Adrian Gore

He funded Discovery Health, which is now SA’s largest medical support, which has provided healthcare for almost 2 million people. He is also the chairmen for Endeavor, a non-profit that provides entrepreneurial and business opportunities for emerging markets in economic development.

In short, he’s kind of a big deal and has made strides in supporting South Africa. I came across an Op-Ed of his from last fall that I thought was worth sharing.

In the Op-Ed he discusses the urgency for South Africa to become a leader amongst emerging markets and place its name on the map for economic and financial growth. He points to major countries such as China, Brazil, Russia, and India (CBRI) as examples of countries that have risen to become economic powerhouses, despite issues of corruption and poverty. Interestingly, he points out that what he believes to be South Africa’s biggest hindrance aren”t our fundamentals or resources, but rather our attitude…or skepticism.

He belives we are inhibitors of our own growth, allowing our insecurities and history to prevent us from believing that we are capable of growing and reaching a level of utmost success. While he does address issues in SA that one might consider to be majorly problematic, he also illustrates how the countries mentioned above face similar issues (and sometimes, worsely), but still manage to work past them.

Here are a few for thought:

•Brazil has similar levels of crime to South Africa, and shocking levels of corruption. Almost 30% of its Senate and House of Congress face criminal charges or are under investigation;

•Russia’s corruption levels are dramatically worse than ours and, owing to public health and demographic problems, the absolute size of its population is declining;

•India has serious infrastructural problems, and 45% of its massive population lives on less than $1.25 a day;

•China too has tremendous challenges. Between 45 and 50 million people a year move from rural areas to urban areas. Estimates show that China needs to build 35 000 skyscrapers and equip 175 major cities with mass transit systems by 2025 to deal with this exceptional mass of urbanisation

This isn’t meant to scare anyone, but it is the reality of the situation. So, though we’ve faced many struggles, we’ve already recently accomplished a great deal.

Here, Gore lists out some of our recent accomplishments:

To host a World Cup requires an inter-connected economy with sophistication in infrastructure, telecommunications, financial services, and more. Research after the World Cup showed that 70 – 90% of the people who visited South Africa rated us as “excellent” or “very good” across a range of measures, from accommodation to stadiums and even safety at the games. Our performance from an infrastructural perspective was even more remarkable. For the two seminal World Cups prior to ours, held in the USA in 1994 and Germany in 2006, almost no new infrastructure was required, whereas South Africa faced a staggering task. We needed to build six new stadiums, an entirely new airport (and do major upgrades on two others), the Gautrain, and other transport infrastructure. Yet we excelled, delivering more than we had committed to in the bid document. We built six stadiums simultaneously in around 30 months and at an average cost of $250 million dollars.

Compared to the Yankee Stadium, Wembley, the Allianz Arena and others, both the time scale and costs of South Africa’s projects were significantly lower. The same holds true for the building of King Shaka International Airport and the Gautrain versus similar projects internationally. Yet very few people give South Africa credit for its ability to roll out large infrastructural projects quickly and efficiently.

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It’s interesting to read these two components (the good and bad) side-by-side. It’s a bit oxymoronic, but undoubtedly proves to us the successes we’ve already had, and how we can continue to use those lessons learned and examples to grow, and improve. As Gore mentioned, this effort isn’t led solely by govermnent, but by people and public services, too. With a bit of optimism and leadership, South Africa ‘can and must excel.’

Thoughts?

Mzamo Sidelo and Leo Mbobi from the Red Card Campaign discuss their strategy. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

A while ago, Creative Consulting & Development Works blogged about the Red Card initiative, that was run during the 2010 Soccer World Cup, to create awareness about risky sexual behaviour, human trafficking, forced labour and sexual slavery. We are excited to see that this initiative has now extended beyond the World Cup, with organisations coming together to further this goal.

Development Works attended the partner organisations workshop on the Red Card Campaign Against Child Sexual Exploitation, facilitated by Sonke Gender Justice Network on 22 October at the Gugulethu library. Sonke made it clear that they want all organisations dealing with issues related to the Red Card campaign to take an active part in it. The campaign does not belong only to Sonke. It is only through a combined effort that they will really make a difference.

The aim of the workshop was to inform other organisations about the Red Card campaign so as to make the collaboration possible. The symbol of a red card was taken from the game of soccer, where it is given to a player that has made a dangerous tackle or has been offensive or abusive in some way. After being shown a red card, the player needs to leave the field. In the same way, the Red Card campaign wants to get rid of risky sexual behaviour and sexual exploitation.

Young girls are in danger of being exploited by older wealthy men. Photo: borderlys on Flickr

According to Leo Mbobi from Sonke Gender Justice young girls get involved with much older men, because these so-called “sugar daddies” offer them money and gifts. But this is in fact an exploitative relationship. As these men often have more than one partner, it also increases the risk of HIV.

Not only do the attitudes and behaviour of these girls need to change, but according to Mbobi they also want to influence men to stand up against this practice. It should not be socially acceptable.

Mzamo Sidelo said they also have to look at the parents’ perceptions. They have found that parents are intimidated by the wealth of the “sugar daddies”.  Poverty plays a big role in the continued existence of this problem, because the girls can bring home food with the money that they get from these men.  The parents do not ask questions and turn a blind eye to what is happening.

