Two weeks ago Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan told Parliaments’ standing committee on finance that, while he had encountered a growing optimism around the world when it came to South Africa and Africa, he didn’t find this in South Africa. He went on to warn against negative messages from opposition South African parties, analysts and the media as far as South Africa is concerned. "There are so many good things happening, but the narrative being told is a negative one." He suggested that "changing the South African narrative to portray the country as a great investment destination, and he” called on opposition parties to not add to negative perceptions”.

Omega is a small company but it has an international focus and over the 30 years of its existence has established connections with many international companies which have interests in South Africa and Africa. We know and understand how perceptions of the continent have changed; and quite frankly we can't agree with the Minister, whom we otherwise greatly respect. The image of Africa generally has dramatically improved, but unfortunately that is not true of South Africa. The Economist, with its cover story "Cry The Beloved Country”, expressed the predominant view of South Africa in important international markets. For example, we can no longer take for granted from a business point of view, that South Africa is the gateway to Africa. Nairobi, Accra, Lagos and others are all staking their claim. And the Minister is certainly mistaken and also unfair in claiming that South Africa’s "negative narrative" is the result of "negative messages from opposition parties, analysts and the media." If anything, our robust opposition and our openness to analysts and South Africa’s free media is one of our strengths.

While South Africans as a people have reason to be pleased with their achievements over the past two decades in terms of nation-building and at an individual level achieving inter- racial harmony, they have very little reason to be grateful to the government - a government that has proved to be uninspiring, leaderless and unable to provide the kind of vision that we deserve. Our society distinguishes itself with failing grades on International literacy and maths scales; service delivery failure and we lag far behind other countries in the emergence of entrepreneurship; and yet stand out for our obscene displays of extravagance and materialism.

So how do we achieve the "positive South African narrative" Minister Gordhan talks about? –  something he and his fellow-Ministers and the President obviously can't deliver by themselves and the opposition parties - notwithstanding good intentions – are not strong enough to get us to. What, it seems is required is something that commits us not as members of political parties but as citizens with the visions of a democratic, peaceful and successful South Africa - something, some people would say, is like Clem Sunter's "highroad”. One senses that this is what South Africans of all communities and all social classes want. This is what also explains the quiet excitement that was expressed at the initial emergence of Mamphela Ramphele as a public role-player above politics. Unfortunately, she chose to go into politics and lost that particular quality that is so necessary to inspire all citizens. We need therefore to look more closely and imaginatively at our potential role as citizens - because that was the direction Ramphele was heading in.

The concept of citizen activist groups is a very old one, but it has been stimulated world-wide in recent times by two developments: firstly, the East European citizen movements which very quickly and effectively buried Stalinism; and secondly, the anti-global movement.  Citizenship involvement has also been greatly encouraged by new-age digital technology. South Africa, incidentally, has had its experience of citizen activist organisations. These started with the Volkskongresse which, beginning in 1893, began to address the problem of "poorwhitism" and the upliftment of the Afrikaner people; the Torch Commando, which was founded in 1951 during the constitutional crisis around the Coloured vote; the Black Sash and the UDF and many others.

The fundamental premise or theory underlying the concept of citizen movements is the belief that good societies will be achieved by the contributions of good government on the one hand and a dynamic community of trade unions, professional associations, NGO organisations, universities and churches on the other. In the case of South Africa we need to strengthen the citizen element to compensate for the failure of government. And we are fortunate in this regard in that from an historical and structural point of view South Africa has a much more sophisticated and developed society than many middle countries. Indeed, given the ruling parties' proclivity, if not commitment, to concentrating power at the centre, citizen organisations have a vital role to play.

It is against this background that we at Omega have looked at James Motlatsi and Bobby Godsell's recently launched CITIZENS.ZA . Both men are well-known South Africans who have made very worthy public contributions in different ways. What is more, although they have very different South African backgrounds, they have shared the most extraordinary relationship over the past two decades.

As individuals, given their respective careers to date, neither aspires to heroic status but is doing what they feel compelled to do. Both seem to be the ideal people to launch a citizen’s action group which fills the essential needs discussed above. As they jointly say in a note: "The purpose of the  CITIZENS .ZA Movement is to get as many South Africans as possible to endorse a set of positive values; and then translate these values in actions in their lives, and on a sustained basis." We are enclosing the charter they and many other prominent South Africans have adopted - and it is significantly described as "The Active Citizens Charter"- because we believe it embodies the right values and promotes the right social and economic goals, and offers signatories opportunities of actually improving society through individual action, with the accompanying crucial emotional satisfaction of "doing something to help the situation". We at Omega are supporting this initiative and we invite you to do the same.

THE CITIZENS CHARTER

I:

• Recognise the injustice of the past, honour those who suffered for justice and freedom, respect those who build our country and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it.
• Have the freedom to be an active member of the political party of my choice; the party whose values and policies are closest to my own.
• Rejoice in my own identity, as constructed by me, I respect the identities of South Africans different from me. This diversity of peoples and cultures is something that makes our country interesting and wonderful. The foundation for all these identities is our shared identity as South Africans.
• Love and build my family. I respect my parents. I am active, engaged parent to my children.
• Am a good neighbor and an active member in the community where I live.

Each day I use the resources I have – at home, at school or college, in my workplace to do things that create more value for our society.

I use money responsibly. I take on no more debt that I can afford. I lend no more than others can afford to repay.

I love my country and honour its constitution. I do not pay bribes. Do not buy stolen goods or shelter criminals. I use our roads responsibly and am courteous and considerate to other road users including pedestrians.

In signing this charter I commit, in addition to what I am doing now, to add 4 hours a month in new activity: in education, health, youth development and employment, environmental protection, crime prevention, or some other form of active citizenship. I will do this together with other South Africans who live in my community and who have signed this charter and have joined this movement.

Sign up on the website: www.citizens.za.com.
Twitter: @CitizensZA
Facebook: Citizens South Africa
Email: citizensza@citizen.za.com

Denis Worrall is Chairman of Omega Investment Research, a South African based investment advisory and strategic marketing consultancy. He is a graduate of the University Cape Town (M. A.), University of South Africa (LLB) and Cornell University (Ph.D) where he was a Fulbright Scholar.  He started his career as an academic lecturing at universities in the US, Nigeria and South Africa. His last post was as research Professor at Rhodes University. He practised as an advocate for seven years in Cape Town, before going into public life. He has been a Member of Parliament, chairman of the Constitutional committee of the Presidents’ council, South African Ambassador to Australia and the Court of St James’s (London).

To become a subscriber of Omega's Political Risk Service please visit our website for options and costs, www.omegainvest.co.za or contact Stacey Farao – Staceyf@omegainvest.co.za