US civil rights legend Andrew Young jolted many in his audience at the University of Johannesburg last week when he advised them to stop counting on the government to eradicate poverty and to rely instead on themselves – and the private sector.When people talk about governments ending poverty, it’s just not realistic…governments are all in debt,” he said.
The South African debate on how to tackle the country’s triple scourge of poverty, unemployment and inequality usually stresses the government’s role. But Young instead emphasised self-reliance and entrepreneurship. Atlanta didn’t have a convention hotel so he persuaded Dutch pension funds to build three in his first term.Conventions attract money. The convention and visitor business is still Atlanta’s largest employer. We now have 72 Marriott hotels in Atlanta. I see the makings of that here in Johannesburg and Cape Town and we don’t even have the wildlife parks you have.”
And Young told his officials: “We’re not going to increase taxes to give you a raise. You have to earn your raise by growing the economy.” Young added that he also sold Atlanta to investors with the argument that they could get to 80% of the rest of the US within two hours.Now you can do that from here. And if half the population of the planet is going to be in Africa by some time this century, then everyone who wants to be in business has to be in Africa. This is the perfect place to base your business.”