South Africa is experiencing an exodus of professionals, executives, business owners and young graduates — of all colours and ages. It is at such a high level that it is undermining public service delivery, employment creation and economic growth.
One of the biggest reasons for development failure in postcolonial African countries is loss of critical skills. When African and developing countries experience perilous levels thereof, it becomes very difficult for them to fast-track development, attract new investment, build industrial capacity and lift economic growth rates.
Those leaving have skills the country can ill afford to lose.
The experience, ideas and money exiting en-masse are needed to generate tax income for public and social services and state-owned companies to operate. Taxes pay for public services, create jobs and stimulate economic growth necessary for development and poverty and inequality reduction.
Skills emigration does not only mean loss of income for a country, but also the closure of businesses. This increases unemployment, loss of business know-how and the social capital required to create opportunities, income and pass on knowledge to others.A country's competitiveness is undermined when those who can offer new ideas and innovation to solve its problems leave. It deindustrialises states, as is the case in South Africa, which has lost the ability to manufacture many products.
Large-scale emigration of socially and economically capable individuals with advanced leadership skills undermines social cohesion and community wellbeing, which is built through citizens' involvement in neighbourhood committees, schools and voluntary organisations. Cohesive communities are critical for political stability, prosperity and peace, all vital ingredients for economic growth, business development and poverty reduction.
The exodus of highly skilled individuals increases the sense of hopelessness among those who stay behind, draining the country's collective energy.
Many South Africans who are emigrating are active citizens, not only in their work places, but in their communities, civil society organisations and altruistic causes. Societies need such individuals, who serve as mentors, civic leaders and problem-solvers in strengthening social cohesion. The exodus of highly skilled individuals increases the sense of hopelessness among those who stay behind, draining the country's collective energy.
Many of those left behind resort to living in laagers, prioritising close family, ethnic or religious groups, rather than actively engaging in public life. Societal development cannot happen in an environment of hopelessness, in which individuals are not enthusiastic about investing, contributing to public life or being altruistic.
Sadly, many leaders of the governing ANC, like many postcolonial African governments and leaders, shrug off the skills exodus as if it does not matter and will have no consequences, believing such skills are easily replaced. Many ANC leaders, members and supporters have a poor understanding of the impact of such an outflux of critical skills.
Yet skills, experience, investment and energy cannot be easily replaced. An exodus thereof can developmentally set back a country for generations, rendering it unable to catch up with fast-growing competing countries that value talent and try to keep it.
African liberation and independence parties, including the ANC, often do not see the importance of individual entrepreneurial talent which creates businesses, innovations and products that change societies.
Mostly, these governing parties ideologically oppose merit based on individual capabilities, arguing instead for that based on struggle credentials. Many leaders and supporters of these parties argue that anyone armed with struggle credentials can be appointed to head sophisticated engineering firms, finance departments or airlines. This philosophy has led to the failure of almost all African government agencies and state-owned companies, and is at the heart of chronic state failure across the continent.
Many South Africans leave unwillingly. They desperately want to stay but don't because of high crime levels, systemic corruption, chronic power outages, lack of sensible policies, uncaring attitudes and unresponsiveness, and blame shifting and denialism from the ANC to South Africa’s mounting problems.
Those who leave include highly qualified young people who see no current or future opportunities here, young people who are starting families and planning for the future, families whose children are starting school or have completed matric and people nearing retirement who are highly skilled and wealthy.
The government must actively bring in the private sector, professionals and civil society to help co-implement policies. This means ANC leaders will have to shed their dogged adherence to ideology which opposes business, civil society and non-ANC-connected entrepreneurs from delivering public services. The government must provide more incentives for local businesses and civil society organisations providing key services, and to professionals with critical skills to encourage them to stay. Similarly, companies must do more to not only retain critical skills but develop them in their workforces and the communities they serve.
William Gumede is associate professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and author of 'Restless Nation: Making Sense of Troubled Times' (Tafelberg)
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