Meeting Summary - GIBS Thought Leaders Dialogueccs.ukzn.ac.za/files/Meeting Summary - GIBS...

]Thought Leaders Dialogue Forum 1 of 32 5th – 7th March 2009

- Informing and Engaging the South African Citizen -

Meeting Summary

5th – 7th March 2009 Mount Grace Country House and Spa

Magaliesberg


Table of Contents Background .................................................................................................................................... 3

Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 3 Process ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Day 1: What’s the big picture? .................................................................................................. 5

Welcome and introductions ................................................................................................... 5 Check-in: What significant unresolved question has brought you to this workshop? .................................................................................................................................. 5 Ground rules .............................................................................................................................. 7 Programme Overview and Objectives................................................................................. 7 Provocations Round 1 ............................................................................................................. 9 Small group discussions: What are the critical issues facing us as South Africans? ................................................................................................................................... 11 Evening Programme............................................................................................................... 12

Day 2: Influencing the Debate ................................................................................................. 13

Check-in: What has survived the night? .......................................................................... 13 Provocations: Round 2.......................................................................................................... 14 Small Group Conversations ................................................................................................. 16 Announcements ...................................................................................................................... 18 Dialogue Walks ........................................................................................................................ 19 Provocations Round 3: As practitioners what do we want to do next?................... 20 Closing ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Evening Programme............................................................................................................... 23

Day 3: Personal Leadership ..................................................................................................... 24

Check-in..................................................................................................................................... 24 Open Space Conversations.................................................................................................. 24 Closing ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Check out: What are you taking away with you? ........................................................... 25

Appendix A: Participant List .................................................................................................... 27 Appendix B: Check-in questions ............................................................................................ 29 Appendix C: Programme Overview........................................................................................ 30 Appendix D: Check-in questions ............................................................................................ 31


Meeting Summary We thank you for participating and look forward to working together over the years ahead. We hope that we can connect and find the opportunity to collaborate on solving the issues that matter to our country. The purpose of this document is to record and present an in depth summary of the content of the meeting, and to remind you of the various discussions that took place. The content is not significantly edited and was captured as it came up during the session. We have tried to represent some of the questions and issues that emerged during the discussions. It should be read in conjunction with the Thought Leaders Dialogue –The Way Forward which captures the ideas that people had energy and capacity to take forward. We apologise for any inaccuracies in the document but our view was that it was preferable to send out a document as soon as possible to support the initiative of participants, even if it was a little unpolished. Please come back to us if there is anything you would like to include that is not present or that we have incorrectly captured. We have not summarised or drawn general conclusions as we did not feel this appropriate for a Dialogue such as this. We rather present any information in as direct format as possible. The summary is written in the present tense reflecting the notes taken as it happened. We thank Investec and Telkom for their generosity in supporting this event and look forward to engaging on these issues going forward. Background We are entering a dynamic and critical time in South African life. As a nation we are faced with a host of challenges which need to be tackled with a sense of urgency. There are a range of major strategic challenges with which we are already familiar. These problems arise in spite of the progress that has been made subsequent to 1994 and the successful establishment of a constitutional democracy. The stakes are high, the dialogue is fragmented and the risk is that as leaders we may miss significant elements of our socio-economic and political context and pass these judgments into the public realm. In this context GIBS are holding a 3-day Dialogue Circle for Thought Leaders with national influence to reflect on the evolution of our young democracy. Thought leaders, for the purpose of this project, are defined as individuals who are contributing at a strategic level to the shaping of public opinion and the larger debates about our common future. We have ensured that there are a range of views, interests and expertise to allow for a rich discussion. Objectives The first objective is to develop as accurate a picture as possible of the South African ‘puzzle’ at the present moment. A facilitated process, accessing the experiences and know-how of the Thought Leaders present, will be used to allow this picture to emerge. To achieve this requires a diversity of sectors and experience in the room and conversation which is honest and well informed. The process is designed to bring to the fore underlying systemic issues and blind spots where they exist.


The second is to discuss how ideas on our democracy, nation and political evolution are disseminated through the media and how the hearts and minds of South Africans are engaged. It is important that our thinkers and our people have an accurate picture of our reality and that there is positive and pro-active engagement on these issues. Questions of active citizenship, values, development and transformation are at the heart of this. The third objective is to provide an opportunity for participants to meet around initiatives that interest them and discuss how any central issues can be taken forward. Process In order to achieve our objectives, the design of the meeting includes short “provocations” from leading thinkers on certain overarching societal themes, formal conversation between participants around shared topics of interest, breakout groups, and feedback to the larger group. This is not a traditional conference. No-one is invited to present papers or speeches. There are no panels or long plenaries. The intention of these 2 days is to facilitate honest conversation and connections between people of influence who are active in South African public life. The meeting is hosted by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and a convening team of Nick Binedell (Director - GIBS), Gill Marcus (Visiting Professor - GIBS), Lumkile Mondi (Chief Economist - IDC) and Roelf Meyer (Fever Tree Consulting). The facilitation of the Dialogue will be lead by Colleen Magner and Terrence Taylor who are part-time GIBS faculty.


“If you are not confused, you don’t

know what is going on”

Day 1: What’s the big picture?

Welcome and introductions The welcome starts light-heartedly with the facilitator greeting the participants in a diverse range of languages. Nick Binedell, the director of the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), opens the day by framing the background of the Thought Leaders Dialogue Circle. He stipulates that the purpose of this workshop is to bring people to together who have quite a good sense of the bigger picture, but do not necessarily have all the pieces. The idea of this process is a focussed event to encourage provocation and conversation. He brings attention to the fact that there are diverse views in the room about a huge array of global and national issues. He raises questions on citizenry and the nature of our responsibilities. Check-in: What significant unresolved question has brought you to this workshop? Participants are asked to introduce themselves and to answer the above question, focussing on the main reason they decided to attend the workshop. Some of the themes that emerged within the group are outlined below:

Public engagement After these forth coming elections, in what way are we as South Africans going to become

involved in the shaping of this country? How do we ensure that every single politician in our country actually lies awake worrying about

the social and economic inequality – and don’t just give lip service? How do we make government more responsive to citizens?


Poetry (Created on the spot) By Dineo Ndlanzi What are we becoming? What are we shaping? In this place I thought I would create Where is the instrument of protection? Where is the niche? Tough politics Emotionally charged Ignoring our pains Being lost in a just society Empowering young minds I carry too many questions Being deep Tapping into what is right or wrong Why refuse? Where’s the ownership? Positioning ourselves in the heart of the world Responsive leaders Feeling the need to carry their people Where’s the new horizon for Africa? Will she run amongst others To a place of opportunity? Seeing the evil As an energy for the new The laughter And the embarrassment Playing games In the dilemma of the unknown Where’s appreciation to the sun leading the moon? Will we ever? Where are the organizers? Where’s the passion? The freedom fighters The wisdom of the elephants Pushing the rights wheels Helping fast pace the slow down Where’s the unification of Africa’s children? Where’s the truth? The minority trying to bring security How do we create sustainability With the majority? Creating a fertile ground Where’s the sense In this complex insanity?

