NEPAD

Consultant’s Perspective

Nepad Objectives• Democracy and Good Political

Governance

• Economic and Corporate Governance

• Socio-Economic Development

• African Peer Review Mechanism

Pro’s• A Fantastic Effort to address all issues

that hamper development • Provides an Opportunity for Africans to

Solve African Problems• Create an Enabling Environment for

Growth and Development• Opportunities for African Consultants in

Africa

Constraints• Africa is not for Sissies• We Often Say One thing and do

Another• The BIG MAN Syndrome• Africans do not Criticize Easily• We Have a Habit of Self

Destruction

The BIG MAN Syndrome• Africa by Blaine Harden

– His Face is everywhere – on the money, in Hospitals etc

– He Bans all Opposition Political Parties – He rigs elections– He Scapegoats Minorities– Donor Built Highways on which His cavalcades

speed, lie next to footpaths, where the normal folk push their wheelbarrows

– He Awards all contracts, particularly to foreigners from whom he gets kickbacks

Constraints• Africa is not for Sissies• We Often Say One thing and do

Another• The BIG MAN Syndrome• Africans do not Criticize Easily• We Have a Habit of Self

Destruction

World Summit on Sustainable Development

• Focus on South Africa• Positive experience• Opportunities in Sustainable

Development• Opportunities in implementation• Opportunities for greater commitment,

e.g. UK, USA

To deliver on these we will need smart young people and to keep our

experienced expertise

The question is .....

Why would smart young people, especially smart young black people, be

attracted?

Employment

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15000

20000

25000

30000

80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 01 02

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ECSA registrations 1 April 2001

Civil Eng. Civil Eng. M&E M&E PrEng (%) Eng-in-T (%) PrEng (%) Eng-in-T (%)

Black male & female 2,6 20,5 4,8 21,8

White male & female 97,4 79,5 95,2 78,2

Total (no.) 6447 644 5740 1475

Number Black 167 132

% of matriculants qualifying with Higher Grade Maths

050000

100000150000200000250000300000350000400000450000500000

2000Total

matriculants

2000Black (African)

matriculants

2001Black (African)

matriculants

Tota

l mat

ricul

ants Total

No. passinghigher grademaths19110

(3,9%)3128

(0,8%)2761

(0,6%)

TREND• At the present rate of registration and

new entrants into the civil engineering market it will take approximately 50 years to achieve the government’s goal of 50% participation by PDI’s. Alternatively, if the white engineers leave at the present pace it may take a lot shorter

Constraints• Foreign Meddling• Weak Institutions• Corruption• Slow Payments

Conclusion• If Nepad works – it will solve all the

con’s

• It’s up to us to hold our governments to their commitments.