ARE we really the worst in the world? That is the question that the recent Sowetan Dialogues session in Langa township, Cape Town, sought to answer.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2014/2015 released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that South Africa ranks 56 out of 144 countries considered, down from 53.
Despite the declining performance, this does not seem altogether such a bad ranking.
But with all the human and innovation potential and wealth, there is no reason why we are not higher up on the global competitiveness list.
Reading the report and its analysis of the country's scores, it becomes more apparent that there is a big gap between performance on human development and institutional and regulatory sophistication.
It would seem that, as a nation, we value systems and regulations more than our own people, whose wellbeing is directly linked to the maintenance, success and sustainability of the micro and macroeconomic environment.
The message we should take from the report is that this country's competitiveness can be improved only if the human potential in our nation is nurtured and developed.
Currently, our workforce is among the unhealthiest in the world, ranked 132. The quality of our education system (ranked 140) and of our maths and science education (ranked 144) is dismal.
Despite the debates about the validity of the findings contained in the WEF report and questions about methodology, it is a useful mirror that shows us the blemishes and stains on our development performance.
So, what practical steps do we need to take to build on the advances that we have already made and to address the challenges that we have?
The pretext of the dialogue was that excellence has to begin in our communities. It has to become a mindset that informs and permeates everything that we as citizens do. It does not matter if yours is a humble pursuit in a rural village or an illustrious venture in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.
It is also about creating partnerships. We all have something that somebody else needs.
Young entrepreneur Luvuyo Rani is exemplary. He understands his success depends on providing the information technology services that people in townships and rural communities need to make the most of their opportunities.
By empowering people, Rani is ensuring a growing base of future support for his business. Some young boy or girl will be inspired to become the next Mark Shuttleworth, entrepreneur and space tourist, or Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg because Rani was courageous enough to invest in his own community.
Rani's formula - "to dream, to work hard and to have passion" - is in the grasp of any person. His message of "find out what you love and work on that, focus on that and you'll become a better person" resonates.
"Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world." If what Nelson Mandela said about changing the world is true, then it must be a fitting recipe for changing the trajectory of a nation.
But the largest chunk of the fiscus goes to education. So the question we need to be answering is what kind of education changes the world and transforms anation?
Dr Laurine Platzky, deputy director-general for strategic programmes in Western Cape premier Helen Zille's office, spent her childhood shadowing her mother, who took her to Langa where she worked at the Black Sash office.
This experience has convinced Platzky that we need an education system that educates young people for service.
Considering the servant leaders who changed the world, including our own Madiba, Platzky is right.
Service denotes looking outside ourselves to the needs of other people. It gives us an impetus to identify the problems that beset others and the zeal to help them find solutions.
Such an education would breed innovation, foster an entrepreneurial spirit and fuel the ambition to rise above the highest obstacles.
This type of education underscores the importance of taking responsibility.
As Vangile Makwakwa learnt through her experience of climbing over her mountain of debt, it is important for us to have a personal vision.
She is now an author and speaks on matters of personal finance because she saw beyond her circumstances. She took responsibility and is now guiding others.
Langa is full of potential. And t his is not limited to the youth.
At 76 years old, Nozukile Mkunqwana is studying at the University of SA and she took the opportunity at the dialogue to ask for computer training that Rani promised to provide.
The greatest evidence of the influence of a dialogue is when what is said is put into practice.
The audience didn't waste time to demand that the panellists, who included Gerry Elsdon and UCT lecturer Gaontebale Nodoba commit to helping in the running of programmes that will have a transforming effect on the community. Among these are a women's empowerment project run by Thandi Gqiba and a financial literacy workshop for Langa entrepreneurs coordinated by Nzwaki Mapona.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
South Africans are definitely not lazy
ARE we really the worst in the world? That is the question that the recent Sowetan Dialogues session in Langa township, Cape Town, sought to answer.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2014/2015 released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that South Africa ranks 56 out of 144 countries considered, down from 53.
Despite the declining performance, this does not seem altogether such a bad ranking.
But with all the human and innovation potential and wealth, there is no reason why we are not higher up on the global competitiveness list.
Reading the report and its analysis of the country's scores, it becomes more apparent that there is a big gap between performance on human development and institutional and regulatory sophistication.
It would seem that, as a nation, we value systems and regulations more than our own people, whose wellbeing is directly linked to the maintenance, success and sustainability of the micro and macroeconomic environment.
The message we should take from the report is that this country's competitiveness can be improved only if the human potential in our nation is nurtured and developed.
Currently, our workforce is among the unhealthiest in the world, ranked 132. The quality of our education system (ranked 140) and of our maths and science education (ranked 144) is dismal.
Despite the debates about the validity of the findings contained in the WEF report and questions about methodology, it is a useful mirror that shows us the blemishes and stains on our development performance.
So, what practical steps do we need to take to build on the advances that we have already made and to address the challenges that we have?
The pretext of the dialogue was that excellence has to begin in our communities. It has to become a mindset that informs and permeates everything that we as citizens do. It does not matter if yours is a humble pursuit in a rural village or an illustrious venture in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.
It is also about creating partnerships. We all have something that somebody else needs.
Young entrepreneur Luvuyo Rani is exemplary. He understands his success depends on providing the information technology services that people in townships and rural communities need to make the most of their opportunities.
By empowering people, Rani is ensuring a growing base of future support for his business. Some young boy or girl will be inspired to become the next Mark Shuttleworth, entrepreneur and space tourist, or Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg because Rani was courageous enough to invest in his own community.
Rani's formula - "to dream, to work hard and to have passion" - is in the grasp of any person. His message of "find out what you love and work on that, focus on that and you'll become a better person" resonates.
"Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world." If what Nelson Mandela said about changing the world is true, then it must be a fitting recipe for changing the trajectory of a nation.
But the largest chunk of the fiscus goes to education. So the question we need to be answering is what kind of education changes the world and transforms anation?
Dr Laurine Platzky, deputy director-general for strategic programmes in Western Cape premier Helen Zille's office, spent her childhood shadowing her mother, who took her to Langa where she worked at the Black Sash office.
This experience has convinced Platzky that we need an education system that educates young people for service.
Considering the servant leaders who changed the world, including our own Madiba, Platzky is right.
Service denotes looking outside ourselves to the needs of other people. It gives us an impetus to identify the problems that beset others and the zeal to help them find solutions.
Such an education would breed innovation, foster an entrepreneurial spirit and fuel the ambition to rise above the highest obstacles.
This type of education underscores the importance of taking responsibility.
As Vangile Makwakwa learnt through her experience of climbing over her mountain of debt, it is important for us to have a personal vision.
She is now an author and speaks on matters of personal finance because she saw beyond her circumstances. She took responsibility and is now guiding others.
Langa is full of potential. And t his is not limited to the youth.
At 76 years old, Nozukile Mkunqwana is studying at the University of SA and she took the opportunity at the dialogue to ask for computer training that Rani promised to provide.
The greatest evidence of the influence of a dialogue is when what is said is put into practice.
The audience didn't waste time to demand that the panellists, who included Gerry Elsdon and UCT lecturer Gaontebale Nodoba commit to helping in the running of programmes that will have a transforming effect on the community. Among these are a women's empowerment project run by Thandi Gqiba and a financial literacy workshop for Langa entrepreneurs coordinated by Nzwaki Mapona.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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