The sorrowful state of our socio and economic reality has resulted in the demolition of income streams, leaving poor communities to battle appalling living conditions. Combined with an active growth in informal settlements and the impacts of COVID-19, the country is fast looking, feeling, and sounding less privileged than its impoverished neighbours.
Self-preservation in our communities is key.
South African authorities have demonstrated little to no progress to curb the tide on our raging skills and poverty challenges over the last 30 years or so. As a result, the gap between the skilled and economically active individuals and their less fortunate counter parts, seems to hopelessly widen.
Unskilled job opportunities have further become a part of yester years’ features. These are continuing to fall at a pace that was never anticipated nor imagined. It is fair to say that the rise of the neighbouring country worker in South Africa has driven another nail into the flesh of the South African poor and unskilled segments.
Our government has been incapable of manning our borders nor governing the prevailing situation. In fact, it feels like we have helped foreign refugees and converted our own citizens into captured and stationary refugees.
The government and its implementation of housing and redevelopment initiatives have left us with more informal settlements, whilst the cash injections into the development of SME’s have resulted in little to no impact.
These failed interventions have left the country economically devastated. The dependency on foreign investment has not decreased, whilst economical sustainability has become a mere illusion. All of this has deepened the plight of the poor and destitute even more.
We are stating these facts only because we are concerned about the self-preservation of our communities. As a non-profit we have a role to comment on the ills of our society as well do our best to make a difference.
Covid-19 will leave the poor more desperate. This is a fact.
“As a foundation that is relevant and responsive the Dlalisa Moyeni Foundation is set to undertake a process that will gear us for self-empowerment and self-preservation. This is our duty and calling.”.
Director Bongani Skosana
In response, we believe that the men and women in our communities need to lessen their dependency on our government and the affluent members of society.
This does not mean that we are campaigning for tolerance for our governments’ appalling efforts. In fact, we are calling for community members to take their lives and the quality thereof into their own hands.
There is a rising need for self-preservation, and feelings of entitlement will only deepen our depression. Our vision is to see a rise in self-employment and self-improvement. There is no doubt that the ability to undertake such desires is directly coupled with skills and resources.
However, we believe that in the short-term such impediments can be overcome by creating the right levels of desire, to personally undertake micro-level trading. Such desires, if understood and supported by families, will convert the struggles of the bread winner into family-owned passions.
Changing the tide as a collective will bring the force that is required in each family. We must deflate the rising levels of depression, whether psychological or economical and construct a desire for self-preservation.