People empowerment How can the youth be empowered to move forward? What structures are in place and are they

effective or not?

Constitution and justice Are we becoming a more just society or not?

Why does the constitution seem to be changed to suit the elite?

Attitude and behaviour Why are we becoming a society that is struggling to be

compassionate? What informs the lens that we use? How can we ask people

the relevant questions we are trying to understand? When are we going to stop the blame game in this country? Why is there strong culture of self righteousness and being

right?

Citizenship How do we tap into the value system that exists within our

citizens? How can SA harness the energy of the masses who worked so hard for democratic dispensation to use that for service

delivery instead of blaming government?

Sustainability and change As we go through the global transition, why is it that

economists fail to recognize the natural resource base as a valuable asset?

How do we use the economic instability to shape an economy that is more resilient and sustainable?

Identity Is there a place for white youth in South Africa, and if we raise the questions, will people think

there is a sense of entitlement?

Leadership What happened to the community organizers from the 70’s and 80’s – and when will one become

our president? Where are the leaders who so passionately fought against oppression and intolerance, and why

are they so quiet? Why are communities not allowing the leadership to pop up and influence how the wheels turn?

Why do we choose this type of leader?


Crisis How do we define a crisis? Why do we focus on economic crisis but fail to acknowledge that

many people have faced the crisis of survival? Do countries need a crisis in order to change?

See Appendix B for additional check-in questions Ground rules The facilitator outlines the ground rules and asks if anyone is opposed to what has been suggested or if they have additional points they would like to add: • Be brief: There is a diversity of voices to

give people a chance to share • Ask questions: Have the spirit of curiosity • Listen openly: to be surprised by what

others are saying • Speak for yourselves: from your personal

perspective • Confidentiality: you can say what you heard, but not who said what • Respect each other Programme Overview and Objectives The facilitator provides an overview of the next three days with emphasis on day 1: Day 1: What’s the big picture? Arrival, registration and lunch Welcome, introductions and check-in Programme overview Provocations: What are the critical issues facing us (as South Africans and those who have a stake in the country?) Small group conversations and feedback to the larger group Dinner and evening programme See Appendix C for the full programme overview The facilitator outlined the objectives for the programme, which are detailed in the background information on page 3.


“I am encouraged by the people here because we have been

very engaged in change in SA. Somehow in the last few years we have become disengaged.

Hopefully through these discussions, we will re-engage”

Provocations Round 1 The first round of provocations ask participants to share: What critical issues facing SA are on your mind that you would you like everyone to help you think through? The facilitator hopes that provocative thought will stimulate new thinking of how to take our country forward. The timing seems perfect and there is a new willingness to talk and engage. Provocation 1: The key challenges facing us are inequality, poverty, unemployment, and the global economic crisis increases this. These are merely symptoms of something else. What are the underlying causal dynamics? Should we not be taking responsibility for the legacy of the present (post 1994)? What are the underlying trends and dynamics that create these symptoms? My thoughts are: • Culture of mediocrity: There are pockets of excellence, which are the exception rather than

the norm. This has happened under our watch. When did this happen? • Culture of intolerance and leadership arrogance: Is this a symptom of internalised oppression?

What will it take for a brighter future? Is the grab for political power, the means for material wealth?

• Lack of accountability: Despite the most sophisticated constitution, we have become accustomed to corruption. When people are exposed, they are not fired. Where are the people who drafted the constitution who said we will not allow people to abuse state power?

Provocation 2: Here, I have had the opportunity to talk to people I would not otherwise have had the opportunity to do. As South Africans, we don’t think with South Africa in mind. We have found it easy to disengage from problems. The wealthy have disengaged from public institutions and we do not have trust in this. Even the judiciary cannot be trusted enough. It is troubling when public institutions lose the faith of the public. There is economic empowerment where people are given 1% of shares – why do we settle for so little? There is a culture of short changing which needs to be looked at. Why are people not willing to go to RDP houses? We do not see poor whites going to RDP houses? If people are liberated fully, what is full human potential? Is it to have a job, to be socially recognized, or to have the political freedom to vote? I believe human beings are more sophisticated than this. We have put too much emphasis on education, but have underplayed the role of building human relationships. Formalization and institutionalization disqualify some people and undermine the value of informal relationships. Democracy died in 1994 – this is when the majority of people stopped fighting for democracy and gave over their power to the government. I will not accept getting poor education and people undermining my human dignity. Can we depend on this democracy? The fact that the ruling party can start planning a party before voting has taken place, tells me that democracy is dead. People see delivery as a right, but are not playing a role as citizens. What does it mean to be a citizen? We should act as customers demanding good service from these institutions.


Provocation 3: Tolerance from mediocrity is like a cancer in the body. For too long we have allowed erosion instead of building as a nation. The victim mentality has continued to worry me for a long time. Historically those of us that are disadvantaged blame colonialism, apartheid, etc. When we have been exhausted of that, we turn around and blame God. I would like to find ways that we can acknowledge that we are active participants in this whole thing. There is a mentality of expecting someone to bring us something sooner rather than later. Of the three scenarios emerging from Dinokeng, none are promising enough to continue with vigour. Our options are (1) to continue as we are; (2) to figure out how as citizens we can help figure out what is going on. We need to grapple with the issue of how to follow, how to lead and/or what to do to get others into action; (3) to secure a strong state. The challenge is the State at present does not have the capacity so we need to find ways of building the capacity. Provocation 4: There are four main issues I would like to raise: (1) I think we have a problem with the truth in this country. We lie with straight faces. The truth is that some people got where they are because of the advantages of apartheid. Why is it that young whites have a problem understanding and admitting this situation? (2) I have a problem with reasonable blacks – they only repeat what white people say to get accepted onto boards and into elite circles. These people bring a false sense of comfort and yet the country is about to explode. The anger on the ground is very high and reasonable blacks give out the wrong message (3) Political misalignment: Some bureaucrats align themselves with politicians but have no political buy-in. If people believed their party would be brought down because of poor service delivery, they would work hard (4) There is no such thing as merit. People have got to where they are, not because they are the best people at the time, but because of who they know or their race.


“Why has South Africa failed to celebrate the

contribution of De Klerk and to bring forth the

down fall of Mandela?”

