Latest news with #NomvulaMabuza
TimesLIVE
30-06-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
The thing around your neck: how do youth throw off the leash?
Pali Lehohla and Nomvula Mabuza of IDS compare young South Africans with their Kenyan counterparts as the East Africans confront a cannibalistic state By Pali Lehohla and Nomvula Mabuza engage in deliberative polemics of a country silenced in what historian Martin Legassick characterises as the dissolution-preservation dichotomy and uncover the classical apartheid management framework that has fossilised in our current and like cancer survives by devouring its host. When you get asked a million dollar question, what do you do? Obviously you answer. But suddenly the discourse uncovers more than you sought to answer. A relevant concerns Kenya and South Africa, which represent two settler colonial experiences, and an unfolding crisis of existence, one with deep apartheid structures, the other cutting not as deep. To try to answer, the immediate obvious is about the necessary intervention that government has put in place to avert cannibalism as explicated in the Indlulamithi Scenarios as a Vulture State. This perhaps is what the national dialogue should be about. But necessary as it is, the intervention tends to be a palliative consisting of grants and the like. In Kenya the assistive government system is far lower than in South Africa. This to an extent exposes the youth of Kenya to the immediacy of their challenge, whereas in South Africa that immediacy is muted by R350 per month and an apartheid infrastructure that has kept the native populations hidden far from power centres. These centres of power, by being occupied by populations largely from the continent, Asia and South Africa's middle class, act as a buffer relative to the in-your-face experiences of Kenya. So here is the metaphor for the situation represented by a dog and a hyena that meet one day. The hyena admires the fur of the dog. Asking the dog why when times are so tough, the dog's fur is so smooth and not scrubby like that of the hyena, the dog replies that its master feeds and takes care of it, and it even has a house. Impressed, the hyena wants to join the dog at its master's place, until it notices a ring around the neck that looks unnatural and where the fur has disappeared. The hyena asks the dog about the collar. The dog replies, master keeps me on a leash. That's it, the hyena says, no leash for me. Freedom is what I need. So it looks like the R350 and other programmes are these multiple leashes. The contemplative polemic buried in your question, Mabuza tells me, addresses the form and palliative nature of these multiple leashes that lull the nerves of the youth who often sit heads in their hands, eyes fixated on an empty future. And, she adds, each of your columns seek to undo the links of these chains. The deliberative polemic brought even more clarity as Mabuza began to plough into my metaphor: 'Your parable of the dog and the hyena so elegantly captures the psychological and structural trade-offs that we've normalised in South Africa: the appearance of care, comfort and protection masking a deeper restraint on agency, imagination and action. That collar — soft but constraining — is precisely what so many of our young people wear. Not visible, yet profoundly shaping posture, movement, and ultimately, destiny. 'What struck me most in your reply was the idea that the R350 and other social grants, while vital in a context of deep deprivation, have inadvertently become part of a broader architecture of containment. They soothe but do not solve. They stabilise but do not transform. And, as you rightly point out, they lull the nerves while futures remain locked behind structural bars. 'Your framing also challenged me to reflect more critically on what I've been trying to do through my columns. You've helped me see that what I am writing is not just analysis — it is an attempt to unhook the leash, one link at a time. Not to attack the dog or romanticise the hyena, but to ask a more fundamental question: what kind of freedom are we prepared to fight for, and what are we willing to give up to claim it?' This perhaps is what the national dialogue should be about. • Nomvula Mabuza is a risk governance and compliance specialist with extensive experience in strategic risk and industrial operations and an MBA candidate at Henley Business School • Dr Pali Lehohla is a Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg, a Research Associate at Oxford University, a board member of Institute for Economic Justice at Wits and a distinguished Alumni of the University of Ghana. He is the former Statistician-General of South Africa
IOL News
23-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Leveraging data and AI to bridge Africa's $90 billion infrastructure gap
The African Development Bank estimates this shortfall shaves nearly 2% off GDP growth each year, choking economic potential and social progress. By Nomvula Mabuza Africa's infrastructure deficit, a $90 billion annual gap, casts a long shadow over the continent's future. The African Development Bank estimates this shortfall shaves nearly 2% off GDP growth each year, choking economic potential and social progress. From unreliable power grids to crumbling roads, these gaps inflate costs, isolate communities and stifle opportunity. Yet, within this challenge lies a chance to reimagine infrastructure through data and artificial intelligence (AI), transforming obstacles into pathways for growth. The infrastructure gap ripples across Africa's economy and society. Poor logistics, with transport costs 30-40% higher than in other regions, undermine the African Continental Free Trade Area's (AfCFTA) promise of a 52% boost in intra-African trade. These inefficiencies translate into pricier goods and fewer jobs, locking nations in a cycle of lost potential. Limited access to electricity and reliable roads further restricts digital economies and isolates rural areas, with logistics bottlenecks costing the continent $130 billion annually in economic inefficiencies. Closing this gap is not just a necessity but an economic opportunity, poised