Telkom chairperson Sello Moloko is warning of rising anger and lawlessness across the country, as a result of increasing poverty levels, unless urgent interventions are implemented.
Moloko says even though the local economy recovered by 4.9%, it is still 1.7% smaller than before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the country is being weighed down by rising unemployment, weak consumer spending and socio-political instability.
Writing in Telkom’s 2022 Integrated Report, Moloko warns of unrest, which mirrors what transpired last year, after the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma.
In July 2021, many businesses were looted, and buildings destroyed and set on fire, amid the wave of violence and looting in some parts of the country.
The unrest and destruction originated in certain parts of KwaZulu-Natal, and quickly spread to Gauteng.
Moloko warns of a repeat of the chaos, saying: “The civil unrest we witnessed in July 2021 has its roots in the inequality of our society. If this is not addressed, we can expect anger and lawlessness to rise up at any time. We require urgent structural reform to restore growth and alleviate our many socio-economic misfortunes.”
The Telkom chairman is the second leader within a week to sound warning bells on the potential unrest, after former president Thabo Mbeki cautioned SA faces the threat of protests unless government tackles growing inequality and lawlessness.
Today, president Cyril Ramaphosa responded to the inequality issue in his weekly newsletter, saying the country needs a number of impactful interventions, including attracting more investment and enhancing the capability of the state.
“Our economy has not been growing at the pace that could enable us to make a meaningful dent in unemployment, poverty and inequality.
“To turn our economy around and create the millions of jobs needed is something that cannot be achieved by government alone. A comprehensive programme will require the mobilisation of all social actors,” says the president.
“There is agreement among social partners that the social compact cannot be a vague set of commitments, but a clear pathway to achieve higher levels of equality, jobs and common prosperity.
“What we now need is to work together with greater urgency and purpose, to complete that work, rather than to point fingers at one another.”
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