The African National Congress (ANC) government has caused immeasurable damage to the country’s economy over the past 10 years, that’s according to economist Dawie Roodt.
Roodt was a panelist at the Thought Leader Series debate at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein.
He says recent contradictory public statements between President Cyril Ramaphosa, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule are an indication that it’s unclear who is actually in charge of the country.
“The evidence is all around us. We can look at the Eskom as an example. It has been destroyed financially. The state debt level today are at record high levels. (It) has become totally unsustainable. It keeps on going up. The efficiency of the state has been destroyed essentially. Look at the quality of education in South Africa. It is such a shame.”
The students, however, appear more optimistic.
“There’s been many interventions put in place recently; free education; investment summits; the focus on Fourth Industrial revolution. These things were not there in the past. Things won’t change instantly, but we do have confidence in the current government,” says one student.
“I do have confidence in the economy, but that can only be achieved if there’s hard work. But it is very important to work together. Because the greatest challenge is that we are so diverse and from different backgrounds,” adds another one.
Skilling the black majority in particular, creating industries and relaxed trade policies were among the suggestions to turn the economy around.
