Kagiso Alamu: Premier Dr Zamani Saul Is The Servant-Leader We Deserve

Felicitations to the newly appointed Premier of the Northern Cape province Dr. Zamani Saul. It is clear that he comes with sheer vigour, hunger and determination to transform the lives of the citizens of this province. South Africa in general is in need of servant-leaders of his calibre and of men like Panyaza Lesufi. Let me also take this opportunity to commend the African National Congress in its bold, fair and equal deployment of female leaders in the Executive Council within our province as well as the deployment of young and capable leaders who have served the youth structures of this province with distinction.

Before markets opened in 1978, China was an impoverished planned economy governed by a Maoist bureaucracy. In just three decades it evolved into the world’s second-largest economy. China fuelled its spectacular growth with massive government spending. The government owns strategically important companies that dominate their industries. It controls the big three energy companies: PetroChina, Sinopec, and CNOOC. Government ownership allowed China to direct the companies to high-priority projects.

China’s growth has reduced poverty. Only 3.3 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. China contains about 20 percent of the world’s population. As its people get richer, they will consume more. Companies will try to sell to this market, the largest in the world, and tailor their products to Chinese tastes.

Growth is making China a world economic leader. China is now the world’s biggest producer of aluminium and steel.

Chinese tech companies quickly became market leaders. Huawei is the world’s top cellular-equipment maker. It is quickly becoming a world leader in developing 5G technology. Lenovo is a world-class maker of personal computers. Xiami is one of China’s top smartphone brands. I am of the believe that the growth economic model adopted by the Chinese through state-owned companies is something we as a country can adapt and implement with the view of growing our economy. It would create massive jobs opportunities and make the creation of a super- developed -city possible without massive tax implications on the citizens. The pessimists would argue that it would not work, but that’s the inherent nature of pessimists. What is needed is to strengthen corruption- fighting institutions in government and deal with corruption without fear or favour, irrespective of who the leader involved is.

The Premier has made it categorically clear that the time for scientific analysis of the conditions of the poor and working class is a thing of the past. His vision is that of a people’s government that is in constant contact with the people it serves and is aware of their needs having learned through observation. Most importantly, he envisions an administration that would develop long term plans to eradicate poverty and advance service delivery, including infrastructural development that would create jobs for the skilled unemployed masses of the province. The plans he has outlined so far are certainly achievable, it is up to every public servant (be it a cleaner or a manager) to step outside the imperceptible boxes of the old modus operandi. According to J.F. Kennedy, change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. Wishing the new administration everything of the best in the quest to transform the lives of the citizens of this province.

Kagiso Al Khelaifi Alamu
Galeshewe