A failed nation but not a failed people

To wake up in the morning and not being able to make coffee is like a very bad start of the day.

This happened to me several times on my recent trip to South Africa. Load shedding is the new buzz word and that means electricity is cut for several hours sometimes twice a day. This is even the case for water at the hotel I stayed in and it is of course very annoying when you are not only relying on coffee in the morning but also light, WIFI, security and so much more.

Many South Africans are losing confidence in their own country´s ability to fix these problems, and of course with so many people living in townships, in poverty, unemployed, not voting in the elections, it seems like the country is like a powder keg, waiting to explode. The Russian and Chinese involvement doesn’t make the situation more stable, filling the pockets of some politicians. As an old black church leader told me: We feel betrayed! 

Do we in the northern hemisphere need to bother, isn’t this just another African country failing again on its journey toward democracy, securing human rights, prosperity, and stability?! South Africa is probably the most developed country on the continent and its GDP is approximately 25% of the total African economy. Therefore, it is not just any country. It serves as the beacon to the more than 60 other nations in Africa on how to develop. Just also think about the symbolic effect of leaders like Mandela and Tutu. South Africa has been a lighthouse to the rest of the world.

Recently, I was in Pretoria and Cape Town for a week and had several seminars on the topic “Creating Hope for the Future”. I met several politicians, business leaders, pastors, leaders of NGOs, academics and many more, of all colors and gender. Great people, all longing for a new start of their country and this is where I heard the following: We are a failed state, but not a failed people.

The reason for this hopeful view is that people can rise again, take charge of their destiny and build something better. This happened in the Scandinavian countries 150 years ago when the popular movements lifted generations out of poverty, dirt, illiteracy and feudalism into prosperity, democracy and responsibility over the nation`s destiny.

I saw that fire in many of the South Africans I met.  A younger man had committed his life to change the negative narrative in his close circle of friends, to become hopeful, positive and take part of a new nation-building process. 

The church in South Africa has a huge potential. More than 50% gather in various churches on a regular Sunday and it is the biggest force in civil society. If people of faith could just lift their eyes to the horizon and realize what is at stake and the enormous influence it can have of mobilizing efforts in a positive direction, things will change and it will not take long. People who are accountable to one another and to God can´t take bribes and mismanage a country. No, people will start building something for the common good, becoming each other’s servants instead of each other’s masters. Society will start to function. I think even my WIFI will then start to work all throughout the day.

The fruit of Christian faith is serving each other and being accountable for one another. This is true not only in South Africa, but this is a message also to the rest of the world.