According to a press release sent out by the Red Card campaign, 400 000 red cards will be distributed by Sonke Gender Justice and Grassroots Soccer to ensure that community activists are aware of the different forms of exploitation and are prepared to roll out campaigns in their communities.

Sonke will be targeting adult men, while Grassroots Soccer will be educating high school learners, teaching them how  the red card can be used to defend themselves and their friends. Scrutinize has also launched television adverts to promote the use of the red card. Watch one of the Scrutinize adverts below.

Crime has dropped in Khayelitsha by 70%, but do people really feel safe? Photo: Michiel van Balen via Flickr

The government recently released the crime statistics for South Africa as was recorded from April 2009 to May 2010. According to the SAPS incidences of crime have decreased in most categories.

The murder rate dropped with 8.6% and attempted murders occurred 6.1%  less.

This could possibly be due to more visible policing in the run up to the 2010 World Cup. It is expected that next year’s figures will be even better, because it will include the stats from the period in which the Soccer World Cup was held in South Africa.

Before the stats were released, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said that the statistics were not meant for “political point scoring”, according to a report by IOL. This should definitely be the case. What matters most is whether people actually feel safe in South Africa.

Recently, when it was revealed that crime in Khayelitsha had been reduced by 70% in the last five years, News24 reported on some political bickering between the DA and the ANC about which party actually was responsible for the reduction.

What really matters is that even though crime has been reduced, incidences such as this one still occur: IOL reported on 23 August that a 21 year old woman, Lihle Ngwendu, was found dead in Harare, Khayelitsha, after allegedly being sexually abused and strangled.

The visibility of South African police has improved. Photo: AfricanGoals2010 via Flickr

Creative Consulting & Development Works spoke to Nosakhe Mhlatywa who lives in Khayelitsha. She was robbed twice  on her way to work. She feels unsafe and now asks her husband to escort her to the train station. Crime can happen anywhere; you’ll see someone now, without knowing what will happen in the next hour.

While both the DA and ANC were taking credit for reducing the crime in Khayelitsha, another Western Cape township has been named the “murder capital” of the province for a fifth year running. “Between April 2009 and March 2010, 217 people were murdered in Nyanga. This was an increase from the 2008/09 period, which saw 208 people murdered there,” IOL reports in another article.

While conducting a needs assessment of neighbourhood watch organisations, Creative Consulting & Development Works realised the important role that they could play in providing safety and security.  Community Policing Forums can do a lot to reduce the crime rate and because they are drawn from the communities themselves, this can help to make the communities feel safe and protected. However, they need to be properly supported.

A refugee girl in one of the tents used to house people displaced by xenophobic attacks in South Africa in 2008. Photo: Development Works

Beautiful! Exquisite! Professional! Captivating! This is what everyone sang after a well-presented musical play by Lawrence House, a refugee children’s home, which forms part of the Scalabrini Centre’s welfare programmes.

The show, commemorating Lawrence House’s 5^th anniversary, was entitled “Mad Word” and was advertised by word of mouth. The “mad word” spread and it generated more than a hundred audience members.

While some disturbing incidences of xenophobia have flared up in South Africa after the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and a number of foreign nationals have left their homes in fear, this show displayed the theme of unity and love and emphasised the importance of “a happy family”.

Formed in 2005, Lawrence House is dedicated specifically to the care of abandoned and unaccompanied refugee minors. Its motto is the Bible verse “I was a stranger and you accepted me”. The House and its separate teenager cottage can accommodate up to 30 children. Boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 18 are taken in. Currently the House shelters children from Angola, DRC, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

We at Creative Consulting & Development Works are firm believers in equal rights and observing the Constitution of South Africa, that is why we have also worked with the NGO for refugees, Adonis Musati Project.

If children from different walks of life can come together and use their talents to put on such a wonderful show, why can’t we as adults bury our differences and work together as well?

With their boot on a soccer ball, Gugulethu youth feel on top of the world. Photo: 1happysnapper via Flickr

Every child has a dream of becoming something in life, but an impoverished background or lack of resources in their community could make it impossible to fulfill those dreams. Faced with these challenges, they sometimes lose hope to an extent that they believe drugs and alcohol abuse, crime and violence are the only things left for them.

How do they face these challenges?

Youth staying in Gugulethu experience these challenges, but they can see light at the end of the tunnel, because of sports development programmes in the area.

What were they doing during the Soccer World Cup?

The youth were very active during this 2010 FIFA World Cup. They played against youth from other areas that face similar problems, such as Mitchell’s Plain and Manenberg. The medal a player receives after a match is one of the reasons that they keep on going to soccer fields every day.

How do they benefit from sport development?

These youths believe there are many opportunities to improve their lot through football, and make their dreams a reality. Anam Mxokozeli, one of the Gugulethu soccer stars went to Ajax Cape Town for trials. He was delighted to have that opportunity and he believes that one day he will play for big soccer teams.

Role of their coaches

The coaches are not only training these young boys, they are also guiding and supporting with them with social problems. They teach them how to react to difficult circumstances and also help them with their school work.

Even thought the FIFA World Cup has come to an end, Creative Consulting & Development Works hopes that the youth now has an even greater interest in soccer and that it will continue to have a positive effect on their lives.