Small group discussions: What are the critical issues facing us as South Africans? After the provocations, the participants split into smaller groups to continue the discussion: “What are the critical issues facing us as South Africans?” They are encouraged to look deep into the root causes instead of the symptoms that are present in society today. Some emerging themes and their related discussion points include: Unity and diversity • Why is unity and consensus constantly strived for? We seem to be striving for golden unity

moments as opposed to the healthy dysfunctionality of a nation • SA has not agreed on agreed on objectives set on morality (right or wrong) • The example that sketched the notion of the “others” is disturbing • There are many contestables: words that appear to have a clear definition but have different

meanings to different people o Democracy: Is it elite control or people centred? o Citizenship: Is it about agency (action) or about legal status? o Safety vs. security – For the elite the concern is around safety (gated communities and

private security guards) and safe health care. For the regular South African, they worry about security regarding delivery and access to what the constitution says about rights

Attitudes, skills and behaviour • There is a lack of confidence vs. overconfidence • The “unreasonable” black is punished and made an example of – self sacrifice vs. public

interest • We are not discussing the central issues because there is no honest dialogue • We are still feeding the negative and therefore miss the ability to deal with the real issues and

see the bigger picture. For example: When Jacob Zuma testified to taking a shower, this could have been used into a positive messaging campaign instead of a character attack

• There is an inability or lack of willingness to fundamentally change Expectations and entitlement • We are dealing with the consequences of heightened expectations. The world’s happiest fairy

tale must have happy ending. Individual and collective trauma • Black rage is not generational because people are still dealing with the ramifications of racial

inequality • People are still dealing with individual and collective trauma which is paralysing effective

progress Local vs. international • What challenges are typically South African? Do we deal with these as typical South Africans

or do we look at an international context? • Where is the creativity we used when dealing with sanctions to make certain that SA was not

dependant on the rest of the world? Identity, race and culture • Will there ever be freedom to be who you really are, without anger, guilt or shame? • Is the diversity in SA creating tension? • We talk about being South African and yet people talk about why they feel excluded from this

identity. This could be a place where we start to not exclude ourselves. • SA identity: what does it mean? Why is it that different parts of the population do not feel like

real South Africans? • The issue of race still haunts us as a country


“How are we going to prevent the ruling party

from overreacting to getting two-thirds

majority?”

• Our racial, political and cultural experiences inform our thinking and therefore we are unable to think out of the box

Policy, constitutional and systemic changes • We need a new negotiation of our deal of amnesty • There is an assumption that the under class cannot deal with

complexity of politics • Meritocracy: are we still dealing in tokenism – what role do whites

play? • Our constitution is beyond the needs of people and is assuming that basic needs have been

catered for • What has changed in terms of our value system? Public and community engagement and participation • BEE was created for full participation and the realizing of full human potential • There is a demobilization of public participation and lack of ownership in South Africa. Where

do we find voices? • There is a gap between participation and disengagement – we say we want participation but

people are actively disengaging. Is it time to create a new paradigm? Public vs. private • The opening comments in plenary lacked critical comment regarding corporate sector since

1994. Leadership • There is lack of leadership, succession

planning and transferring of skills • There is a lack of clarity, since here in SA we

are grappling for solutions without a clear sense of what the main issues are. Within our leadership there has been a lack of clarity the top couple of priorities are which will make a huge difference.

• We need compassionate leadership and society – if there is a failure to deliver where people are suffering, we need to hold people accountable

• The root cause is perhaps leadership – are we choosing people to be leaders based on their qualifications, or experience?

• By moving away from being observers to being agents of change, leadership will naturally emerge.

Evening Programme 14 community leaders from the surrounding area join the group for dinner and there was spontaneous conversation and sharing. Community leaders share what initiatives have had a positive impact in the community. During dinner, Roelf Meyer welcomes everyone, followed by an inspirational poem by Lebo Mashile. At the end of dinner, there is a closing by two community members who invite everyone to join in the singing of the national anthem “I was struck by last night’s positive rendition and find myself in a similar position. I always defend

South Africa to outsiders and yet I am highly critical of what we have done wrong. How do we keep the two in balance?”

“The way it was described how close we were to being at the brink in 1992, was amazing.”


Day 2: Influencing the Debate

As the group gather in the conference room for the second day, there is a lot vibrant conversation and laughter. Whereas the day before, the facilitator was easily able to get the groups attention, today it is difficult to pull people away from their conversations. She starts by welcoming the people who arrived the night before and invite them to share why they decided to attend.

“At such a crucial time in the country, it is a good time to pause and reflect.”

“The idea of stopping, and bringing people from different walks of life together, outside a political or business context, is exciting.”

“I am interested in how much we think inwardly, and how we are dealing with the global and

ecological crisis. I am hoping for a more creative process”

The facilitator then gives a brief overview of the day (see Appendix C for more information) and re-iterates the thinking behind the provocations, which is inviting people to share something they would like the group to help them think through. Check-in: What has survived the night? The facilitator invites participants to share around the question: What has survived the night? Some of the responses included: • Yesterday there was a sense of taking stock of what went wrong, moving into what we have

done right, and then the greater obligation of what we have to do now • I spoke to two community members who have an incredible dream to form a professional

soccer team with the R5K they are trying to raise. They have internalised “we can do anything” and when we don’t we become depressed. We tend to bounce between two manic states - euphoria and depression.

• We need to draw the community more into the modernization project yet are we becoming more like Sweden?

• How do we, coming from various backgrounds, celebrate what people in different sectors are doing as well as offer a helpful critical eye?


• We condone the government, but participate in free enterprise. There are issues relating to the public vs. private sector; government vs. free enterprise, and these are not gelling well

• We are globally facing an event that will shake all of our jobs, institutions and lives; if we get to the first quarter in the same state we are in now, we will be worse than in 1929. Now is the time to forge a more collaborative and cooperative approach – if we do not, we will suffer.

Provocations: Round 2 The group is invited to nominate a few people they would like to hear from to share their provocations around 2010: How are we influencing (or not) the public on 2010? Provocation 5: I asked myself the question in 2006, “How do I want to be involved in the World Cup?” I wanted to create something I felt would be a project and activity that would be easily accepted, easy to become involved in, and easy to get something out of. The project is called the Dreamfields Project – each school gets a bag with 15 pairs of uniforms; 15 sets of boots; soccer balls and then something for the teacher. We have given out 500 bags since October 2007 – the gear then belongs to the school and not the individual. We run Dream Events which are tournaments for both boys and girls, where every child gets a medal, but the trophies are for the winners. We also build soccer fields. On a daily basis there is huge transformation in the kids, however in the long term, we want to be an organization that makes soccer a viable sport in schools I have learnt the following (1) There are massive soccer facilities which are underutilised; (2) Big ideas paralyze this country – putting in a small amount gets huge returns; (3) Money is a curse – in places we have spent money, we see a dip in local creativity and motivation; (4) You do not have to spend vast amounts of money to get extraordinary results. We seem to be striving to be the best World Cup ever, but what does this mean? Can we make this an inclusive World Cup? What is wrong with small and simple – why does it have to be huge and complex? Do we know what to do with success? Are we the worst Afro-pessimists? Are we desperate to be loved in Zurich at the risk of losing our African-ness? Do we feel when we see the tourists coming in that we are desperately worried about how we will accommodate them? If the answer is even possibly yes, then we have a big problem Provocation 6: I think that every South African has asked, “How do I do 2010?” We don’t know what we, as individuals can do to make it work – we are merely observers. I agree that we are caught in our manic-depressiveness. We are always looking at what we want the government to give us. Instead of saying we want everyone to have a house, we should say we want more people to have a house, then we’ll be moving forward. Our leadership needs to tell us what we can expect to happen in 2010. Provocation 7: As a former soccer player and huge soccer fan, this is close to my heart. What struck me about Rio de Janeiro was that like SA, people love soccer however, the people there are involved. I am talking about real participation. Any success at the moment is for the elite, favouring those who will be able to buy a ticket. All those masses who are passionate about soccer will be excluded. We need to show the world how it is done in Africa. How can we make sure we access the masses?


