Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

01 April 2025

3 minute read

In his opinion piece on where South Africa would be in 2025, Dr Pali Lehohla, professor of practice at the University of Johannesburg and former Statistician General of SA, says that the country saw the lowest annual growth rate this past year.

While democracy was inclusive, growth was not, says Dr Lehohla. Governance structures were put in place, but the economy did not deliver. The “Shosholoza scenario” came into play in the early 2000’s and this culminated in economic growth at 6%, and a drop in unemployment for about 4 years within SA. Between 2002 and 2008, government still had control of possible outcomes.

According to Dr Lehohla, the worst-case scenario in government for 2025; “gwara-gwara” or “vulture culture” has become a reality. He cited the example of a Basotho chief’s philosophy, upon which the Basotho nation is built, which states that “in the pursuit for peace, mobilising stakeholders, creating productivity, and guaranteeing inter-generational value through use of modern instruments of power,” resulting in the country of Lesotho, a nation built on peace.

Dr Lehohla states that “VAT is not the way to go” and questions whether the agreement to a rise in VAT by the ANC and the DA was a “bargaining chip” for the DA who is possibly “hankering for power”. Our “opportunistic and incoherent” leadership has led to irresponsible deals being made.

“Have we secured this country?” he asks. With the health infrastructure crumbling and the implementation of the NHI being pushed aside, the inaccessible and unaffordable education system, as well as Trump trying to cause division amongst the citizens of South Africa, Dr Lehohla feels that we have taken some serious “missteps in nation building.”

Going forward, the doctor says that the question of whether we have responsible leadership in SA needs to be answered. We need the “freedom to act without fear,” to fight for the society we so relentlessly fought for in the past.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim.