Stabilising the rural push

I have had the most difficult time trying to understand the concept of radical economic transformation. What does it really mean and who is it really for?

I have read the documents and articles pertaining this transformation and what it really is about and who its beneficiaries are. Women and youth are the main beneficiaries of this concept, it is about radically elevating the process of sharing the economy with these groups and providing well needed support to the groups. 

It is a great concept in theory, but the implementation plan is lacking, there seems to be no clear plan of action by the current government of South Africa, as to how this radical economic transformation will be put in motion. My worry is that there seems to be old methods of economic transformation being used, these vehicles have been previously identified, but have benefited only a few. SEDA, ECDC, NYDA, IDZ’s and other government funding schemes are benefiting those who have access to the information, and only those who can process and understand the information.

Imagine you are a woman from the deep rural areas of Kantani (former Transkei), who is planting vegetables or fruits in your back yard to sell on the street side for small profits, to make sure you have food on the table?   Information of government and business funding are only in areas that need you to take a taxi to the nearest urbanised town or city to find out about them, but even than you are not aware of the entities, because although they are advertised on the radio or TV, they still don’t make scenes to you.

I have always been confused as to how does government speak about rural development, when only those who go through the urban push, benefit and use those who remain in the rural areas as labourers. Then the government uses those people as states of job creation, not mentioning that only a few reap the real rewards from these projects, and the rest get paid R1500 a month or less.

I have recently been introduced to a government funded youth entrepreneurship program, where the learners get to learn about business and receive a start-up fund to start their business. The students shared that their facilitators knew nothing about the material they were teaching and could not answer the questions they were asking, the worst part is that the program supervisor decided that he would place the learners in job experience positions; the only problem is that they knew nothing about the careers they were being placed in, and it had nothing to do with being entrepreneurs. The program supervisor did not pay the learners and could not be found, the government representative dealing with this case, seemed confused about the placement of learners, the material and the no payment.

What I am trying to show in this case study above, is the lack of involvement and monitoring by government on critical economic issues, such as who is teaching the youth entrepreneurship, who is following up to see that the is a real change, who is working with these kids and are these companies accredited and capable.

Radical economic transformation cannot be achieved, with limited access to information by the communities that are the intended beneficiaries. Government needs vehicles and methods that will go to rural area women and youth, that will give and explain what the government can do and needs to do. Traditional leaders need to be the biggest part of cooperate government, black suits, and white shirts, do not speak to rural community, the language of business must be simplified for these communities.

South Africa needs to start looking at practical ways to stabilise the urban push. The rural economy of the country needs to be the pillar of the economy.

There are young people who sell art and handmade crafts by the side of the road, products which could be exports from South Africa, that the world can buy, but local governments lack to embrace and empower these talents. 

So, what is the plan with radical economic transformation? How do the beneficiaries access information, who are the real beneficiaries, what role is local government playing in the implementation, is there a real road map or is it a political rhetoric to win votes?