By Emma Goldberg
171
The amount of rand I spent on lunch and souvenirs today in a loud,
colorful open market in the Maboneng precinct. Formerly an inner city
area characterized by crime and grime, the neighbourhood has been
revitalized. The streets are now lined with expensive craft shops and
clothing stores. As I walked the Arts On Main complex and sipped a
smoothie I heard two young Joburg residents chatting about their
schoolwork.
“I have an exam in maths tomorrow,” one of the boys said. “Should I
try and study at all?”
The other boy laughed. “Don’t worry about it,” he said.
Everywhere we go in South Africa, authorities tell us that the school
system is falling to pieces. Jonathan Liebman, the business mogul and
primary developer behind Maboneng, explained that the South African
government is failing to deliver even basic services to impoverished
communities. Public schools are underfunded, and University of Cape
Town professors told us that many students who attend South African
schools end up wholly unprepared for university. Only 21% of the
country’s graduating students pass their grade 12 matric exam. Why
study for your math test when not a single person from your
neighbourhood is able to go to university? What do you need calculus
for when you can use basic arithmetic to add up the money you need for
food and rent?
900
The amount of rand that used to constitute monthly rent for an
apartment in the Maboneng precinct. Since Liebman has developed the
area, property values have risen steadily. Rent now costs between
3,000 and 2 million rand. Many of the people who used to inhabit the
area say they can no longer afford to live there. They’re moving out
to make space for our fancy marketplaces that sell macaroons and 100
rand brie prosciutto sandwiches.
700
The amount it costs to stay for one night in a luxury suite at the 12
Decades Art Hotel in Maboneng. Ironically almost the same amount of
money that Maboneng residents used to spend on one month of rent.
Liebman said one of his goals in building the hotel was to attract
foreigners and tourists to the area.
“South Africa does not have enough intellectual capital,” Liebman told
us. He said he hopes Johannesburg will begin drawing young people from
abroad who will contribute their creative energy to grow the city. He
believes that South Africa could benefit from more foreign influences—
he wants immigrants from the U.S. to contribute their innovation to
make the country stronger. He has recently struck a deal with Columbia
University to recruit students to live and work in Maboneng. “We need
human capital,” he said.
900 – 700 – 171 = 29
29 is the section of the South African Bill of Rights that guarantees
the right to basic education and adult education to every South
African citizen. It’s a right that the government has fundamentally
failed to deliver, according to many South Africans we’ve spoken to.
The problem with a failing education system is that it results in
wasted human capital. It’s hard to believe South Africa should be
importing intellectual capital from abroad when there are so many
untapped resources right here in Johannesburg. There are millions of
students who aren’t receiving the education they need to develop their
creative potential and contribute to the country’s growth. Roughly 12
million students pass through the South African public education
system; many of them ultimately end up in the service sector, or
unemployed.
It’s not hard to do the math and realize that South Africa’s broken
schooling system is costing the country a generation of skilled,
educated youth. Maboneng is an excellent example of an inner city
neighbourhood revitalized by someone with passion, and a determination
to attract tourists and foreign capitol. The South African schooling
system needs that sort of revitalization. Perhaps it too will find
itssavior in the private sector. Perhaps someone with Liebman’s zeal
needs to trust and invest in the human capital available right here on
the streets of Joburg. Until that happens, South African youth will
remain in impoverished neighbourhoods. They won’t be able to get the
sort of employment they need to afford apartments in areas like
Maboneng.
This test of numbers, wages, prices and rent isn’t multiple choice—
Joburg needs creative solutions.