SETHULEGO MATEBESI | New generation of Tintswalos needs an equitable chance to prosper

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2024 state of the nation address has, as expected, drawn mixed reactions.

The speech placed strong emphasis on addressing significant sources of discontent and division, such as gender-based violence, unemployment, crime, load shedding, poor service delivery and corruption.

The speech underscored his commitment to economic reform and job creation. At a time when SA is on the eve of elections, where the youth hold immense potential to shape the outcome, it is interesting to note that using the analogy of young “Tintswalo” has drawn considerable debate.

While using the positive life trajectory of Tintswalo – a young girl born in democratic SA – may have been intended to inspire hope and showcase progress for many since the end of apartheid, critics argue that it overlooks the persistent challenges many young citizens still face.

Public opinion can vary and different individuals may have different perspectives. For many, the ANC-led government has created a nurturing environment through various policy interventions and social transfers geared towards sustainable and productive investment in citizens.

This view was supported by the World Bank, which described the country’s policies and programmes for the poor as “effective, well-targeted and providing sizable benefits to the poorest households”.

Indeed, the post-apartheid environment and individual agency enabled today’sTintswalos to prosper. However, not all young people have equal access to resources and opportunities.

Ramaphosa used political persuasion to convince the world of the government’s resolve to strive for equitable access to education, healthcare, and social services to ensure that all young people have a fair chance to prosper.

The president has lately peppered speeches with the phrase: “ba rata kapa ha bara te (whether they like it or not), we have done well”.

He appeared dignified in the conviction of the achievements of the government he has been leading since February 2018. However, the effect of the Tintswalo analogy is the opposite of what was intended.

The bottom line is that the number of unemployed, politically disengaged and disgruntled youth is growing, as is their ferocity. As SA achieves a significant 30-year milestone of political freedom, the protection of individual freedoms and institutions to safeguard democratic values stands as noteworthy achievements.

However, shrinking fiscal resources and the overarching impact of increasingly reduced budget cuts for the higher education sector will hamper the progress of a new generation of Tintswalos.

It has repeatedly been proven that education is an essential pillar of a country’s economy. In Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty, Acemoglu and Robinson argue that countries differ in their economic success because of their different institutions, the rules influencing how the economy works and the incentives that motivate people.

Consider the difference between teenagers in North and South Korea. Those in the North grow up in poverty and know they will not become prosperous due to the propaganda they are fed in school. Those in the South obtain a good education, with incentives encouraging entrepreneurial initiative and creativity.

In SA, one of the most disheartening anomalies is the blatant failure to ensure consequential management for recurring unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure by municipalities and state institutions reported by the auditor-general.

This is indicative of political power that is exercised arbitrarily. A SA that embraces diversity, prioritizes economic recovery, invests in education and leverages the incentives provided by state institutions will ensure equitable access to services and opportunities and allow all young people a fair chance to prosper, regardless of political affiliation.

■ Prof Matebesi is an associate professor and head of the department of sociology at the University of the Free State