by LUKE ZUNGA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE United States (US) prospered out of a violent atmosphere from 1541 when the first Spanish explorer Francisco Vasques de Coronado explored for gold in South West to 1916 when the last stage robbery in Jarbidge Canyon, Nevada succeeded.
Since then, the US has transformed to knowledge and finance which it used to develop unparalleled military strengths.
Only Britain and China have a competing strategy. The US managed to draw innovations from citizens and to utilize their knowledge and their large tax base to build military might.
When people are appealing to the international community, they are ultimately referring to the United States as the final arbiter and actor.
Like Jupiter, its influence is so immense that no country can challenge it. You cannot match it financially, militarily and knowledge base.
Well, China is trying. The 52 states brought together are so great and powerful at the core. The country has floating beds of aircraft carriers, so vast that one of these mission ships, if positioned at the Cape of Good Hope, will control and defeat all sub-Sahara air space.
The US provides security for Europe and few friends in Asia. The US Presidents like Israel, South Korea, and the little Island off China. You feel the US lacks real ties in its huff and puff, and the aim is unclear.
Where to America?
There are many countries who are mourning about the US, crying and pleading as it bulldozes and domineers.
The US hears only competition. You have to realize that one country will not quickly compete with the US. The educated among Africans do not compete with the US openly, because they want to travel to the US and fear visa restrictions if they speak their own minds.
One country which can not compete with the USA is South Africa. South Africa needs the US for its lessons and the USA needs South Africa for broader relations, not the holes the US is poking.
SA/US relations must be cold steel relations, not friendship, but to know that this one is not an enemy. Europe is a small corner of the world and is past its peak.
South Africa balances continents. Both need a new strategy. The first contact is the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and after the debates the US will be bare, will realize South Africa is here.
The US cannot learn anything from Europe or Australasia. South Africa must organize something which amounts to 52 states, either in Africa or BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.)
Unfortunately, the politicians in South Africa underrate themselves. They have no understanding of the key role to organize. South Africa needs the knowledge of the Afrikaners ”to make a plan”.
To organize the economy, the first thing is to realize that the number of formal businesses must reach 5% of the pollution, critical for full employment. South Africa needs 2 million new formal businesses, to create enough employment and double tax collections.
At that level Americans will come and work in South Africa. It balances the relations.
Below 5% level the South African economy is not fully engaged, with unemployment, low tax base, low growth, limited opportunities, crime and inequality.
South Africa must not use the bank process, which is slow, costly and inadequate. It is what Ivy League Universities taught African technocrats, but to stall growth.
South Africa must get out of this notion that investors come from the US and Britain. There are many ways of raising capital. To raise seed capital, South Africa was advised to use technology in the 1 cent proposal on mobile phones or 1 cent for every bank transaction.
Then global financial markets are available to blow it to heights never imagined before, to drive industry. Then replicate that among African countries and BRICS. It would be unique. All of a sudden, the USA will lose its commanding arms but will win friends.
South Africans must start owning industries, make their own cars, tractors, ships, trucks, aircrafts, war machinery and compete!
Denel can drive this. South Africa must convince BRICS to create a defence setup, to develop the technical and architecture to build skills in ship building, warfare development, marine, sea and aircraft technologies, not to compete with the USA particularly but to their own requirements. These industries are huge businesses in themselves.
NB: Luke Zunga is a political analyst, researcher, chartered secretary and corporate governance.
– CAJ News