In contrast to ludicrous [see previous post, Nigeria's former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, talks about a "Different Africa" [which will be the focus of TED Africa] in this snazzy haute couture of videos.
One thing I do agree with is “We have to do it for ourselves”. The Abahlali baseMjondolo shack dwellers have shown us and proved that a social movement can engage in real participatory democracy and stand up to oppression, elitism, BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) for the few, racism and economic apartheid. People get very excited when talking about this “other Africa” – the one of growth in telecoms and of course huge profits, most of which are made from the poor subsidising the rich (cheaper tariffs and better deals for contract versus “pay as you go”). Privatisation policies which include privatisation of basic needs such as water, and electricity and again the poor subsidising the rich who pay less for their electricity than the poor and commercial enterprises being subsidised by consumers. And the big wow – Nigeria now has a shopping mall where businesses are turning over 4 times more than projected. Hows that for progress? Especially when it runs on its own private set of generators and God knows where it gets its water from? And even more exciting is the new “mining code” legislation which would be a great leap forward except it has somehow now reached the oil industry. But with all these great leaps forward where is the money going – not into social programmes, not in constructing an electric power system and running water.
I must say I find it pretty grim when someone speaks of having worked for the World Bank for 20 odd years and was finance minister of Nigeria describes a shopping mall and property development as progress. This is not about another world- another Africa – its about Africa joining and supporting the global market – carrots for the few and weeds for the rest.
Will human rights / social justice be on the agenda of a “Different Africa? Talks of trends towards democracy and growth rates of 5% per annum. But where are all the profits from these business ventures going? A different side of Africa but lets try having a holistic and inclusive approach. You cannot talk of democracy and investment ventures when human rights are at best marginalised and in most cases completely ignored; when there are millions of citizens who are stateless; millions who live in the equivalent of garbage dumps; when the majority of leaders are dictators trying to pass themselves of as democratic leaders; a muzzled uninspiring mainstream media; a justice system that is compromised by government interference and corruption – the list goes on. Sweeping the masses under the carpet then scrubbing it clean and selling it wont hide what’s underneath for very long. Take for the example the proposed “KwaZulu-Natal Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Bill” supposedly to prevent landlords from renting out shacks. The idea of the local government is to move the shackdwellers into temporary transit camps – as lawyer for the Legal Resource Center, Ranjith Purshotum comments
“Instead of saying that people will be evicted from slums after permanent accommodation is secured, we have a situation where people are being removed from a slum, and sent to another slum. Only this time it is a government-approved slum and is called a transit area. This is the twisted logic of the drafters of the legislation,”
The real intention here is to move the Shackdwellers to out of town locations in a similar policy to apartheid, where they will become invisible, where there are no facilities, schools, clinics, shops and so far from the town that finding work will be even more difficult. For the very few who do have work, they will have to spend even more on transport costs. Once the shackdwellers are out of town and out of sight, then the landowners and property developers can move in, build shopping malls, fancy apartments for the BEE recipients and make loads of money none of which will reach the people of Abahlali. But the politicians and economists can speak of the great leap forward as Africans do it for themselves. BUT Abahlali are not moving until the land promised them is developed and they can remain on their lands and retain their right to decent housing, water and electricity. Their determination to fight on for their land and homes, now that IS progress.
Now here is something to think about – “Why squatter cities are a good thing”. According to TED guest speaker, Stewart Brand – “everyone in squatter cities are employed” WTF! where, how, doing what? Something he would do I wonder? Is this an example of “critical thinking” ?
I haven’t put the video up as I cant stand the aggressive noisy corny marketing of it all but note at the end how the world starts with the US and spreads out from there finally reaching out to Step 100: the ultimate driving machine
