To save our politics, we need to accelerate socio-economic transformation
Earlier this year, I watched season one of the Turkish drama series “Kubra”, where the protagonist Gokhan received messages from the app Kubra. The sender provides intel and warnings that seem like divine messages about what is to happen.
Gokhan became spiritually inclined after his military service and started believing that the messages were from Allah. He amassed followers, only to discover that the messages were artificial intelligence (AI) generated from a software company.
Instead of revealing this to his followers (Semavi followers/movement as they’re called), he continued his mission.
In today’s world, many of us believe that the world is unfair and does not treat everyone equally. “Saviours”, like Gokhan, would not be able to amass the kind of followers they do if there was social justice in their country. Citizens look to their leaders for guidance and direction. The political challenges in South Africa are not unique; they affect people the world over. Developed nations are also feeling the brunt of social and political disenchantment.
One can take a closer look at US politics and the challenges there. Also look at the world’s largest public elections, that being in India, and the coalitions that its president, Narendra Modi, is set to form. Let’s also not forget the happenings in the UK, which has had five or so prime ministers in the past eight years.
Who would have thought that new political parties would amass the kind of following they did in South Africa’s national elections? This demonstrates that citizens will continue to look for answers in different corners if their genuine service delivery concerns are not addressed. What does this call for?
It calls for the need to create opportunities for the youth, provide adequate basic services, education, health care and ensure that our cities and communities are safe from crime. It’s about ensuring that most of the population, which is largely African, are given a seat at the table, ensuring equality and inclusivity in our economy. It’s about opening the economy to ensure the advancements of new entrants and small businesses that will create the much-needed jobs our people need, specifically our burgeoning youth population.
The reality is that if we do not do this, the masses will have no choice but to believe every saviour that comes to them promising redemption. The problem is that the so-called saviours will go to any length to prove that they were the “chosen ones” sent to us by God, so to speak.
Even Gokhan went to the extent of killing his partner to prove a point. His so-called mission to “save” his people even led to the death of his own mother and sister.
As we embark on a government of national unity, or the coalition government as many term it, it’s about ensuring the new government rolls up its sleeves and delivers basic services to its people and ensures that there are opportunities for employment for those who desperately need them.
But specifically: How does the new government become inclusive enough to accommodate and balance the forces on the Left and Right, ensuring we have a stable set of politics, while fending off a potential promulgation of the extremist politics in the next election?
To save and sustain our political environment, we need to accelerate socio-economic transformation in our communities and cities.
Kizito Okechukwu is the executive head of 22 On Sloane, Africa’s largest entrepreneurship campus. He is also the co-chair of the Global Entrepreneurship Network Africa.
BUSINESS REPORT