietjie, Vergeet-my-nie, Emily Hobhouse). Other residences requested and were granted more time, but did not make any submissions in the end (such as Reitz and Armentum).

Management also had several meetings with the above-mentioned structures to hear first-hand from students their concerns and solutions regarding possible challenges presented by integration in residences.

During these interactions, several excellent ideas and proposals were put forward by students. These views had a definite impact on the eventual proposal that was taken to the University Council, in particular regarding the minimum level of diversity (30%) in junior residences and the fact that residences still want to have a say in the placement of students, rather than the placement decision being left in the hands of Management alone (hence the 50% placement portion of residences). Management values the effort that was put into the process by the primes and residence committees, and thanks them for their contributions.

However, it should be stressed that consultation should not be understood as a process of negotiation, nor does it imply that consensus must be reached. What it means is that Management must take a considered decision after hearing the views of stakeholders.

Management would like students to continue to provide input and ideas regarding the implementation details of the policy guidelines. Task teams have been established and students will be informed about how they can interact with the task teams on an ongoing basis.

6. But integration in the residences was tried in the past (in the late 1990s), and then it failed. Why will it work now?

Yes, the University of the Free State did integrate its residences as far back as 1993, and for a few years it worked. The UFS did it at that time and is now doing so again, because it is the right thing to do. Yet it is important to understand why the previous attempt at racial integration in residences was not successful.

Firstly, both black and white students were much polarised because of the apartheid past. Secondly, there was insufficient management support for students in the residences, the student leaders generally as well as residence heads, in terms of dealing with diversity and related issues. Thirdly, the institutional culture of the UFS and the residences in particular was not addressed as part of broader transformation and integration in residences, whereas it is now being addressed.

In addition, the current decision to integrate residences has the benefit of being implemented after several more years of integration in schooling, sport, workplaces and other aspects of life.

This decision is also based on Management’s commitment to give all the possible support it can to this process.

This is a very important initiative that the UFS is undertaking. Management, in co-operation with students, must ensure that it succeeds. Integrated residences that produce high-quality graduates equipped to deal with the challenges of the workplace and our society is a worthwhile ideal we should all strive to achieve.

If you would like to make a proposal regarding the implementation and practical aspects of the new policy, please send it to the following email address: rector@ufs.ac.za

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