It has to be the right kind of growth

As world leaders in business, politics and civil society descend on Durban this week, there is no more important theme to discuss and align on than the global geopolitical shift from inclusive and open economies to closed and exclusive markets that prioritise themselves over, and even at the expense of, everyone else.

I was in Atlanta, Georgia, in October last year, a few weeks before the US elections. As my wife and I did the tourist attraction trips, we couldn't help but notice the number of buildings wrapped in election campaign posters showing Donald Trump in a face-off with Hillary Clinton.

This sparked a conversation with one of our Uber drivers. He was an older white man who didn't sound very personable or warm, and had that "I've been smoking 40 cigarettes a day since I was 13" type of look on his face.

I thought he would be a perfect candidate for a political discussion. I asked which presidential candidate he preferred. He didn't hesitate. "I will never vote for that woman," he chirped.

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I was shocked. I wasn't prepared for a gender-based answer. So I probed. "Why would you vote for Trump? Just because he's a man?"

"No!" he responded. "He is all American. It is about time we look after ourselves and show the world we are still the greatest nation on earth."

That was enough for me. Suddenly my initial impression of the man, based purely on his looks, made perfect sense when I attached his political views. He was angry at the world and blamed it and the administration of Barack Obama for his problems.

I should have conceded right there and then that Trump would win the elections.

However, silly and naive me thought that sanity would prevail among Americans and that a former reality-TV star turned presidential candidate who preached a divisive gospel based on race, religion and sexual orientation could not win.

How wrong I was.

As Africans, we are faced with a similar choice today.

Do we build a continent that is inclusive in its outlook and construct, or do we consciously or subconsciously deliver a society made of 50-odd states based on self-interest?

The World Economic Forum on Africa starts on Wednesday under the very relevant theme of "Achieving Inclusive Growth".

Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of Oxfam International, may have had something to do with this choice of theme as she made a huge impression at WEF Africa two years ago in Kigali, Rwanda, when she made the point that economic growth in Africa is of no use if it does not serve all Africans, especially the poor and vulnerable.

"I think we focus too much on the amount of growth," she said.

"Is it 10%? Is it 6%? I think the right question should be: is this growth creating jobs? Is this growth raising the standard of living of all our people? It's the quality of the growth that's key here. Growth has been delinked from inequality and poverty. We need to bring back that link."

A sub-theme of this year's forum will be a focus on "responsible and responsive leadership".

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It is a theme relevant to Nigeria, which is coming out of a recession, or drought-stricken Zambia, and to what seems to be the constantly politically sensitive South Africa.

There is no doubt that we live in a time when leadership, especially political leadership, has shown very little responsibility and responsiveness.

In fact, it can be argued that it is the lack of this responsiveness that resulted in the unanticipated US election outcome and the narrow Brexit vote.

More and more, the average voter is feeling isolated by politics.

"I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border and I'll have Mexico pay for that wall," said Trump.

There is no such physical wall yet, but it is clear that the US has built a very high and mighty emotional wall between itself and many of its neighbouring countries.

There is little doubt that Africa's fullest potential lies in its will and ability to integrate as an economic region, with the single objective of ensuring we no longer live in a rich Africa, with poor Africans.

Khumalo is chief operating officer of MSG Afrika and presents "Power Business" on Power98.7 at 6pm, Monday to Thursday