Provocation 8: The World Cup is an important thing for South Africa. It is an important opportunity for the local government to put back into the cities that will host it. The effort that is going into the building and rebuilding of our country needs to be commended. We also need to remember that sports has an amazing impact on the morale of people. The problems I see however are: (1) The World Cup has blatantly chosen to put itself on the side of the powerful and elite, instead of being an event that could engage people like the youth. There are owners of the event. (2) The development and infrastructure could be an opportunity to break down the demarcation of areas and to link people to the city. However, there is a sense of exclusion and I believe the spaces where the games will happen will be thoroughly monitored and difficult to enter. (3) The priorities of the owners are not to encourage inclusion – movements of people to enter the city will be controlled. People will have a sense that something is happening, but not be involved. We should not see this as an event where we have to clean up after the party. Provocation 9: Is 2010 our buffer against the global recession? I think that what we have not understood about 2010 is that people are coming to South Africa for an African experience, and we are not giving that to them. We have a psyche so ingrained in our bones, that we cannot be anything but negative. We do not ask about what we can do, we always find things we can criticise. I have not found a sense of asking what our common identities are that we can build on. I disagree that the World Cup will be a buffer to the economic crisis. The infrastructure we require like transport and communication will push us forward, not the stadiums (unless we are flourishing, then people will attend tournaments.) There is a real global depression that will take about 10 years to recover from. Currently, in the USA there are about 500,000 job losses a month and 1 in 10 Americans will be out of their homes. European Banks are $2 trillion overdue. The balance sheets of the central banks cannot sustain this. In the global crisis all parts of the world are affected so where do you get out of the opportunity to get out of mess. We are not talking about company failures, but country failures. What are the consequences of massive unemployment? Why do we think SA is immune? Why should the public trust the banks when they are berated in public (referring to Colin Brown who is putting substantial amounts into RBS but berating the banks in public)? We need to look at the worst case scenario and work backwards about how we are going to deal with this crisis. In SA we have this opportunity to do that because there is a lag – what do we need to do and how do we need to manage it? It is coming, the only question is how big? Now is the time to make the policies work – we are not doing that. How do we keep people in their homes, cars and jobs? How do we do what the Americans have not done? The challenge is how to prevent people who have moved into the middle class from moving back. In a crisis there is space for opportunities to discuss what we normally do not. We are compounding the food shortage in critical times. When there is competition among the poor, there is a downward spiral. Many people here have lost 40 – 50% of their pension fund – people who are 70 and 80 year olds want to keep their jobs now. Here in SA, we already have a high unemployment rate. One of the answers in a global crisis is people go to war. We need cohesion – we need to put aside our ideological and differences – we need to be honest with our public. Let’s be real! This is a country and regional issue. I am desperately concerned that we are not putting the real issues on the table.


Small Group Conversations After the provocations the participants are asked to come up with 3 – 5 issues or events that can be used to influence the public on over the next 2 years. Even though 2010 is given as the example of 2010, they are encouraged to think of other issues that are pressing over the next two years. After allocated time, each group presents their issues or events to the larger group. These are then grouped into themes by two facilitators and three participants. Before presenting these back to the bigger group, the facilitator stipulates that there may be overlaps between the themes. What issues or events do we need to engage to public on over the next two years?

Themes Emerging events or issues Citizenship and identity

• Inevitability of the migration that will come to the South • Public issue: The national agenda appears set for the election and beyond, but

it is not dealing sufficiently with the crisis that is emerging • Is SA one nation really? • The increasing importance of engaging the public about different identities and

the role of the “Nation”, the “State” and the “Party” • Citizen responsibility taking • Vision and identity: What binds us? • Economic crisis: The impact of identity, race and South African-ness • Using the international crisis to form unity (South Africa included)

People development • Education for knowledge not certification • Global crisis: Seeing the opportunity to correct and think differently • Holistic development: Balancing the intellect with the heart • Youth unemployment and capabilities • Building every day social capital / grassroots movements and ensuring that law

aligns to enable this Responding to the economic crisis

• Innovation / creation of jobs at all costs • Honesty about the economic crisis • How to redefine and better develop SME’s and co-op’s • Addressing potential business failure appropriately • Using what we are spending to a greater effect • Economic crisis and debates on post-gear; developmental state; and

nationalization • How to have real public (non-elitist) national debate on the economic crisis • Holistic nature of the global crisis

Political stability • What happens if JZ goes to jail? • Political stability, safety and security – reprioritise it • Economic crisis and our political evaluation

Infrastructure • Lack of culture of maintenance of infrastructure Environmental and food insecurity

• Economic crisis and water / food security • Food insecurity – no one should go hungry

Leadership • Leadership that is visionary, creative and courageous • Leadership: Are we relevant? • Too much capital vested in political leaders and more support to be given to

leaders in public space / civil society HIV / AIDS • HIV / AIDS: Does the government care? Personal choices? 2010 • 2010: What legacy are we leaving behind?

• 2010 as an instrument for cultural and racial inclusiveness • 2010: To give expression to the public voice • 2010: As an eye opener to connect to the world

Other interesting questions emerging from the conversations: How could I get more involved in community initiatives in areas I have energy for?


How do we make farmers feel safe in creating crops long term? Does this mean reforming the land reform policy? How do we have an education that prepares youth for the job market? How do we ensure they are hands on experience in the job market? What can I do for my country vs. what can government do for me? How do we uniting things for us to work towards as a nation? What do we do with citizenship and disengagement? Once the themes are agreed upon, participants choose the theme they would like to have a conversation around. The group disperses into different break-away rooms to discuss the following question:

How do we better influence to public around this theme over the next two years?


