By Vyacheslav Tetekin
Translation from Russian:"SOVETSKAYA ROSSIYA" (Moscow) 13 May 2003
For several days after arriving to South Africa from cold and cloudy Moscow you can't stop thinking: "here is the Paradise". Colourful flowers and palms, ever-blue sky and emerald green grass make you excited. The nature is not the only thing that raises your spirits. South Africa (just as in the rest of Africa) is populated by friendly, smiling and very cheerful people.
Reading UN economic reports, it looks as if the whole continent is a disaster zone. But when in Africa, one doesn't find even a shadow of gloom. People there can enjoy life as it is (though they can as well fight for their rights!).
Apart from inherent friendliness, South Africans are working hard to strengthen the image of an extremely hospitable country. Anyone arriving in South Africa constantly hears "Enjoy your stay", "Enjoy your trip", "Enjoy your meal". And it works. Over the last two or three years, tourists are pouring into the country. The number of big aircraft at the Johannesburg Airport is staggering. Crowds of tourists descend from these aircraft.
They quickly go through immigration and customs and then.... lions, rhinoceroses, gold mines, Zulu dance. All this, of course, is very appealing and we will come back to it. There are, however, issues of greater importance to us. Particularly interesting are, for instance, social transformations started after the elimination of apartheid. Not long ago the country was divided by an enormous gap between the levels of life of its black and white citizens.
The majority of Whites lived in luxurious villas. The majority of Africans lived in shacks. 5 million Whites possessed absolute power. Tens of millions of Blacks had to struggle for 80 years (including 30 years of the armed struggle) just for the right to vote. After the ANC-led alliance won the first democratic election in April 1994, the new government faced a new and even more difficult task of overcoming economic inequality. It has accumulated over three centuries. Therefore its elimination turned out to be more difficult than winning political power.
Our friends have succeeded in achieving a number of goals. Let us note that South Africa is rarely mentioned in the world news. Bomb explosions, street riots, rebellions or uprisings don't happen here. To put it short, it is a successful country. Such countries are few in the modern world. One must keep in mind that from the apartheid regime South Africa inherited a distorted economy serving the needs of 5 million Whites and indifferent to over 30 million Blacks. Africans were taught to read and write (to do simplest job). However, few could become engineers or skilled workers. Therefore paradoxically with about 35% unemployment, the country lacks skilled labour. In turn, unemployment gives rise to crime.
The new government's commitment to change faced an unexpected obstacle.
For decades South Africa was in international isolation. However, when sanctions were lifted the country jumped from the frying pan of boycott into the fire of globalization. Its essence is an immediate transfer of capital from one country to another if investors feel uncomfortable. The International Monetary Fund started to dictate its conditions to the world. The South African government works hard to improve people's lives. For this it needs to increase state expenditures and to raise the role of the state in the economy. The IMF however demands "increased efficiency" i.e. introduction of liberalization, privatization and other free market "wonders". In short the withdrawal of the state from the economy. The international institutions use very subtle methods to twist arms. A country is given a number of macroeconomic objectives. It is up to a country to accept them or not. However, if it doesn't comply, the West drops the country's credit rating signaling the Western business to refrain from investing. South Africa being a part of the Western economy, this could have been disastrous. Thus, it had to compromise.
If however a country accepted the IMF demands (even those contrary to its interests), the situation became still worse. The IMF immediately "moves the goalposts" by introducing new demands. This goes on until the country becomes totally dependent on the IMF. Yeltsin's "democratic" Russia joyfully fell into this trap 12 years ago and remains there today.
South Africa was actively offered foreign loans, which was another trap.
Eloquent IMF officials claimed that these loans were a great blessing. Yeltsin used those loans in abundance. Currently Russia faces hard consequences. South African leaders rejected that "favour". Therefore South Africa doesn't have enormous foreign debts and is able to conduct an independent foreign policy.
