As an American living in South Africa, I was conscious to keep my mouth shut when the subject of politics came up. Sure, I read the news. I had mostly South African friends who I listened to at length regarding structure and history of South Africa’s political landscape. But it certainly wasn’t my place to comment on South Africa’s, or Africa as a continent’s, problems. I’d never gone through apartheid and was very conscious that I could never understand what that must have been like for people on either side. And, in the context of Africa as a whole, how could I ever understand what it was like to not have clean water, or to be hungry, or to worry about rape, murder, or disease?
Further, how could I ever converse about a place that was so foreign to me? Born in small town USA and educated in London, I’d never seen an electric fence until I lived behind one in Johannesburg. I had a panic attack the first time I ever drove through a South African intersection because I had never seen so many people walking in the street – let alone selling things at the intersection! What if I ran someone over? And what are all of these signs saying “high highjacking zone” doing there?
While the lack of understanding prohibited me from entering into debate, so did the actions of several high profile people. I remember reading, long before moving to South Africa, an interview with Thabo Mbeki where he said, “Africa must solve Africa's problems.” I’m sure other people have said this as well, but the sentiment rang clear – Africa doesn’t want my help.
Zambian economist Dambisa Moyo took it a step further, calling foreign aid in Africa "unmitigated political, economic and humanitarian disaster.” She singled out the actions of, among others, a woman I greatly admire: Angelina Jolie. Moyo claimed that “glamour aid” facilitated by the actions of people such as Jolie was spreading the belief that foreign aid is the only possible solution to Africa’s issues. Again, Africa doesn’t want my help.
I found South Africa to be the most welcoming, thrilling, dynamic place I’d ever visited. In the year that I lived there I fell in love with the people, the cultures, and yes, even the politics. What is so wonderful about South African politics is that people talk about them. And when they’re done talking, they talk about them more.
And this political loquaciousness, for lack of a better term, is what makes me want to break my silence. Why am I not being invited into a discussion that I could contribute to? Regardless of what Dambisa Moyo says, it was Angelina Jolie that sparked my interest in foreign affairs with her commitment to Africa. Here was someone that didn’t need to get involved – and perhaps she has not done so in the correct way – but she has done so in the very brash, American way of throwing herself in and making loud noises. South Africa and Africa need more of that. In her 2007 op-ed in The Washington Post, Jolie said, “What the worst people in the world fear most is justice. That's what we should deliver.” And I believe that to be true. We must hold people accountable and seek justice.
I’m not attempting to blur the line between South Africa and the continent of Africa. But there has been a visible lack of an invitation into the discussion on both fronts. And I’m invested in both. I now live in Hong Kong with my South African boyfriend, and watching recent events unfold in Africa and the Middle East have us both glued to the news screens.
My Twitter feed, filled mostly with South Africans as I discovered the medium while living there, has been filled with calls for Americans to butt out. Or criticizing America’s stance on the various conflicts. What people are failing to mention is that the American political administration’s point of view is not the point of view of all Americans. Just as not every South African agrees with Jacob Zuma, not every American agrees with Barack Obama or watches Bill O’Reilly’s news program.
What Americans can offer to Africa is enthusiasm and accountability. Yes, as an American, I want to be involved in everyone’s business. We hold grudges and want everything to be like a Hollywood movie where the bad guy goes down dramatically. It might sound stupid – but who else is doing it?
I found South Africans on the whole to be intelligent, creative, and incredibly aware. Even people who cannot read are keeping track of politics on the radio. I didn’t know who Jacob Zuma was until I moved to South Africa, yet every South African has known of my president before he was a candidate. Why aren’t South Africans being louder? As the shining stars of their continent, South African’s should be singing their praises to the world. They should also be holding their neighbours accountable.
Mbeki told us that Africa had to solve its own problems. Unfortunately, Mbeki's system of "quiet diplomacy" failed and little progress was made beyond stabilizing rather than improving volatile relationships. His rejection of the USA's "megaphone diplomacy" may have been premature. Africa can certainly solve its own problems, but completely rejecting help can lead to disaster, as Mbeki found with AIDS treatment.
As we enter into dangerous waters in terms of press freedom and power struggles in South Africa and on continental Africa, megaphone diplomacy is not just an option, it’s a necessity. Egypt has had enough, and they are telling the world. Tunisia has had enough. Libya, too. Sudan – yep. When will South Africa have enough? When will it use its collective voice to cry out for press freedom and condemn its criminal continental brothers?
As an American that loves South Africa, I’m inviting myself to the conversation. I want to see South Africa engage in megaphone diplomacy. If Africa needs to save Africa, I want to help Africa do so. Not because I’m butting in, or because I’m bored with my American life so I need to go help “the Africans.” Because I believe that human rights are not a national or continental issue – they are a human issue. Who is policing African politicians? The African Union?
The borders within the global community are becoming more and more hazy as information spreads more quickly. I’ve not come in contact with a single South African journalist or columnist who held back in terms of commenting about America, and I’m done holding my tongue. South Africa has a great opportunity to build on recent success and truly become a beacon worldwide. Keeping others out of the conversation isn’t going to help capitalize on that opportunity.