Announcements What specific ideas are there to share with the broader group on how to better influence the public on this issue over the next two years? One person from each group presents some of the key announcements that emerge during the discussions Citizenship and Identity • We need to redefine the South African

dream • This identity needs to ensure there is

no exclusion • There need to be appropriate models

for nation building ? • Where does this conversation

happen? In media, in schools or in homes? People development • The communities need to be proactive in their own development instead of only accepting

what is taken to them • It will be a practical way of finding out where we can put our energy and what activities to host • How do we take opportunities like the World Cup to develop people? Could we use this as a

platform to identify the skills gaps and put energy there? For example: Capacitating informal hawkers

• Engage the people themselves • How can the public service model be changed? Do we need so many layers? • Decentralization: The original government was trying to meet all the needs and therefore

centralized. Today’s communities are in different places and therefore needs to be decentralized

• In order to get people more involved government should create a list of outputs and engage constituents on possible solutions

Responding to the economic crisis • We need to make sure that as thought leaders we understand the problem • We need to acknowledge and look at the various options • We need to acknowledge there is diversity in SA and tailor make the messages appropriately • There is lack of economic training – there are not competent people out there to help unpack

the crisis Political instability • In times of oppression and depression, people seem to trust the government who delivers

services, even if they are not elected. This could lead to political tension • The failure of South Africans to understand the “Zuma phenomenon” – it is not about the

individual but about the many people who feel they have been short changed by the system Infrastructure • The campaign to save electricity seems to have been quite effective – what can we learn

about it? If something hurts you personally, you are more likely to do something about it • There is a lack of confidence in the public – what can we do to change the mindset and all

contribute to solve this? • We tend to get the public into political spaces – how can we get small things solved at a public

level without it becoming political? • The World Cup as an opportunity to engage white people in soccer and deal with xenophobia

by including our regional teams


Dialogue Walks The Dialogue Walk is a time for reflection on conversations thus far. Each participant chooses a partner to walk and dialogue with. The focus of the conversation is: What is becoming clearer about my role? Participants are asked to listen deeply together and reflect on what is on their heart. After two hours the participants share some reflections from the nature walk: • My main interest is how we

support small and medium enterprises, and in conversation with my partner I learnt SO much about this.

• The conversation helped me to unpack some of the questions I have been holding in my mind: (1) We keep talking about vision and recreating, yet we did not invite the artists, the people who are used to doing this every day. You decide on policies and then you pay us to communicate those policies. There are creative individuals in the country who could make a huge difference (2) We are talking problems and solutions and yet there is no room for God in the room. I wonder what that means and what the implications of that are. There is a force behind us that is compelling us to be here and yet we are not unpacking that

• Government takes the trouble to house people, instead of helping people to build their houses and get more involved in their lives. The facilitator should be a catalyst rather than a deliverer.

• We can make a difference wherever we find ourselves • Stereotypical assumptions of people are limiting us in moving forward. • We spoke about our concerns on where we are going – if we look at things like xenophobia, it

seems as if we are going in the wrong direction. What can we do to mobilize people? • Trevor Manual presided over the denuding of the state by withdrawing resources from the

state. As a result we have an incapacitated state. We do not have the state or institutional capacity to deal with the policies. How serious are we as a country to address this problem?


Provocations Round 3: As practitioners what do we want to do next? Provocation 10: I attended a Board meeting not so long ago when we were told that one branch was going to be shut down. After reading the financials we saw why this was happening and I realised that the global crisis is huge. As we looked at which sectors are going to be affected by the global economy, I asked how I should respond. In the first quarter of this year, we started to see the real impact, and this economy is in real trouble. The government came up with a document that incorporates stakeholder views and allocated five task teams in different areas. A lot of small businesses are under severe stress and the IDC has been servicing that debt. Today, it cannot do this. A business that is not viable should not be funded at all and there is a serious need to be selective. Is this opportunity forcing complete restructuring? We do not know how long this will go on for, and therefore should we be putting money into the small businesses to sustain them? Should we forget about using good money for bad business? Is there a new way of incentivizing management? Restructuring the economy is a sensitive issue. There seems to be no ambition in developing South African leaders. Is this a good opportunity to mobilize the population? As practitioners, what do you think we should be doing next? Provocation 11: Certain things have struck me: (1) The projects that come out of this engagement will succeed if we forget about ourselves. Where do we portray the ability to forget ourselves? If we are unable to do this, very few solutions will arise. We have never been here before and no solutions have been developed to respond to this crisis. We need new ways of thinking. If we do not forget ourselves, we limit ourselves by becoming unaware. A lot of the discussion falls in the realm that we know. There is a realm of possibility that falls beyond the realm we are able to access. (2) We use the language of distance when we talk about participation. What are the implications of creating the language of distance? There is an assumption that the public over there is not one of the sources of knowledge about how to enhance their lives and democratic experience. The language we use has implications of how we put this in practice. (3) I was struck by how lonely this exercise is. As we were walking we all seem to be overwhelmed by the task and uncertain about whether we are all equal to the task. We seem to occupy spaces where we are lonely. Is what we have to offer as thought leaders of any value? I often ask after giving talks: Have I changed anyone’s life? How have I made a difference? Am I not wrong in the assumption that what I have to offer is making a difference, if I am not engaging the public? (4) In the assessment to the economic crisis, our response can be paralyzing and therefore the challenge for me is whether we can embrace uncertainty. All the solutions we put forward will operate in the context of uncertainty. Provocation 12: There is a lot of panic about the US pension funds that is over exaggerated. Even if the GDP falls by 50% we will not have the same level of poverty as we did in the depression. We should also not act like it is going to be like the depression. The problem we have is the freezing of export demands which is the big impact on the economy. We may have slow recovery from next year but slow growth will take between 5 – 10 years to recover. We do not know if the nasty predictions are real or not; and we do not know how long it will last or not. The discourse of our creative destruction is a problem. Is it creative destruction or destruction? How do you take decisions about who you let go broke? What is the role of the state? How can we use this to move forward? How do we decide which sectors or businesses are worth “saving” by putting money into that we do not have?


