THERE IS GROWING DANGER THAT SOUTH AFRICA ENDS LIKE ZIMBABWE!!

South Africa`s economy is firing from all cylinders, I could also not help but wonder at the disparities between South Africa’s richest and poorest citizens. According to that country’s human development figures, five percent of South Africa’s mainly white population controls 80 percent of that country’s land and economic resources. Such a frightening statistic left me questioning the wisdom behind the creation of such a massively advanced economy that forgets to take on board the majority of its citizens. South Africa is a classic example of a country that has failed to address racial, gender, ethnic and class dimensions of poverty.

There has been no systematic transformation of economic structures and the typical enclave economy still persists today.  South Africa’s phenomenal opulence that is typical of the so-called first world is beginning to cause ructions in the country. The Marikana miners’ strike of August last year immediately comes to mind. The job action attracted international attention following a series of violent incidents between the South African Police Service, Lonmin security, the leadership of the National Union of Mineworkers and strikers themselves which resulted in the deaths of 44 people. At least 78 additional workers were also injured. Even though largely discredited, the likes of Julius Malema are beginning to garner support as they question the country’s economic justice system that has, for example, allowed the construction of massive stadiums, airports and highways when its public health delivery system cannot even afford to offer decent facilities to cater for the majority of its citizens.

Malema, who was expelled from the ruling African National Congress for his radicalism and went on to launch his own political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, whose future in South African politics is still unclear, has mocked the country’s public health system as having failed to offer service to its revered anti-apartheid fighter, Nelson Mandela, who is currently being treated at the privately-owned Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria for a recurring lung infection. The country’s paradoxical economic growth in a largely impoverished nation is also highlighted by its enormous housing challenges and rising unemployment.

MALEMA KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED, VICTORY IS YOURS!!!!