Not long ago, South African corporations like Shoprite, Mr Price, Pep and MTN were great symbols of African pride and, to a great extent, their collective pride. Now they have become targets for attack and loot.
How this transformation has taken place is well known and documented. The reprisals were triggered by violent attacks against African citizens in low-income areas of South African cities, which broke out in September and caused at least 12 deaths. This was not a spontaneous happening. Seeds of mistrust were sown way back in 2008. Successive South African administrations had turned Nelson’s eye to such happenings and did not take adequate steps to address such calamities. A perception was created that the South African administration cared two hoots for the rest of Africans was built and gained momentum. This was unwittingly aided by external actors. Nominating South Africa as the only African member of the G20 and the BRICS bloc of emerging nations was another eyesore to other African nations.
In the meantime, there was a sort of mistrust being created by large corporations and political apparatus. While the government was trying to intervene in the economic process to ensure inclusive growth, the corporations wanted to have a hat off policy. They wanted market forces to decide on the course of their expansion and growth, whereas the government wanted to look at things from a different angle, possibly a pro-people outlook eying at the ballot box. Many feel that since 1994, the end of apartheid, the country was on a backburner as far as development was concerned. It may be a coloured view: but gaining acceptance.
That said, the process that is unleashed by the successive dispensations since 1994, is a great victory for democracy in the country. A government will have to listen to its voters and take decisions democratically. That lofty principle of democracy on the ground is proving anathema to the corporations, which see their decision-making powers based on market trends are greatly constrained in the present situation. Does it mean, a golden mean between excessive government interventions and corporate freedom should emerge? However, such a situation is easy to pontificate but difficult to achieve.
