When you ask South Africans about their priorities you may not be surprised, but you will be surprised. Despite Madiba’s strong words that education is the greatest liberator, South Africans in a national community survey in 2016 put education as the number 15 priority.
The founder and CEO of SmartDigital Solutions, Veronica Motloutse, demonstrates how we can transform our twisted national logic and put to bed the deep anaesthetic that Hendrik Verwoerd induced in us through Bantu education.
Mr George, an Indian physics teacher from Kerala University, taught at Thabeng High School in Lesotho. His English encouraged us to study and endeared him to us. It always felt like the Mind Your Language TV series by Stuart Allen. He left us in stitches one day by asking, “Are you afraided by physical science?”
In a study conducted through “Census@Schools” Stats SA found that children in grades 3 to 7 are not “afraided” by mathematics. But from grade 8 onwards they have the fear of God.
They are simply “afraided”, and mathematics as their favourite subject drops by 60% percent. The fear of God is driven from the president downwards to cabinet and society. The reason is simple. Mathematics is badly taught in schools. Ever since Hendrik Verwoerd in September 1953 said: “What is the use of teaching Bantu child mathematics when it can’t use it in practice?” generations of the Bantu were destroyed and got “afraided” by mathematics.
To date Bantu education remains the mainstay of our education system. We have given it a distinct policy oxygen with maths literacy, thereby complying with the parliamentary prescripts of Verwoerd. So from the president, cabinet, principals, parents, children and Christmas and New Year we have senselessly acquiesced to be herded into this results window where part of being “afraided” by mathematics is to improve the school pass rate.
That your fingers will be pricked comes with the territory, so expect that anyway, and the tongue too will be pricked. It is part of the initiation. She has paid the price in this still lily-white and male terrain.
I was recently invited to be a discussant of a book by one whose accolades flow like a river and who was not “afraided” by the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. For that she was recognised as one of the 50 Distinguished and Inspiring Women in STEM. .
In her recently published 12-chapter book, Motloutse provides a lens that exposes to her audience how she internally turned into a transformative force. Titled Africa Lead with Digital: Unlocking the continent’s leapfrogging potential, Motloutse spurs what she refers to as “the resilient youth and technopreneurs of Africa, whose unwavering dedication to advancing the continent and driving technological innovation inspires us all. May your perseverance, ingenuity and passion continue to lead the way towards a prosperous and sustainable future for Africa. This book is dedicated to you. With deepest admiration and gratitude.”
An attempt to summarise the book would be in vain, so I urge you to read this 65-page publication covering critical subjects for Africa’s development. Under what Motloutse refers to as 11 key strategies that are covered in 13 pages, she displays the dexterity of what a practitioner of 25 years delivers to our table of development challenges with intense brevity.
The key strategies identified to position Africa as a leader in the digital economy are investing in digital infrastructure, digital literacy and education, entrepreneurship and start-ups, innovation hubs and tech clusters, digital payment and financial inclusion, e-government and e-services, e-health and telemedicine, digital, agriculture, digital trade and e-commerce, renewable energy for digital infrastructure and intra-African collaboration.
The book delivers the art of reaching the sweet spot of a prickly pear. You have to open it with your own hands but ensure not one spike gets in your eye. But if it does, know she delivers lessons on how to remove it because it is painful beyond being terribly uncomfortable. That your fingers will be pricked comes with the territory, so expect that anyway, and the tongue too will be pricked. It is part of the initiation. She has paid the price in this still lily-white and male terrain. To this end she is a true pathfinder for many women and the youth to whom the book is dedicated.
Motloutse is a pan-Africanist and is rooted in the African continent. On one occasion on my way from the DRC many moons back we flew together and had an interesting chat. She was then working for Vodacom and I was the statistician-general of South Africa. Our mission to the river Congo was not only to be struck by the massiveness of the body of water but to understand how endowed with natural capital our Africa is.
Inspired by this adventure Motloutse has dedicated the book to Africa through the themes of driving Africa’s digital economy: key sectors and opportunities, investing in Africa’s digital future, shaping Africa’s digital destiny: the future of internet governance, safeguarding Africa’s digital future, cloud computing and data centres, navigating the depths, Africa undersea cable revolution, empowering Africa: the mobile revolution, towering opportunities: the telecom infrastructure landscape in Africa, digital inclusion policies and regulations in Africa, unveiling the potential of the metaverse in Africa.
Motloutse is a mother with many children beyond her daughter. “She remains deeply committed to mentoring women in the digital sector and is passionate about driving inclusive economic growth through technology.”
Brought up by her grandfather who selected her as the chosen one among her siblings, Motloutse brings these lessons home on how family is crucial. In that regard she did not disappoint. Her book stands out as a crucial contribution. Like the river Congo, hers is waters gushing into the minds of Africans, mentored well and not being “afraided” of STEM by design; the impending demographic disaster can be translated into shared demographic dividend. Motloutse’s book contributes as a definitive wall that stops the madness we have adopted as a nation and provides a path away from this precipice. The book is timely as a contribution to the people’s manifesto at the greatest moment of need where form by way of appearances in the frenzy of content-free politicking has possessed our troubled nation.
The University of Johannesburg has remained true to the motto of its former vice-chancellor, the indefatigable Tshilidzi Marwala, who says those who read must lead. UJ hosted the book launch. The programme was a line-up of women who read and lead, and Dr Sibongile Vilakazi chaired the proceedings, Ipeleng Mkhari provided a business practitioner’s lens, Dr Lehlohonolo Majake, Nomvuyiso Batyi and Tsholofelo Mokone engaged the subject, deputy minister Dr Chana Pilane-Majake gave a policy perspective, minister of communications, science and technology of Lesotho Nthati Moorosi gave a message of support, and Dr Stella Bvuma gave closing remarks and could not miss some tongue lashing on when I will deliver my book. There were two nominal we-men, namely Prof Mathebula and I, who were special guest speakers. We felt honoured.
Dr Pali Lehohla is a professor of practice at the University of Johannesburg, a research associate at Oxford University, a board member of Institute for Economic Justice at Wits and a distinguished Alumni of the University of Ghana. He is the former statistician-general of SA
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