There is a strong debate on what path to follow. It becomes increasingly clear that the demands to "increase the efficiency" contradict the main goal - the improvement of people's lives. Quite often, the "efficiency" brings about the growth of unemployment. Thus, privatization issue provokes hot debates. Certainly, South African privatization has nothing in common with Chubais's privatization in Russia that looked more like a robbery.
Control over various economic sectors in South Africa can't be given to groups of "nouvaux riches", as it was in Russia.
South Africa retains state control over railways and air transport, telecommunications, ports, electricity and energy. The state sector is quite successful. For example, South African Airlines bought back its 30% of shares from the insolvent Swiss Airways and gained US$ 130 million of profit last year. Between 2003 and 2012, the company is planning to buy 42 new aircraft including brand new Airbuses to replace old Boeings.
However, debates are indeed intense. Will privatization raise efficiency?
Will it lead to the growth of unemployment or to its reduction? While discussing long-term programmes, the government is working to improve lives of the poorest, particularly of African peasants. The primary target is to provide them with the access to clean water, which is an issue of life and death in Africa. Over the recent years, millions of people have been provided with clean water through facilities installed in or close to their houses.
480 hospitals have been built in rural areas. By the way, hundreds of Cuban doctors work there selflessly (on very modest terms) compensating for the lack of medical staff in those areas. During the apartheid times, millions of people were illiterate. Currently the government is ensuring that all children go to school. 4.5 million pupils are provided with breakfast. During the apartheid regime electricity was basically a privilege of the Whites. After 1994, electricity was supplied to 3.8 million families that had used oil lamps (an unbelievable fact at the end of the 20th century).
Services cost money. South African leadership knows that unemployed and peasants often have no money to pay for water and electricity. What is the way out? It is simple - every family receives certain quotes for free water (6 thousand liters per month) and electricity. It's not much, but enough for people to feel themselves human beings. Thousands of houses have been constructed primarily for the homeless. Before 1994, a telephone was a dream beyond the reach for the majority of Africans. Today telephones become available.
These changes may seem insignificant to us brought up in the Soviet era. But for millions of Africans, who only ten years ago were regarded as third-rate people, such changes represent sound evidence that the ANC, which they have brought to power, is fulfilling its promises. The ruling African National Congress is the largest party of Center-Left orientation. The ANC has approximately 400 thousand members and it is not in a hurry to boost its membership. Certainly, in the ANC (as was the case with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union), some people tried to use the ruling party to promote their careers. This is exactly what the ANC wants to avoid and till now has managed to do quite successfully. The ANC didn't become fat nor did it became bronze. It firmly controls its MPs and Cabinet ministers - ANC-members. All of them must act in compliance with the ANC policy documents. But it is not a kind of strict control of Party bureaucracy as was the case with the CPSU. It is a creative process, where all (I emphasize - all!) ANC members can and must participate in the development of the party's policy and then consciously implement it.
The ANC is doing active theoretical work. It has nothing to do with boring scholastic theorizing. The ANC research is directed at solving practical tasks. Analyzing different situations, South African politicians don't hesitate to consult the works of Marx and Lenin. It is not the dogmatic "ask-the-classics". Simply when Marxist methods of class analysis help to resolve issues facing the country, they are applied regardless of Western cries about the collapse of Marxism. Well! Russia's left wing and patriotic forces have a lot to learn from our friends!
Party leaders are not puffing their cheeks and don't pretend to be big bosses. On Monday at the modest headquarters of the ruling party in Johannesburg I met in the corridor the ANC Secretary General, wise Cde. Kgalema Motlanthe (former trade union leader, five years of imprisonment on Robben Island). He was wearing a simple shirt and no tie. Five minutes later I was received by the ANC Vice-President (and SA Deputy President) Cde Jacob Zuma (for many years he ran the ANC underground and military operations, 10 years of imprisonment on Robben Island). He was also wearing a simple shirt.
It was not a tribute to "democratic fashion". It is the style of life (and of thinking) of people who emerged as leaders during the liberation struggle and who don't want to lose a link with the people. By the way, all the ANC leaders have a good sense of humour and never hesitate to laugh aloud (not forgetting about work).
