South Africa cannot afford to view itself in isolation, but must realise that the good of the African continent translates into benefits for all, the Reverend Frank Chikane has told a forum hosted by the Nepad Business Foundation (NBF).

Chikane, who has served as the Director-General in the Presidency since 1999, pointed out that, as a supporter of the African Renaissance, President Thabo Mbeki has long been cogniscent of the need to support other African countries. Only in this manner will Africa be able to realise NEPAD’s vision of creating an environment where Africans are able to master their own destinies and formulate their own solutions.

“Equally important is the need to achieve buy-in from all who are affected by this vision; not only government, but also civil society and the private sector throughout Africa,” Chikane noted.

He added that, in many countries, this is a challenge, as in some instances, NEPAD’s goals have been accepted by government, yet not discussed at cabinet level. The private sector, too, has yet to play an active role in realising NEPAD’s vision – and this sector is instrumental in creating wealth for the continent, Chikane says. The mobilisation of the private sector to facilitate the growth and development of Africa, is a key focus area for the NBF.

After World War II, Europe had a Marshall Plan that needed a strong government to implement this structure. “Africa’s regional economies have been compromised by colonisation; the continent has been carved up so that our economies cannot grow and develop at their own pace,” Chikane observes. Subsequently, when Africa became independent and needed its own Marshall Plan and strong government, the IMF and the World Bank imposed ‘small government’ or ‘less government’ and stringent fiscal controls and macro-economic policies which led to a decline in the economies of Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

"As a result, African countries have become accustomed to relying on aid. However, we cannot expect to radically change our conditions if we depend entirely on charity and handouts. Instead, we need to create a sustainable base from which to develop our own economies."

This once again highlighted the importance of discarding self interest, and adopting an approach that seeks to ensure the development of the entire continent. “A better Africa means a better South Africa,” Chikane said.

South Africa can be instrumental in fashioning this ‘better Africa’, but needs to be aware of attributes that may be construed as a ‘double edged sword’ in the international arena. For example, says Chikane, although South Africans value their system of democracy which encourages lively debate, other countries may perceive this as lacking a definite standpoint on certain issues.

"Similarly, while we are proud of our good governance and corporate governance practices – both of which have contributed to the stability of our macro-economic environment and fostered an enviable economic capacity – we must take care to guard against aggressiveness which some countries may regard as arrogance. This is linked to the challenge of the displacement of local business; while the advent of large businesses is a positive sign of development, we must be sensitive to the fact that they may spell disaster for small corner shops.

"Finally, we must be aware that the legacy of apartheid has created circumstances and practices that may be misinterpreted by others. For example, we have become accustomed to the dynamic that has resulted in the majority of our businesses as white owned or controlled, but African business partners may view this as racism.

“These issues make it clear that we need to be careful about how we conduct ourselves in the business sphere,” Chikane observed. South Africa’s private sector must acknowledge this challenge, whilst promoting an ethos that recognises that we cannot develop further unless we develop the countries around us, he concluded.