Katlego Sekhu
In this week’s Open Line, a listener voiced his concerns about South Africa’s economic system, describing it as ‘just not working.’
He argued that the current system is designed to keep people trapped in a cycle of dependency.
The listener compared the system to a chain, explaining, “You go to primary school, then high school, then varsity, and then you wait for work.”
He stressed the need for a system that accelerates people’s ability to participate in the economy. He pointed to China as an example, where individuals are directed into specific professions from an early age to boost economic growth.
“Like other countries, what they’re doing in China—from an early age, you are being directed into a certain profession to speed up the economy,” he said.
He believes that adopting a similar approach in South Africa could help tackle the country’s persistently high unemployment rates.
The listener also stressed the importance of global exposure and curriculum reform.
Responding to the caller, host Sizwe Dhlomo acknowledged the validity of his viewpoint.
“It is not a bad view, and a lot of people might agree with you.” Dhlomo added, “We do need to nurture a workforce that will be competitive in the future. Right now, I feel we are just incubating economic slaves.”
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