Provocation 13: I have just had a call from someone that has told me that the entire work force is now without medical coverage. If you retrench someone it is not a 20% cost cut for that individual but 100% salary cut. These are real issues for people on the ground. There are some organizations who announce that there will be no job losses since those who are retrenched are contractors. There is a crisis and yet we do not respond as if it is a crisis. We must act on this as if this is a natural disaster – we seem better to cope with natural disaster rather than human disaster. What do I want to see as a practitioner? Retrenchment can have a huge impact on communities (since one person could be supporting 5 – 10 people) and community economy. Can we act on a human disaster when dealing with retrenchments as we can with a natural disaster? Provocation 14: We started with a deep problem in South Africa. In the USA there is poverty and inequality as well, but the starting problem here was deeper. There are many people who are just not going to find work because of limited jobs, and they will lose their houses, etc. Why is the choice made to keep the elite auto worker employed, but not the mine worker? What makes him more deserving than the mine worker, who is part of the sector that drives the economy? Do we intervene in an industry or do we cut out imported goods? We have to get creative about the cross cutting things we have to do to cut expenditure. Most of the working class do not pay income tax and money from the fiscal system goes into social grants. The average person struggles to make ends meet. Yet, people earning high salaries do not feel it is fair to pay tax to support the social grants. What can we do about this? Do we need to start doing things differently? We need to start thinking about the social contract that exists at the moment. Provocation 15: Specific question: In all your dealings with business leaders, did any of them think with the constant 30 – 40% annual increase in salaries that this would happen? Did they put things away? Do they feel entitled to more reward than others? South African capitalism has a particular form that comes out of our history. There is a strong government and big markets. This has produced high entrepreneurial companies locally but not enough rivalry. Businesses operate out of false Western ideologies: they have adopted high shareholder returns resulting in the class phenomenon. There are not enough people who watch politics, but many who watch economics. Why is there is no “government day” newspaper but only a “business day” newspaper? We can track the results of business results daily but not government results as easily. I don’t think the intellectual debate has been strong enough. Have business leaders stopped asking for bonuses? Yes, that will happen naturally. Will they try and retain power? Yes. Am I optimistic about change? No Provocation 16: I am intrigued by the social contract where some people feel they are entitled to earn a lot while others learn little or nothing at all. There is now aspirant black leadership emerging with the white elite. I feel we are refusing to understand “how my wealth results in your poverty”. Those who are wealthy are connected to the poor. Once we see that, we will be able to find solutions. When it comes to social contracts why don’t we see these connections? In India, the understanding of the social contract is that economics is a social AND economic phenomenon. Can we afford luxury goods as a country? Are we avoiding rethinking this because of vested interests in the country? We have to think about socio-economics and what this means.


Provocation 17: What are the key lessons learnt about leadership? I am not qualified to make any assessment about how Mbeki’s economic policy contributed or not to our current crisis. I can talk about his political leadership at a moment where there is an expectation that the new leadership will create a new social contract. Mbeki failed to bring people along with him. It’s fascinating if you look back at that primal wound, which I believe is at the root of the split. The issue was not that Mbeki and Manual became neo-liberals – the problem was they did not take the comrades along with them. People who complained felt they were not consulted. If Mbeki had taken more time to consult within the structures he may have got more buy-in to the economic policies that many feel were necessary at the time. If we look at the possibilities of the current leadership, what do we see? Zuma is accused of being all things to all people and I understand that this is what politicians do. Politicians say yes to everyone whereas Statespeople are able to get people into the room and find compromised solutions. This happened in the Mandela era but not in the Mbeki era. I want to ask those in this room who are specifically engaged in human rights, what do you think the potential dangers of the global crisis is to our human rights agenda. In one study I read about, 70% of people said that they would compromise democracy for improved service delivery Provocation 18: The crisis will have an exacerbating impact on the fragility of human rights. We need to look at state intervention and how that will affect social interaction. Some scenarios include greater conflict and increased migration. Would we go back to the totalitarian approach if it meant we could live better? People tend to disengage with institutions because they lose their credibility. Can we can do something together? What is the common thing that we do? I like to think our constitution tells us the basics: social justice and unleashing human potential. Can we be a force for social good? Provocation 19: The real concern I have is the way we understand the word empowerment in lateral ways. We understand it as empowering the individual and giving freedom of choice. The way we are trying to engage in the problems does not level with that level of empowerment. How do we entrench the empowerment of the individual into every aspect – food security, service delivery, etc.? The top down approach is sickening – the way we deal with school governing bodies. Very often human beings will only respond to the crisis – yes, there is opportunity, but we almost wait until the opportunity has run away with us. Our natural resources are being treated as if there is no tomorrow. There is a level of lunacy and we are waiting for the crisis – we are waiting until there is such a problem that we have an emergency. The Department of Water and Forestry should be the Department of Dams because they understand nothing about the water. Closing After the provocations, two participants shared some closed reflections. • As practitioners we have many more questions than we have answers – are we distancing

ourselves from the people who have voices? Is it time for creative destruction of certain businesses?

• I think it will be sad if we leave here only fantasising. Let us think critically about what we can do and how.


Evening Programme During dinner, Dineo Ndlanzi shares an African story with everyone, to stimulate the story-telling juices in the group. After dinner everyone gathers around the fire to hear individual’s stories on an incident in their lives that was a major turning point.

“The stories were personal and inspiring – I feel more connected to everyone who shared and feel very grateful for the honesty”

“I feel that the discussions during the day helped people to open up

more around the fire.”


“Why are we thought leaders and not thought doers? I am provoking the group that actions emerge from here and it is not just another talk shop”

Day 3: Personal Leadership

Check-in The facilitators invite participants who have not spoken much to share: What survived the night? Many of the participants feel overwhelmed, angry, confused or reflective. There is acknowledgement of the real challenge that lies ahead with the current issues coupled with the global crisis, and the importance of engaging regionally and not just nationally. Some of the reflections involve deep questioning around personal roles, how to take action moving forward and the commitment to focus on areas where a personal involvement can make a difference. Some collaborative efforts are suggested such as influencing the quality and accessibility of reporting on the economic crisis; using formal institutions to create a new society through the arts; influencing the level of public engagement; the urgency for more conversations;. There is mention of transformation happening in specific government departments as well as continuously through ongoing truth and reconciliation. The transformative power of story-telling is also acknowledged. See Appendix D for the detailed check-in Open Space Conversations During the check-in, several people voice the need for action and raise the question “what next?” Participants are invited to host a conversation on an idea / initiative they would like to explore that they have energy, passion and capacity for. A lot of conversation themes are put forward. While some have generated a lot of interest, others feel that their topics could be discussed outside of the workshop. See the document: The Way Forward for more information


Closing In closing Anthony Prangely reiterates the reason why the meeting was called: “Because of the tough times we are in, we need to gain insight into this context, and we hoped this would be achieved by bringing different role players together.” He emphasises that there are no objectives for GIBS to drive the individual / ideas projects that emerge and that participants are encouraged to do this themselves and with each other.

The purpose was to create a platform to network, collaborate, talk and explore The specific opportunities / support from GIBS • Dialogue Circle Programme: There is an opportunity to collaborate and connect as guest

speakers and / or participants. • If there are specific areas that would like to connect to GIBS about, a conversation could be

arranged with Anthony.

