I have a hope and a dream for South Africa

I have a hope and a dream!

I have a hope and a dream that when we sing “God bless Africa” that the great God of heaven above will bless us with prosperity and happiness.

I have a hope and a dream not to see the parishioners of poverty and human desperation begging any longer on every street corner in our country's cities and towns.

I have a hope and a dream for those whose heart strings quiver guiltily at such sights to not  think they've done enough by helping one or two poor souls by giving them a few loose coins. Yes, by all means give, but don't forget to challenge the idea that South Africa can't ever do better.

I have a hope and a dream that a white man is just that – a white man – not a boss, a master, a chief, or some other such grandiose salutation unbecoming a young man of 25.

I have a hope and a dream to see an end to anxiety and fear that are felt across the length and breadth of our country for a lack of economic opportunities.

I have a hope and a dream for better paid manual labourers and domestic helpers.

I have a hope and a dream for our economy to create more jobs for people with low skills or no skills at all. I have a hope and a dream that dignity and self-reliance become everyone's right. 

I have a hope and a dream that qualified people with confidence will be able to walk into reception areas and be given the chance to demonstrate their talent to an executive for 5 minutes.

 
I have a hope and a dream that opportunity in our society is not closed for business.

I have a hope and a dream that we will neither be blind to enterprising spirit nor afraid to believe in someone who is able to prove their worth.

I have a hope and a dream to live in a society where an interview comes after CV shortlisting and before psychometric and aptitude testing. 

I have a hope and a dream to live in a society that believes the best person capable of selling yourself is you! To live in a society willing to take a chance on someone that says “I'm here!”.

I have a hope and a dream that road users will decide not to exceed the speed limit, or use traffic circles incorrectly, or stop in intersections. 

I have a hope and a dream that if we become a more law-abiding people then we will finally pay homage to the universal law that says “He that is faithful in little is faithful also in much”. 

I have a hope and a dream that on that day, we will see less corruption – less mismanagement of our country's economy for then we will be able trust the character of our people and our elected officials. 

I have a hope and a dream! Yes, I want to live in a country that champions our democratic values and works with capitalism and enterprise to achieve the compassionate and just society. I have a hope and a dream to live in a society where equality before the law is great, but equality in spite of the law is fought for everyday by every citizen. I want to live in a society of people who are unafraid of enterprise and innovation – where going against the flow is awesome and financially rewarding.

I have a hope and a dream for us to see and treat each other with dignity and respect not because we have to but because we all want to work for a better more prosperous, more dynamic, more innovative, more compassionate and just society together. 

I have a hope and a dream for a society we can all be proud of. 

I have a hope and a dream that citizens who can afford private health and educational services will use their agency not to compensate only for themselves but fight for better public delivery of those same goods. 

I have a hope and a dream that university education will one day not be seen to be the surest and only path to personal enrichment and financial security. 

I have a hope and dream that young boys and girls in our land will one day have the freedom to pursue their heart's vocation and become whatever they want to become without risking definite material hardships. 

I have a hope and a dream that more people will become engaged in our economy and become stakeholders in the future of our country as a “going concern".

I have a hope and a dream to see an end to hopelessness and disenchantment. 

I have a hope and a dream to live in a society full of optimism. 

It is true we have never been a society of open and free opportunity and privilege and the fulfilled life has only ever been in reach of a select few. I know democracy has changed the boundaries of the fences that separate the happy from the destitute and there is definitely and unquestionably a huge amount of progress to be proud of and to celebrate. 

But, my biggest hope and dream is that our society can be open to both the need to correct the injustices of the past and to creating opportunities for all South Africans going forward. A society that understands the dangers of capitalism when power relations are unequal but also recognises that a dynamic form of capitalism is the source of all economic prosperity, jobs, technological progress, innovation, better living standards, and the taxes needed to correct social injustices.

My hope is that scholarships and bursaries can be awarded on the basis of historic disadvantage to be sure, but also make allowances for family income and the character of candidates.

My hope is that the labour market becomes more interactive and personal. That a face-to-face consult becomes more common place. That an introductory interview isn't seen with the same hesitation and nervousness as a first date. I have a hope and a dream that the jobs market becomes an open market where sellers can advertise freely and in person with buyers. 

I have a hope and a dream for a society in which we can enjoy genuine political dialogue. My hope is for socialists to be genuine socialists, for liberals to stand up for liberal values, for conservatives to be allowed to be heard, and for capitalists to be genuine believers in free and open opportunities in every market.
I have a hope and a dream that journalists will ask the difficult questions more often. 

I have a hope and a dream of a society where we allow ourselves to be less often offended. A society in which we know where we stand with the racists, the bigots, and the homophobes because I want to live in a society where difficult and honest conversations are possible. I want to live in a society of less social repression of free thought because our society is in dire need of new ideas and we don't know where the next great idea could come from. Let's be the open, free, democratic, dignified, and tolerant society we set out to be!

This is my hope. This is my dream for my country. For my home. For my beloved South Africa. Will you help me achieve it?