The ruling party will need to make some big adjustments to its failed trajectory

South Africans are increasingly angry, despondent and frustrated at how the ruling party has conducted itself and backtracked on the many promises it made to voters.

Instead of seeing an improvement in their lives over the past 28 years, they have become poorer and deeper in debt. Having lost faith and trust in the government, people have opted to voice their discontent through community-based movements.

This doesn’t bode well for South Africa as many of these movements are populist-driven and feed off emotions. Others express their anger through protest and riots. But with these actions, comes the destruction of infrastructure, investor confidence and the economy.

The government inherited a state structure that, despite its shortcomings and marginalisation, worked. All that was needed was to discard certain racial policies, and we would have flourished as a nation. This inheritance could have served every South African well.

Instead, the ruling party embarked in a direction based on self-enrichment and failure. Government departments worked and state-owned enterprises were profitable. Municipalities weren’t bankrupt. Law enforcement worked. Our armed forces were both powerful and respected.

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Our defence industry was highly respected both in Africa and internationally. Our infrastructure was world class. Our standard of education was lauded. Our hospitals attracted international praise. Tourists felt safe. This is no more. Entrepreneurs are looking at relocating. Companies are disinvesting and leaving.

Our scientists are in demand elsewhere. Smaller companies and businesses are forced to close their doors as they do not comply with business-based racial policies – even though they employ a cross-section of the population.

To regain our destroyed inheritance, the ruling party will need to make some big adjustments to its failed trajectory. They have led us down the path of deception and destruction and unless we hurriedly put a stop to it, we will end up at the bottom of the failed states index.

However, this can only be done if our so-called leaders who cannot lead are replaced with true leaders from our younger generation. Our younger leaders understand the damage the government has inflicted on our citizens and country.

They understand that we cannot build an economy on corruption and blatant plundering of the state’s coffers. They understand that taxes are to be used judiciously and not for personal self-enrichment. They understand that infrastructure needs to be maintained and not neglected.

They understand the value of quality education and not a syllabus based on dumbing down pupils.Young leaders understand the importance of quality health care as opposed to the current mess that is unfolding in state-run hospitals.

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Despite this and many other failings, the government continues to whine that it has no money. That is a lie dressed up as the truth. Had they not been so keen to steal, we would have had enough money to fix what should never have been destroyed in the first place.

The ruling party adopted a policy of racial division and populism and it is now coming home to haunt them as they have lost control over most of everything. Our young leaders, from all population groups, know that an economy cannot grow if it is based on exclusion.

Whereas the initial policy of assisting previously disadvantaged people played its role in helping some members of society to improve their lot and help them reach their dreams, it has now past its sell-by date and has become even more destructive to the economy than before.

They understand that a policy of marginalisation is aimed at enforcing exclusion. Excluding citizens from the economy is an approach that has proven to be a failure. Young leaders know that the high rates of taxes and levies imposed by municipalities are there for a reason – and not the reason of self-enrichment.

Our geriatric corruptitians have failed to understand the aim and function of governance and how it is driven by reasonable taxation. Despite everything they have failed at, they are still unable to grasp that they alone are responsible for the destruction of what was inherited.

To blame this on a racial group or non-cadres is disingenuous to say the least. South Africa has become a perfect test tube experiment for what happens when those who have no understanding of leadership are appointed to positions where they are supposed to exercise leadership.

By clinging to the fake past they have created, they are forcing us all to miss our future. In the process, they have destroyed our inheritance. We must stop them before it is too late.

-Mashaba is a political advisor