“It is a privilege to be a participant in the nurturing of a country. Some people here have helped carry this baby South Africa, and birthed her. They carry the scars to prove this. I have had the privilege to see her for the first time as a toddler. Now I feel as if I am guiding her as a parent in

her teenage phase and I hope I can do this well, together with others.” Nick Binedell thanks the facilitating, organizing and supporting teams. He brings in the analogy of this Dialogue Circle to a jigsaw puzzle. “It is like we have been given a huge jigsaw puzzle without the picture and we have to guess as we go along. However each of us is carrying a piece of the puzzle, and hopefully because of that the picture is becoming clearer.” Facilitator closes by reflecting on the journey: The final day is the most difficult part, carrying so many contradictions. The first two days we were immersed in questions, sensing, and trying to figure it all out. The last day is where there is an awkward transition to put our stakes in the ground, gain clarity and think ahead about how we will move together. The intention is to open up a new set of relationships that could go in many different directions. What do you represent as institutions and individuals to take forward? Check out: What are you taking away with you? Some comments are • I have been in strategic silent mode because in my life and work I talk all the time, and I

struggle to listen. When you listen you begin to think. When I leave here, what significance will I take with me? I ask myself: Do I want to re-engage in the struggle? Once I made a pledge in Soweto that for this I would die. Can I make that pledge again given the complexity of the situation? Maybe it is more about the way I pass the baton to those who are behind me. Maybe I can engage in a different way, but I will re-engage

• I have come to the realization that great South Africans who are committed to the picture of this country come from different corners

• Whether these are the best or worst of times, I am not sure. But as a young person I know that this is our time to make a difference, and in fact the responsibility of my generation to take this forward and show this is our time. We are the change makers of today and the leaders of tomorrow

• Is there hope for Africa? I say yes because I have met young men and women who are very passionate about making a difference. Sitting here as someone from another African country among thought leaders at a time I believe to be the African century, I believe this dream can be realized. In other countries there was major crisis that was beyond the economic crisis and yet they came out of it. As a global community we are going through a crisis which we will come out of. I commit to making a little difference every day.


• I found a lot of heart in this gathering, without people’s ego’s coming to the fore. I found it refreshing that one could speak your mind and engage yourself, without fears of isolation

• I am leaving here knowing I am not alone Concluding Remarks We have chosen not to draw conclusions from the issues raised partly because the intention of the event was not to converge on easy answers but to share the pieces of the puzzle from each of our spheres of influence and gain nuanced insight into the complexity of the times we are in. We affirm that each of us, drawing on the ability of those around us, can influence the debate in the way that makes sense to them. If you have any general thoughts and reflections please send them through to us. We thank you for your positive engagement and hope that we can meet again in the near future. Kind regards, The Thought Leaders Dialogue Team


Appendix A: Participant List First Name Last Name Organisation Tel e-mailMiriam Altman Centre for Poverty, Employment & Growth CPEG 012 302 2740 [email protected] Binedell GIBS 011 771 4118 [email protected] Butler UCT 021 650 4748 [email protected] Davies Frontier Advisory 011 728 6339 [email protected] du Toit Institute for Justice & Reconciliation 021 763 7121 [email protected] Eloff North West University 018 299 4901 [email protected] Fritz Southern Africa Litigation Centre 011 403 3414 [email protected] Gevisser Independent 011 726 8666 [email protected] Githuku-Shongwe Afroes Consulting & Transformational Multi-Media 012 347 1986 [email protected] Goldstein Union of Orthodox Synagogues of South Africa 011 640 9669 [email protected] Graham Idasa 012 392 0500 [email protected] Harber Wits University 083 303 9497 [email protected] Hermann Solidarity 012 644 4309 [email protected] Holtmann CSIR 012 841 2685 [email protected] Kabalira-Uwase ABSA 011 350 4348 [email protected] Khoza AKA Capital 011 706 2992 [email protected] Kimaryo Private Consultant 072 212 9572 [email protected] Kollapen South African Human Rights Commission 011 484 8300 [email protected] Kupe Wits 011 717 4012 [email protected] Love Legal Resource Centre 011 836 9831 [email protected] Majija Sanlam Investment Management 021-950 2030 [email protected] Makgetla DBSA 012 300 5200 [email protected] Manyi Black Management Forum 011 840 4100 [email protected] Marcus ABSA 011 350 3532 [email protected] Chris Maroleng eTV News Channel 011 759 6429 [email protected] Mashele Institute for Security Studies 012 346 9500 [email protected]


First Name Last Name Organisation Tel e-mailLebo Mashile Poet 084 460 5997 [email protected] Matshiqi Centre for Policy Studies 011 442 2666 [email protected] Meyer Fever Tree Consulting 011 384 7800 [email protected] Mgabadeli Independent Producer 011 285 6191 [email protected] Mkhabela Interfaith community Development Association 011 339 3474 [email protected] Molebatsi CKLM Consultancy 011 836 8911 [email protected] Mondi IDC 011 269 3682 [email protected] Mseleku Association of SADC Chambers of Commerce & Industry 011 783 5481 [email protected] Muthien Dinokeng 011 469 5254 [email protected] Ndlovu Center for Civil Society 031 260 1506 [email protected] Perlman The Dreamfields Project 011 833 1050 [email protected] Pillay Sociology Dept, Wits University 011 717 4425 [email protected] Raiz Raizcorp 011 566 2000 [email protected] Seepe SAIRR 011 492 0600 [email protected] Sibiya Brait SA 011 507 1570 [email protected] Swilling Stellenbosch University & Sustainability Institute 021 881 3196 [email protected] Taljaard Helen Suzman Foundation 011 646 0150 [email protected] Terblanche Zululand Fever 035 901 9400 [email protected] Thipanyane SAHRC 011 484 8300 [email protected] Visser Brightest Young Minds 021 469 4749 [email protected] W ilson Centre for Applied Legal Studies 011 717 8600 [email protected]

First Name Last Name Organisation Tel e-mailGrant Ashfield Leadership Works 082 894 4288 [email protected] Byers-Ameguide Gordon Institute of Business Science 084 446 1196 [email protected] Dickinson Reos Consulting 083 415 0353 [email protected] Magner Reos Consulting 082 337 7829 [email protected] Prangley Gordon Institute of Business Science 083 746 8270 [email protected] Taylor Gordon Institute of Business Science 082 562 2887 [email protected]