The President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki received your correspondent at an unpretentious residence in Cape Town. A small cozy office. A friendly host.
The discussion was on the economic issues (the white business is not in a hurry to invest money probably still hoping that the past will come back), on Iraq (what kind of world will emerge after the war?), on Russia (the President warmly recalled Russian officers who taught him to handle weapons). Thabo Mbeki is a talented politician by nature. He is irresistibly charming and at the same time self-disciplined and firm. He studied economics at the University of Sussex (England) and did military training in the Soviet Union. He possesses enormous experience of successful freedom struggle and of running the country. Thabo Mbeki is one of the leading world politicians. Nonetheless, no signs of snobbery.
It happened that after that meeting I was driven in the direction of Groote Schuur Estate. On the road, the presidential cavalcade overtook my car. It was surprising to see that side streets were not closed and the traffic was not stopped. The cavalcade was driving through the traffic. Security people just skillfully (and very carefully) blocked other cars from the presidential limousine. That was it. No sirens, no pomp. There is only one security post at the presidential residence - just at the entrance. All you need to do at the entrance is to tell the security your name and if your visit is expected. And that is that. Same is everywhere whether at the Parliament or at the Government building. It is a style -anti-bureaucratic.
The President told me that in the morning he attended the opening of a hospital in one of the poorest districts in Cape Town. Big problems are still there and dissatisfied people are also there. Not far from the ceremony venue there was a group of protesters. You might think that they were chased away or ignored. Not at all. The President stopped the car, got out and went to talk to the protesters. Can you imagine anything like that in contemporary Russia?
To be honest, after 1994 some ANC members wanted to convert power into wealth. The ANC could not let it happen. A special government body with an impressive name "Scorpions" was created. It is supposed to handle not small fish but corrupted top officials or rich businessmen giving bribes and evading taxes. Thus, among the people caught by the "Scorpions" were one Chairperson of a Parliamentary committee and one former minister, let alone other less known figures. Offenders are treated unceremoniously. If somebody is proved guilty, the "Scorpions" confiscate houses and cars, take away furniture and electronics in front of the TV cameras. Such scenes make some people think twice. After the creation of the "Scorpions", the tax collection in South Africa has increased by almost a billion dollars a year.
The ANC is a part of the Alliance with the South African Communist Party and COSATU. The SACP has a very high reputation earned through decades of its members' involvement in the struggle in the most dangerous sectors - the ANC underground structures and its armed wing "Umkhonto we Sizwe". The party has tens of thousands of members. The SACP main principle is the same as in the ANC: every member should be not a burden but an activist. Several SACP members serve as Cabinet ministers: Charles Nqakula -(a former detainee) -Minister for Safety and Security, Ronnie Kasrils (former head of the ANC military intelligence) - Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry and Jeff Radebe (four years on Robben Island) - Minister of Public Enterprises.
The SACP role has changed as a result of general changes in the country.
After Party leader Chris Hani was murdered by a Polish racist émigré, young but very active and committed Blade Nzimande was elected SACP Secretary General. The Party is involved in vigorous debates with the ANC leaders on economic strategy. In my view, such debates are useful (the truth is born through disputes). Simultaneously it creates a counterbalance to the tremendous pressure on the government by international and South African business. (On the other hand, the European and US leftists are trying to influence the SACP and COSATU). Debates inside the Alliance do not become antagonistic. Comrades try to avoid going personal, though sometimes it is not easy. South African polemics however are nowhere close to the dirt of Russian "democratic" politics and mass media.
Certainly, there is a right-wing opposition: the Democratic Alliance (a mixture of our Union of Rightist Forces and the "Apple"). The DA is a clearly pro-Western party, promoting the interests of the Western and big South African business. The opposition criticizes the government without choosing expressions. Nonetheless, nobody shuts it up. Parliamentary debates including speeches of the opposition leaders are regularly broadcast on the TV. Compare it to Russian "democracy" where the opposition is almost banned from the TV.
