This weekend marks the unofficial start of the holiday season. Industry starts closing down, corporates cut back to skeleton staff and government employees disappear in a puff of smoke.
Highways become a congested mess, beaches are besieged by “Vaalies”, pubs and restaurants overflow and malls are choked by hordes of shoppers blowing their bonuses (those lucky enough to get them) or searching for the perfect gift for loved ones.
This year South Africans deserve a good dose of R&R, where they can bury their heads in the sand and push the traumatic events of the year to the back of their minds.
Yes, 2023 was a year of challenges: the horrors of load-shedding, increasing water outages, spiralling fuel prices and the cost of living crisis. It’s been a lot to handle.
But we all know by now that any reprieve in the short term is improbable. When our holiday is over and we return to work with empty bank accounts and sunburn, these same problems will be waiting for us.
With a crucial election coming up next year, we should brace ourselves for some big promises from our politicians. They will be so convincing, some of us may even fall for them. But most us understand only too well that our politicians will just be paying lip service to the growing challenges the country faces.
Load-shedding will still be with us. Water outages will continue and probably get worse. Potholes will be bigger and multiply — in no small part due to the trucks clogging up roads because of dysfunctional railroads. Service delivery will continue to be optional rather than crucial.
But between the disasters, there have been some successes, albeit few and far between.
There are two noteworthy spheres of government we can take comfort in, knowing there are still sectors of the public sector that work.
One of those is Sars, which has consistently thrived since the departure of Tom Moyane during the state capture years.
Tax revenues grew faster than GDP this year, and the organisation continues to embrace technology, making it a doddle for citizens to file returns.
Another area of excellence is the auditor-general’s office, which has released some really strong, credible reports this year.
Tsakani Maluleke has been a beacon of propriety, and her office’s reports have created a glimmer of hope that accountability still exists in SA.
But Maluleke and her office are stymied by the system. Their reports and recommendations are regularly ignored and dismissed by municipalities, which continue to trample on human rights by depriving their residents of basic services.
Accountability is a word used excessively by our politicians, civil society and SOEs. Yet it continues to be an enigma — often spoken about but never really appreciated by our leaders and definitely not implemented.
So our wish for South Africa this festive season is that Father Christmas leaves a dollop of it under the tree. And that South Africans step up next year and insist on a government that puts the people's needs first.
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