The easing of South Africa's stringent Covid 19 lockdown last week occurs against the background of an unacknowledged policy lockdown for at least the past 10 years.
It has been characterised by radical economic transformation policies aimed at changing the ownership, control and structure of the economy. The ruling ANC will use the economic devastation triggered by the lengthy lockdown to push for the rapid adoption of these measures, as part of "reconstruction" and "radical economic transformation".
Given the massive inefficiency and often rampant corruption in the public service and state owned enterprises, the notion that increased state control will speed up economic recovery and ensure its success should be laughed out of court.
The risk is that the ANC SACP will demand ever more public ownership and state control. It is vital that South Africans speak up in defence of capitalism, which has helped lift billions out of poverty all across the globe. For more information read https: irr.org.za reports occasional reports the ten year lock down with worse still to come.
Dr Anthea Jeffery
Head of policy research for the Institute of Race Relations
