Skepticism breeds solutions in a paradoxical nation

Spend some time with a South African, simply engage in casual conversation and see the impossible become the possible.

South Africa has an international reputation as a nation of can-do people. Surprising then to find that the ordinary man on the street suffers from a no-it-can-never-be-done attitude.

We South Africans are gregarious by nature. We love a good story. In my opinion, we are the epitome of what a good host country should be, simply because of our natural, warm, friendly approach to life –an attitude that will stay with us long after the final whistle of the 2010 FIFA World Cup has blown.

But notice how when Sepp Blatter, the FIFA President, takes to the podium to reassure the world that South Africa is ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup,the murmurs start. A shake of the head followed by several more low murmurs; a whisper or two and in no time someone has expressed the no-it-can-never-be-done phrase.

Dr Nick Benedell from the Gordon Institute of Business Science calls it the five-minutes-to-midnight syndrome. It seems that South Africans have this innate belief that our post 1994 world will collapse at any moment. Some seem to have a that-tommorow-might-never-be-as-good-as-today, appraoch.

I happily challenge this view. Anyone who reviews South Africa’s recent history, will understand the atrocious crimes committed against humanity here, and the near impossible struggle for freedom which came about in 1994. How could anyone who has expereinced any form of apartheid, choose not to see the freedom and opportunity we enjoy today?

Then it dawned on me. South Africans are extraordinary citizens. We have never taken our freedom for granted. We have done more, we have protected this freedom in our Bill of Rights. We respect ourselves and our fellow countrymen. We honour  our Bill of Rights and realise that our peaceful transition is an achievement which will be revered by generations to come.

It is not that we do not understand how blessed we are as a nation. It is because of the recognition of the amazing challenges we have overcome that we view life in our unique, peculiar ways.

The ordinary South African it seems have taken a silent vow  never to be duped again, be it by government or civil society.

We have the ability to understand that in being honest and by accepting our challenges and our limitations that we actually move beyond them and become the extraordinary can-do nation that the world sees.

Our recent success includes the degree of protection we have had against the global recession. While the world has been hit very hard, South Africa to a degree has been safeguarded, due to our stringent financial regulations which prevented anyone from borrowing more money then they could afford to pay back. We are able to hold onto our homes during some very difficult times.

We live in a country where it is a fact that we will lose a third of our workforce to the devastation of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the next few years and yet we are focusing on creating sustainable employment for all. We are still investing in the future leaders of tommorow, by publicly celebrating and commemorating our country’s top achievers, and encouraging thise who have fallen short to try again.

Our national football team remain non-celebrated heroes, but our love of the game has multiplied. We are opening our country, homes and hearts to the 2010 visitors, and have vowed to deliver a world class event.

To me it seems that this nation’s power does lie in the quintessential phrase no-it-can-never-be-done. Our freedom lies in the fact that we do not suffer from entitlement. We realise that there is a very real threat that tomorow-may-never-be-as-good-as-today, and that Prof Benedell may very well be right.   But then I hear the no-it-can-never-be-done phrase and I have hope.

So the next time you engage a South African in conversation and the no-it-can-never-be-done moment arrives, I urge you to pay careful attention. It might just be the conversation that leads to an AIDS vaccine or a cure for cancer.

After all this is a country which is Alive with Possibility.