Appendix B: Check-in questions Day 1 Check-in: What significant unresolved question has brought you to this workshop? • What kind of state South Africa is becoming? • Where are we seeking to position ourselves on the international stage? • Are we a country of two nations? Is this a reflection of the country we wished to create? • Why are the political leaders tough on political democracy and soft on economic democracy? • Are our democratic institutions going to able to deal with what is in store? • How do the interventions impact on democratic institutions? • Is capitalism going to give rise to a society of humanity, run by emotionally charged beliefs? • What is going to happen to our public discourse given what is happening in the media? • Will Africa ever embrace my one-year old daughter as an African? • What happens to society when becoming elite becomes embarrassing? • So much of what I know I have not personally experienced. What is really going on in SA and

what does that mean? • Do we as SA, especially our leaders, in terms of leaderships, realise what is at stake, if we fail? • After putting my shoulder to the wheel, how do I know if it is the right direction to be pushing? • How do we support the inclusion of the minority group in the discourse? • How are we ready to handle the economic slow down? • How do we deal with xenophobia in SA and what are the consequences of that? If issues

relating to xenophobia are resolved, what will the role of SA be in a global context? • Is it possible to create a security caravan that will not create a paradigm that will begin to

securitize development? • Why are we as a country in so much denial? • Are we in a crisis? If so, what is the nature of it? • Have we psychologically come to grips with how inward looking our past has made us? • What is the ordinary SA allegiance to human rights? • What is the state of the world we are in? What kind of society are we and what room do we

have to move? • Why is it today that we have so many black people who claimed to have been underground in

the ANC? • Why does 10% of the population own and control 90% of the economy? How do we

redistribute this? • If it is true that the majority of this country is in poverty, what right do I have to engage with

them? • Champions are made out of paradox: They are in the moment, but they are able to look at the

vision. Could we look at SA in the context of those paradoxes as good and not bad? • Are we really honest that after 15 years we want change, if 60% of the population are still

disadvantaged? • Millions of SA remains disadvantaged because of lack of service delivery in health, security

and education – no person can flourish without basic needs being looked after. If service delivery is so poor, why is it that the majority people will return the governing party to power? What are the people hoping to get from the government who has let them down so badly?

• What will it take for service delivery to happen in SA?


Appendix C: Programme Overview Day 1: What’s the big picture? 12:00 – 14:00 Arrival, registration and lunch 14:00 – 15:10 Welcome and introductions - Nick Binedell

Check-in 15:10 – 15:15 Programme overview 15:15 – 16:00 Provocations: What are the critical issues facing us (as South

Africans and those who have a stake in the country?) 16:00 – 16:30 Tea and coffee 16:30 – 17:30 Small group conversations: What are the critical issues facing us

(as South Africans and those who have a stake in the country?) 17:30 – 18:00 Sharing with the bigger group 18:30 Dinner and evening programme Day 2: Influencing the debate 8:30 – 9:00 Framing the day

Check-in 9:00 – 9:45 Case Study: World Cup 2010 9:45 – 10:30 Small group conversations 10:30 – 11:00 Hexagon grouping 11:00 – 11:30 Tea and coffee 11:30 – 12:30 Small group conversations 12:30 – 13:00 Group announcements 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch 14:00 – 16:00 Dialogue walk 16:00 – 17:30 Provocations 17:30 – 18:00 Closing 19:00 Story-telling Day 3: Personal Leadership 8:30 – 9:00 Framing the day

Check-in 9:00 – 11:30 Open space conversations 11:30 – 12:00 Closing

Check-out


Appendix D: Check-in questions Day 3 Check-in: What survived the night?

• What has struck me is the huge challenge we will be confronted by, not only by inequality but also by the global crisis

• I went through a cycle of being overwhelmed and feeling miniscule. I realised that the way for me to move forward would be to find ways of engaging more people in critical issues.

• Maybe I am in the wrong role? I realised I could regenerate my energy and focus on areas where I can make a difference.

• If people like me stop being so frozen by the big picture, we will move through this. • It is inevitable that we focus on our own society as if it is the most crucial. I want to bring to

the surface, that in this country, we have to be more conscious of the impossibility of doing things unless we are engaged regionally.

• I feel overwhelmed – each one of us will make the choice of what we want to do and how we want to do it? One thing that came up on the quality of reporting on the global crisis. It is becoming evident that there are fewer and fewer qualified financial reporters. We are not communicating the message on the crisis correctly, in the correct language to diverse people. I have been thinking more about how I can change that. Could we play a role in how we as journalists cover this differently and tell the story of SA in a way that is accessible?

• I learnt last night that reconciliation is still going on, even if it is 25 years later. This is a process, not an event – and we can learn more about this. I think more real transforming stories should come out as a form of reconciliation

• The day that I got my permanent residence, there was no struggle from an admin perspective to get my documents. I experienced the transformation within Home Affairs. It is possible in SA to have effective administration to ensure service delivery.

• There are various dimensions to this global crisis. There is a history of global crisis to the poor. Deepening inequality and poverty is a nightmare we have not properly addressed. There is a lack of representation of young black South African women here at this workshop, who are a huge section of the population. We need to hear their voices

• We need to use formal institutions to talk about how to create a new society through the arts. We need to talk about how that creative energy can be harness – it is not just about business and science

• Public discourse and how we improve this and hear those voices we are not hearing • I am one of the people who touch the economy directly. I have been through the emotional

stages of anger, denial and resentment. Towards the end of yesterday I noticed that things became more positive. I was selfish and benefited hugely from listening to people in this room. I am feeling fantastic and last night created two new products. I feel enriched and inspired. I was hoping that all our thoughts would be crystallized into action. Why are we thought leaders and not thought doers? I am provoking the organizers that actions emerge from here and it is not just another talk shop

• One of the dimensions of our reconciliation process is the process between the citizens and the state, where there is little policemen presence when tensions are so high. Reconciliation means different things for different people. It is either playing by the rules or the Tutu approach where we have to learn to love each other. I propose a middle road approach which is modest reconciliation. This is merely a commitment to conversation over and above the rules. The urgency for this conversation is higher than in other places. We need to have the conversation between the citizen and the state otherwise we will have citizens that feel unheard.

• What can I do? I want to choose the public I work with pin point accuracy and make a difference there


• What now? I was perplexed that we are trying to reach the people in the ground. Should we not look at the leadership with pinpoint accuracy? I don’t think the shotgun approach will be effective. I think the people here are not just here to think but to do

• There are many battles out there to be fought. I am going to think laterally about which battles I can win and focus on these. I am taking energy from the last few days and hopefully do things better

• A farmer knows that winter is not a time to do a lot of planting or harvesting, but it is the time to prepare the soil – maintenance time. This economic time is the winter; the time to consolidate and prepare

• I have the image of the house and the house is called SA. We are all participants in the building of this house – we do not have a right to plan, lead and build alone. We need to do this together – taking the time to reflect

• How do we influence the debate? We’re all the transitional generation and we know what it means to come through that. What if we make a home but never fully belong? Always unsure of our place and hold onto to trauma that we pass on. Because of this state we are almost heroes – and is this keeping us stuck. Is it our voices that need to be heard or do we distort this for the younger generation? Maybe there are other voices that need to be amplified

• I don’t come here as an academic but merely as a citizen who has access to a newspaper. It has been fulfilling and confusing. What do I do with what I have learnt here? We have decided to do something similar in our area bringing together business, community and youth – bringing forth the issues we challenges we face in Zululand.

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