to unlock billions in growth and attract investment from across the globe. Systemic barriers sustain this crisis. African governments collect less tax revenue than other developing regions, leaving them with limited funds for major projects. Compounding this, fewer than 10% of proposed infrastructure projects reach financial close, as 80% falter at the feasibility stage due to inadequate planning. Private investment, which hit only $40 billion in 2021, remains a fraction of what's needed. At the heart of these issues lies a critical flaw: incomplete, outdated and fragmented data. Without real-time insights into road conditions, energy access, or logistical efficiency, planning becomes guesswork and investors shy away from high-risk ventures. Leveraging Data and AI to Bridge Africa's $90 Billion Infrastructure Gap A bold, AI-enabled strategy can turn disparate data into actionable insights, revolutionizing infrastructure planning. A continent-wide, open-source repository could aggregate real-time metrics from all 54 African nations—project costs, completion rates, demographic needs. Kenya's Open Data Portal shows how such platforms can break down silos and guide decisions. AI can pinpoint high-return projects, like solar grids in underserved rural areas, ensuring efficient, impactful investments. Satellite imagery and geographic information systems, as used by Digital Earth Africa, offer real-time oversight to prevent delays and mitigate environmental risks, supporting projects like Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam. Mobile apps, inspired by Ushahidi, can empower citizens to report issues like potholes or outages, fostering accountability and highlighting urgent needs. Rwanda's partnership with Zipline demonstrates the transformative potential of data-driven solutions. Since 2016, Zipline has leveraged real-time data to deliver blood and vaccines by drone, slashing delivery times from hours to minutes and serving over 2,500 health facilities. This innovation not only bolsters healthcare but also shows how technology can address logistical gaps, drawing investment and offering a scalable model for infrastructure challenges across Africa. Technology alone cannot bridge the infrastructure gap—robust governance is the bedrock of success. Across Africa, distrust in data systems and a shortage of skilled professionals pose significant barriers. Citizens hesitate to share data without assurances of privacy and governments struggle to implement AI tools without local expertise. South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), enacted in 2020, offers a model for addressing these concerns. By enforcing strict data privacy standards, POPIA has bolstered public confidence, enabling projects like digital health platforms that rely on secure data-sharing. Similarly, capacitybuilding initiatives are critical. Carnegie Mellon University Africa, based in Rwanda, trains hundreds of data scientists annually, equipping them to develop and manage AI-driven infrastructure solutions. For example, graduates have contributed to optimizing Rwanda's energy grid, ensuring data tools translate into real-world impact. Beyond privacy and skills, governance must foster transparency to attract investment. Clear regulatory frameworks, like those piloted in Kenya for public-private partnerships, reduce risks for investors, making projects like the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway more bankable. Without these governance pillars—privacy, Leveraging Data and AI to Bridge Africa's $90 Billion Infrastructure Gap capacity and transparency—the promise of data and AI risks remaining out of reach. Significant hurdles remain. With internet penetration in rural Africa at just 25%, community-driven data collection faces limitations. Privacy concerns, even with laws like POPIA, could erode trust in data platforms. Yet, these challenges are not insurmountable. Targeted investments in digital infrastructure, such as expanding mobile networks and public education campaigns to clarify data privacy protections can pave the way for success. The path to closing Africa's infrastructure gap demands collective action, rooted in collaboration and innovation. African governments must lead by launching pilot data platforms in high-need regions, where real-time insights can guide energy and transport projects with precision. Multilateral institutions, such as the African Development Bank and United Nations, should channel resources into AI-driven project pipelines, demonstrating the viability of data-driven approaches through measurable outcomes. Technology companies, both global and local, must unite to develop scalable tools—from geospatial analytics to citizen-reporting apps—that empower planners and communities to address infrastructure challenges effectively. Investors hold a critical role in this transformation. By backing data-driven projects through dedicated infrastructure funds, they can mitigate risks, unlock substantial economic returns and drive sustainable growth across the continent. The opportunity is clear: coordinated action today can turn Africa's infrastructure vision into reality, fueling prosperity for generations. Africa's $90 billion infrastructure gap is a challenge that demands bold innovation. Data and AI, from centralized platforms to predictive analytics, hold the key to unlocking AfCFTA's potential for a 52% surge in intra-African trade and reversing the 2% annual GDP losses that hobble progress. Inaction carries a steep price—billions in economic potential slip away each year, leaving communities disconnected and opportunities unrealized. By embracing data-driven solutions, Africa can build a future where reliable roads link markets, electricity powers digital economies and infrastructure fuels job creation and prosperity. The tools exist and the stakes are clear: act now to transform the continent's infrastructure and secure a thriving, connected tomorrow. Nomvula Mabuza is a Risk Governance and Compliance Specialist with extensive experience in strategic risk and industrial operations. She is an MBA candidate at Henley Business School, South Africa. BUSINESS REPORT