Let's come back to tourism however. It is not all about lions among the palms. Tourism is a very important part of the economy. In Russia, they claim that the right to travel abroad is one of the major achievements of the "reforms". The South Africans, on the contrary, try to attract tourists from all over the world. To put it simply: money flows out of Russia, while South Africa gets it in. From 600 to 800 thousand tourists come to South Africa annually. For instance, for the Germans (and they are fond of traveling) South Africa is among the seven most popular destinations.
Income generated by tourism comes fourth after gold and diamonds mining, agriculture and the manufacturing industry. Last year, South Africa received 16% more tourists than the previous year. This is a great step forward.
Martin Wiest of the "Welcome Tourism Services" believes that after the terrorist attacks on the US and the escalation of the Middle Eastern conflict the world has reassessed certain things. South Africa turned out to be one of the safest countries. There are neither terror attacks nor ethnic conflicts. There is the Kruger National Park where one can see the famous "African five": elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, giraffes and buffaloes.
There is fabulous Cape Town and beautiful beaches of Durban. Smart South African tour operators have invented dozens of exotic tours. It became profitable to combine rest with medical treatment (laser vision correction in South Africa is much cheaper than in Germany). It has also become popular among European and American couples to wed in South Africa. Travel agency handle all formalities, you do not need to invite guests and can have your honeymoon on the spot.
For some people tourism means rest, for some it means work. The development of tourism helps to fight unemployment. It is estimated that seven foreign tourists create a job for one person. The importance is obvious, as among 10 million economically active South Africans about 1.2 million work in the services sector. Moreover, this kind of work (drivers, waiters, room cleaners) doesn't require particularly high skills (a very important job-creating factor for South Africa). Thus, lions and elephants contribute to the solution of socio-economic issues.
Special efforts have been made to attract Africans to tourism and the services sectors. My new friend Antony Chlote, used benefits offered to small African business to create a small transport firm providing services to foreign tourists.
In South Africa tourism and politics are inseparable. Having noticed an ANC badge on the lapel of my jacket, a female immigration officer at the airport smiled and said: "Very good". Cheryl Carolus - in the 80s one of the leaders of the ANC underground in Cape Town - heads the "Tourism South Africa".
She is a glamorous woman full of joyful energy. Appointed SA High Commissioner in London, she impressed stern British by her determination to make routine receptions animated and human. Having assumed her duties in the tourism sector, she stunned the white business by the ability to apply to tourism development the principles of underground work. By the way, Valli Moosa, the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, at the end of 80s created lots of noise by his sensational escape from custody.
Having written all this I realized that the majority in the South African Cabinet, including the President and the Deputy President, are the people who ten years ago were regarded by the West as "terrorists". Many of them have spent several years in prison. However, they (and it is a widely recognized fact) are running the country very successfully. Probably this is precisely because they have developed strength and commitment through struggle and imprisonment...
Not only tourists are attracted by the South African prosperity. People, who have failed to find their place under the sun in their home countries, are flying like butterflies from all over the world. Immigrants (including illegal immigrants) are coming not only from neighboring countries but also from such remote places as China and Russia. Our countrymen tempted by the hope of quick success are facing difficulties. Some have transferred to South Africa their money stolen in Russia and are now enjoying life behind high fences of luxurious villas. However others seduced by rumours about the fabulous life of the Whites often sell everything at home and travel to South Africa just to find that they have to start from zero. The idea is simple: no one and nowhere is waiting for us to come and enjoy ready-made prosperity. We should put order in our own house.
South Africans are very positive towards Russia. Many remember the contribution of the Soviet Union to the liberation struggle (the USSR was one of few countries that supported the ANC armed struggle). Many of South Africans regret the destruction of the Soviet Union and are watching closely the developments in new Russia. The appearance of paradise hides very earthly problems. But the people and the government of South Africa are handling them successfully.
Let's wish them luck.
Moscow - Johannesburg - Cape Town.
[Contents]