NILO & CO - 001 — Rethinking Education, Creativity & Capital for Social Use In Africa
Contributor: Nelson Moropana
Editor: Khumalo Nkosazana
I am going to start part 3 of our Strategy In Session by telling a story of the resilient and the ever so cool ‘Rasta’. I have been meaning to tell this story but never found the perfect platform to do so, so ladies and gents buckle up and enjoy the 3rd edition of Strategy In Session.
Rasta is a guy I met by pure accident really because we never really had a chat (he’s not the conversational type and so am I), but because I have eyes for things and like I always joke about it, I can see through people and of those people I saw through was Rasta. At the time when I met him I was from my aunt’s house in Soweto — Snake Park, this was around 2009 during my varsity years.
I’d normally visit my aunt’s house during weekends (mostly to avoid res noodles) — lol.
Now because I did the visits routinely, I also started to notice Rasta more as opposed to just another guy. Rasta was a street vendor (at the time), and as you’re fully aware that South Africa is filled with unemployment from all industries so selling things by the side of the road is nothing new — atleast for those who’ve never had the luck to pursue their education dreams and goals.
In fact, many families have lived and survived on their parent’s trading businesses, either through a tuck shop, or having stalls in town.
At the time when I noticed him, I was heading back to campus. As I waited for a taxi at the T-junction, I just saw a guy selling sweets and some snacks, on a simple portable stand just by the waiting area.
Now, if you ask me, it’s hard to resist, especially if taxis are taking their time so you snack up right? And that’s was our first encounter.
Coming back to my aunt’s house every now and then I’d notice he’d been adding a few products — mind you this is between one year period so every-time I come back, I knew there will be something new. Within my undergrad years his little set up went from sweets, to having cool drinks to by the time I finished varsity, Rasta had a full shop.
Now because my aunt had moved to a new place, I no longer get to see the progress. But I need to let you in on some insights I acquired from all this:
Education:
At the time I was acquiring education, I did not truly understand that education is available anywhere, and that a school and the streets are just as informative if you paid a little more attention. Due to the fact that we have people (parents) that are pushing us to follow a particular route, we are almost forced to comply until such time that we have ticked a box (graduated, gotten a job) which has led to us becoming conformers to social rules. Get an education and get informed.
What we failed to do, is also learn from the businesses close to us, at home, friends, etc. — I can’t be the only one guilty.
So to start with a question, how many businesses or opportunities have we left at our original homes (rurals, townships etc.) only to support those brand that are big and are in more affluent areas because they seem more legitimate. I am or only talking about buying from such small business but actively playing a crucial role in helping them develop?
Park your answer for now.
Creativity:
Creativity has always been associated with driving a social narrative, telling stories and validating realities. Over the years, creativity (especially mass media) has been focused on tabloids, gossip and propaganda. Understanding that businesses have to make money, the truth of the matter is, the current models in use have been nothing more than unhealthy to a nation such as ours, to heal and progress. Driving shows or creativity based a model that is focused on delivering numbers will output content that will do anything to get numbers — read that again.
Pause here for a moment and reference TV shows as example, and tell me, what good are they doing socially?
Is it possible to even name 5 TV shows that produce tangible high-level, quality and informative content without the rowdiness and over-entertaining?
Park your answer for now.
Capital:
We are now stuck with a high unemployment rate and for some strange reasons are not able to alleviate this. On the flip side, there’s malls being built, roads developed, and public funds going into rescuing state companies. But this makes me wonder what about Rasta and many others like him.
These are small business owners who do not own big businesses, Are they not deserving? Is the informal kasinomics class they give to many of us all in vain and going unnoticed?
Yet, Rasta was able to create more that two direct jobs with the little that he had. On the value chain Rasta has created more than 10 jobs, so makes you wonder, what if he got more funds?
Surely our priorities need to be evaluated?
Key Take Outs:
So, it is all fair that we’ve been thinking about education the wrong way? E
Education has been associated with with — getting a matric certificate (12 years) — then an undergrad degree (4 years), then going to work at company X?
Right?
A typical industrialised revolution model, and sure — it worked at some point but now? Times have changed, industries have moved and the same graduates with masters degrees are struggling to secure a job so this begs the question, is education still a trend if after all that’s said and done companies are not hiring?
Does creativity even matter, if people are not in the right state of mind (happy, employed & employable)? Creativity at its finest inspires, shares and motivate people to be the best version of themselves. Recently, creativity has been an enemy of progress, derailing thoughts and progressive ideas.
I guess what I’m asking is, why is it that my degree can’t be used on Rasta’s business?
There’s a whole new generation of businesses and brands that are growing in parallel to a whole generation of young people heading to school, in order to service blue chip companies.
How should local businesses grow, to the size of Bathu, Legends Barber and the many more of our knowledge, creativity and capital is serving the few?
I will conclude this by challenging a few of you, to rethink education if you are pursuing a degree, creativity if you are creating art, and capitalism if you find yourself being a key decision maker for the future of South Africa.
Education needs to be used as a tool to invent the new, by learning from different industries and institutions, education needs to be brought back home — a home where it is needed the most and trigger new thoughts and ideas such as Bathu, Ziyanda appliances and more.
Creativity needs to be thought as a tool to communicate ideas and showcase humanity’s greatest potential in every form never thought possible.
Capital needs to be seen as an enabler of progress in society, and in individuals. By investing a little, ideas are validated, people’s worth is elevated and societal progress is possible.
Nelson Moropana,
November 2020
Milapark, Joburg
