nalene

"The commodification of education in South Africa is no longer just a trend, it is a booming asset class. Over the last decade, corporate giants and private investment funds have recognized a massive, desperate market of middle-class parents willing to stretch themselves to the financial brink just to get their children into functional classrooms. Companies like Curro Holdings and ADVTech, alongside rapid-expansion models like SPARK Schools, have transformed basic learning into a lucrative business. What was once envisioned as a fundamental human right enshrined in Section 29 of our Constitution has been effectively packaged, priced, and tiered." ~ @NoozBebe_ #QualityEducation #Privatisation #SAEconony #ProfessionalsForChange #BusinessForChange #OrganiseForChange #MobiliseForImpact

To quote Professor Somadoda Fikeni, "There exists a 'Political Economy of Inefficiency' in the public administration." What does this mean for us? It means, we pay PAYE, VAT, a fuel levy, tolls and escalating municipal tariffs at rates comparable to those of developed countries, without the benefits of systems that function as efficiently as they should. The consequence? An opportunistic shadow economy within the public service that willfuly breaks the system in order to produce a demand for services already paid for at an additional cost. As well as rapid privatisation. The administrative inefficiencies witnessed are not accidental, but by design. The fix? Quite simply, a professinalised and ethical Public Service. And both must exist simulataneously. #QualityEducation #Privatisation #SAEconony #ProfessionalsForChange #BusinessForChange #OrganiseForChange #MobiliseForImpact

While we hold the privileged title of "middle-class," our reality is that more and more, we are having to forgo retirement planning to fund our children's education in the hopes of securing a future for them, less precarious than our own. #QualityEducation

Oil, inflation, interest rates, tariffs, tolls and levies all on the rise. And here’s another uncomfortable reality, there’s an impending El Niño season which is sure to put further strain on food prices along with temperatures likely to cause heat related casualty events. Don’t be blindsided, join the conversation in our next instalment of The Provocation as we unpack what El Niño means and how to practically prepare for and navigate it in the midst of this cost-of-living crisis. Date: Thursday, 29 October 2026 Time: 18H00 - 21H00 Venue: Le Vin, Rosebank #ElNiño #TheProvocation #ProfessionalsForChange #BusinessForChange #SAEconomy

Access to private alternatives is a privilege, and while it is a gnawing inconvenience, many cannot escape the lashings that public sector failures constantly dish out. Extended periods without water and/or poorly treated water create the perfect environment for disease outbreaks. Poor policing and crime prevention strategies create a conducive environment for criminality to thrive. The lack of availability of quality schools dooms the next generation to poor prospects of meaningful and gainful employment. These very basic services are the difference between life and death, when you cannot afford to insulate yourself through private services. #Privatisation #PublicServices #OrganiseForChange

The numbers tell a story of an inflation index where the top 1%’s purchasing power is overrepresented, thereby skewing the actual national average inflation rate. #CostOfLivingCrisis #TheProvocation #SAEconomy #ProfessionalsForChange #BusinessForChange

Salaries are stagnant, yet the cost of services and other basic goods keep accelerating at above inflation rates. A cut from same stagnant salaries is meant to fund education, healthcare, public safety, utilities and other essential services. When delivery of those services fails, going the private route at a premium becomes a begrudged alternative for many. Going private is increasingly becoming the norm as opposed to an optional alternative as a consequence of the state dysfunction. In functional and competent states, commissions and independent watch bodies are a rarity. Here, they are the norm. The consequence? A triple tax. An income tax, the private purchase of basic services and the funding of institutions and bodies that do post-theft audits and accountability. This state of affairs suffocates an already terminally ailing economy. 💰 #ThreeTimesTheCost #EssentialServices

We pay heavy taxes, it all goes into a big public expenditure pot, but sometimes the public services don't match what we are paying for. Waste management arrives a little later than usual if at all, water supplies are lost to theft and leakages before it reaches the citizens, the healthcare system is buckling under severe resource pressure, and utility tariffs continue to spike among other essentials. At what point does continuous disappointment in public service provision warrant or force citizens to pursue private alternatives? #PrivateSector #PrivateAlternative

When tax funded public services deteriorate or fail, those with the means to opt into private provision. But what happens when private healthcare, private education, private security or alternative energy tips over to becoming a necessity on the economic scale? When does 'choice' become a 'necessity'? Which public services of a decent standard do you currently use? 🤔 #PrivateSubstitute #Choice

These hikes are not sustainable for the average South African. Many people are already feeling the squeeze

Increasing unemployment means greater pressure on the household income, making it increasingly difficult for South African families to get through each month as the price of essentials continue to escalate. Join the conversation at our upcoming Provocation as we unpack the Cost of Living Crisis. Date: 13 Aug 2026 Time: 18:00-21:00hrs Place: Le Vin, Rosebank

South Africans are increasingly finding themselves in a very tight budget squeeze, with more month than money each month. Join PBC in conversation with Matlhodi Matsei and Lukhona Mnguni as we unpack the Cost of Living Report. RSVP on forms.gle/mFwcNW6YEtX7ck5Z6