The CEO of the Inclusive Society Institute, Daryl Swanepoel, participated in the roundtable discussion on Building the Centre, which was organised by the In Transformation Initiative. The dialogue was held at the Winston Hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg on the 27th of June 2023.
The discussions, including key inputs by an array of high-level speakers, were led by Mr Roelf Meyer and Prof Nick Binedell, focussed on the:
Current political, economic, and social environment in South Africa; and
Critical challenges: education, mining and crime & justice.
In Transformation spelt out the purpose of the discussion as the following:
South Africa is experiencing various challenges at all three levels of government due to the incapacity to deliver services as required by a functional state. This situation is demonstrated by line departments being unable to execute government policy (to the extent that more and more functions are located in the Presidency); failed state-owned enterprises across board; unserviceable local authorities; extraordinary high levels of crime.
Locally, these issues result in poor economic growth, unemployment and neglect of the poor and insufficient socio-economic transformation. At international level, South Africa lags behind peers on the continent and further afield.
It seems impossible for a single political party to correct the situation, although the intent might be there. Also, a single platform or vision between civil society, private sector and government does not exist.
In order to give rise to our Constitutional aspirations and imperatives it is suggested that dialogue be stimulated to advance ideas on how the situation can be turned around for the benefit of all South Africans; by means of leadership and execution. Urgent measures need to be taken to increase the capacity of the state, to expedite economic growth through investment and to achieve real economic transformation.