Jay Naidoo's talking points

Jay Naidoo has called for a national dialogue to rescue our faltering democracy … what might be some of the talking points?

Reading Jay Naidoo’s article in the Sunday Times, two talking points stood out.

First, that we shouldn’t simply expect government to come up with and implement solutions. The business sector must be recognised as a vital resource in the new national effort to “rescue our faltering democracy”. Why? Because “business has the management, technological and distribution capacity to partner with government and communities to deliver sustainable development.”

Most successful global businesses today do not operate in a vacuum. The social environment is integrated into their success. The new models of business development … see partnering with the private sector to deliver products and services to the four billion people at the base of the pyramid as a viable strategy to challenge poverty. … With widespread institutional failure we do not have the luxury of marginalising the private sector.

Point taken. However, this perspective requires abandoning or at least moderating the view that the interests of business and the left are essentially at odds. The prevalence and flexibility of this perspective post-polokwane is being contested at the moment and we’ll have a better idea (hopefully) as election time draws near.  Of course, corporate social investment strategies provide some framework for the private sector’s participation in local development, regardless of government’s stance. The important point is that the role of business in addressing the developmental needs of our society and thereby indirectly our democracy is a discussion point that needs elaboration.

The second point that stood out in the article was the importance of community structures. This is vital because it strengthens the principles on which our democracy is founded and ultimately increases local empowerment. Jay sums up: “only an empowered community can ensure our teachers are teaching our children in schools (and in class on time), that clinics treat our people with respect and dignity, and that our communities are safe from criminals.” The point is obvious . The talking point, however, is how to build community structures – and on this score, we need to learn from recent civil society experience as well as the UDF experience of the 1980s. This is where our history really matters and many of the authors on this site have a lot to contribute.