Politics

Paul Terna Gbahabo is a research consultant and a PhD graduate in Development Finance at Stellenbosch Business School. Africa, a continent of immense potential, stands at a critical juncture. The call for an industrial revolution is not merely a suggestion but an economic imperative. Africa desperately needs an industrial revolution. Though daunting, it is not beyond reach – it has been accomplished elsewhere in Europe, North America, and recently in East Asia. Why can't Africa spearhead its own economic and technological revolution? This transformative change entails rapid enhancements in productivity growth, driven by increased technical proficiency and efficiency rates across all economic sectors. The agenda for this transformation must encompass strategic policies promoting mechanisation in production, especially in agriculture and artisanal economies. Digitalisation, particularly in service sectors and government operations, is crucial, along with ensuring a consistent and dependable energy supply — where nuclear energy could be a viable consideration. Additionally, leveraging labor-intensive manufacturing (such as food processing, textiles, and apparel) can be a potent policy tool to foster decent job creation and mitigate the continent's soaring unemployment rates. Significant improvements in transportation and communication infrastructure are also imperative. However, it's crucial to reflect on the context that highlights the urgency of this moment and characterises Africa's precarious realities, largely due to its failure to industrialise. Consider the stark reality faced by the African continent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential devastation loomed large if the pandemic had been deadlier, more virulent, and centered in Africa. The situation isn't far-fetched; think of the Bubonic plague that ravaged Europe's labor force in the 14th century, resulting in an estimated death toll averaging around 25 million in Europe alone. Despite …

Nababeep, Northern Cape: Transformation in the resources sector must be contemplated from a perspective of holistic inclusion said Copper360 chair Shirley Hayes. The copper producer this week launched a project to develop a white paper specifically to measure current levels of inclusion in the mining and resources sector. The intent is not only to trouble shoot but to interrogate potential solutions that could overcome hurdles preventing full integration of genders and people with disabilities into the sector. Hayes said: “Not enough is being done in terms of inclusion, and transformation also means more than redressing injustices of the past. It also means addressing inequalities that people still experience every day, particularly in areas like resources.” She said that not enough was being done in the sector to ensure inclusion. The White Paper on Inclusion will be shaped as a study and headed by former Ms. Wheelchair South Africa Tamelyn Bock, a Nababeep local with Copper360’s ESG officer Jennifer Barnard. Hayes said that the study, expected to take several months, will be published in the third quarter of 2023. Hayes said that role players in the resources sector are welcome to join in and extended an open invitation. She said: “This is about all of us and is for everyone.” Hayes said: “This is a project that aims to benefit all role players in the resources sector, from copper producers such as us through to mining giants. We all need to take heed of inclusion on a greater scale than what has been the case until now.” Hayes lists people with physical disabilities as a particular focus. She said: “When I looked at our own infrastructure, I realized that it must be incredibly unfriendly for anyone facing a physical challenge, visitor or potential employee. And while not every aspect of an industrial operation may be conducive to rehabilitate into a friendlier environment, a lot of it can be.” Tolerance and understanding, said Hayes, is also …

Wednesday 24 August 2022, marks six months since Russia’s unprovoked war on the free and democratic Ukraine. It is also the country's day of independence – 31 years since Ukraine re-established its independence. It’s a day that deserves reflection – and a moment to take stock of what the threat to independence means for the world – and Africa. “Europe and the US have been hard-hit,” says Liubov Abravitova, ambassador of Ukraine in South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique. “And, the pain being suffered from the energy crisis is a strategic one. Dubbed as ‘energy blackmailing’, the Kremlin expects economic pressures brought about by significant reductions in energy resources as the heating season in the northern hemisphere kicks in will lead to war fatigue – and weaken the support provided to Ukraine.” And, after just six months, South Africa and the continent have powerfully felt the impact of this war. Immediately, the most pressing and visible consequences have been rising food and fuel prices – compounded by financial instability and inflation on a continent far from economically recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic. Economically speaking “Longer term,” says Abravitova, “we can expect this pain to be compounded. Ukraine’s trade turnover in the first half of 2022 is 21.3% less than in 2021. Approximately 12% of the continent’s wheat imports came directly from Ukraine between 2018 -2020, so the mid to long term consequences are cause for concern, as ongoing food shortages will translate into elevated food costs and shortages.” The hardest hit globally are societies in the lower income brackets – for whom the majority of their income is dedicated to transportation and food. Already, the UN’s Global Crisis Response Group has predicted a “cost of living crisis” – and it is Africa, with the intensified impact of its poor infrastructure (impacting logistics and food distribution), and fluctuating weather patterns which are reducing local crop yield, and the …

Politics, state capture and SA’s energy crisis in sharp focus at News24’s On the Record summit • News24's first ever summit will dissect key issues affecting South Africa's future, including our energy crisis and rampant culture of corruption. • On the Record with News24 will take place on 1 September in partnership with Nedbank at the Sandton Convention Centre. • It will feature a keynote address by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and six panel discussions, and look at how to turn the country's many problems into possibilities. There's no denying that South Africa is at a crucial crossroads. The country is facing a range of intersecting obstacles, including deep-seated corruption, a failing governing party and a worsening electricity crisis. In an effort to help map out solutions to the South Africa's mounting challenges, News24 is hosting a summit on how to take the nation forward. Set down for 1 September at the Sandton Convention Centre, the leadership event will bring together some of the country's most prominent change agents and thought leaders to discuss SA's future. News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson will welcome attendees alongside the master of ceremonies, award-winning investigative television journalist, Devi Sankaree Govender. Delegates will give an ear to keynote speaker, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who will set the tone for thoughtful debates on how to bring South Africa back from the brink. The full-day summit will feature six panel discussions, taking a closer look at some of the problems blocking South Africa's growth and innovation, and what is needed to solve them. News24's assistant editor for in-depth news, Pieter du Toit, will facilitate the first panel discussion focusing on state capture and rooting out corruption in South Africa. He'll be joined by Justice Minster Ronald Lamola, Investigating Directorate (ID) head advocate Andrea Johnson, and Lawson Naidoo, the executive secretary at the Council for the …