South Africa after the election

Debt is running at 44% of GDP, growth was 1.9% in 2013; mining contributes 10% to the economy but is 60% of foreign revenue. In the past year the Rand lost 20%. Strikes have cost platinum miners $A 200 million in the past eighteen months with violent police action aimed at ending the disputes costing mine workers their lives.

Since 1994 over 3 million homes have been built for poor blacks; a considerable achievement in the face of endemic corruption. However, the need remains overwhelming with millions of black South Africans living in squatter camps, without running water, sewerage or electricity.

Although increasing its vote the Democratic Alliance, led by former veteran journalist Helen Zille has, in its present configuration, probably peaked. It is seen as a party of white free traders with a social conscience. Its roots can be traced back to the old white opposition Progressive Party of the Apartheid era. Nonetheless it attracted over 1 million new voters, many of them black.

It tried to pull even more black voters from the ANC by entering into an arrangement with veteran anti-Apartheid activist and former director of the World Bank, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, for her to become president of the DA. After publicly agreeing, Ramphele pulled out after it was disclosed that she had not discussed the deal with the membership and executive of her own party Agang.

Agang picked up two seats in the new parliament with 52,000 or 0.28% of the vote. When I spoke with her last year in Cape Town she was very confident of picking up enough seats to possibly hold the balance of power. After her clumsy flirtation with the DA her electoral stocks fell dramatically.

The rising black star is Julius Malema, formerly with the ANC Youth League, who now heads Economic Freedom Party. The members like to refer to themselves as the Economic Freedom Fighters. The EFP thinly veils its anti-white message. It wants all white farmers off the land and it wants to nationalise the mines. It promises homes, education, jobs and health care to the disposed and poor. His message is appealing to those the ANC has neglected. In the past Malema has faced charges of corruption. He is a dangerous and rogue element in the difficult social and political mix of present day South Africa.

In the past decade 300,000 white South Africans have returned to live. A positive development tempered by the fact that most will have chosen to live in gated developments and suburbs.

However the upside is the energy of South Africa. There is an edginess and frisson, in part caused by fear, which heightens the senses, enhances social interaction and pushes creativity. South Africa is ahead of Australia in design innovation.

The potential for South Africa to achieve great things is obvious to anyone familiar with the country or who visits for any length of time. An organisation I helped to establish has grown beyond expectations in just under ten years. Ifa Lehtu was brought into existence to curate works of art returned to South Africa by myself and my predecessor at the Australian Embassy. These works were produced by black South African artists. The only way they could be shown was under diplomatic immunity. Many were bought by expatriates and diplomats.

Over 700 works have now been donated back to South Africa. Ifa Lethu now teaches art, textiles, craft and culture in schools throughout South Africa and designs and produces cheap and smart items of clothing. It employs an increasing number of young people.

South Africa craves leadership and positive input. A small investment in human capital pays substantial dividend.

Bruce Haigh is a political commentator and former diplomat, posted to South Africa from 1976/79. He helped news paper editor Donald Woods escape South Africa, portrayed in the film, "Cry Freedom". From 1990/93 he ran a program bringing black South Africans to Australia for training and in 2004/5 helped establish Ifa Lethu.