History 214 term 2: Tutorial 3

Name: Qhama Zangane

Student number: 2382172

Date: 15 May 2022

Lecturer: Dr Justin Pearce

Tutor: Benjamin Crous

Contents page:
1. Introduction:
2. A lack of effective governance and poor leadership skills.
3. African youth unemployment and poverty
4. Leadership culture and lack of clarity
5. A lack of leadership succession planning
6. Policy and vision implementation
7. Investing in the education system of the future
8. CONCLUSION
1. Introduction:
Africa achieved political freedom but not economic success. Leaders in Africa are competing
for leadership roles in addition to controlling current resources and utilize the economy.
Many individuals in Africa regard government posts as a way out of poverty. Independence
in Africa unleashed a slew of unsavoury actions and revealed the true personalities of
numerous liberation leaders. Following independence, several African leaders were exposed
as pro-communists and anti-elite and the capitalist system. They modified their approach and
behavior after gaining power. This article will thus highlight the economic obstacles and
opportunities that African leaders faced following independence, such as a lack of efficient
government and inadequate leadership skills, African youth unemployment, and poverty,
leadership culture and lack of clarity, the lack of leadership succession planning, policy and
vision implementation and advancing education system of the future.
2. A lack of effective governance and poor leadership skills.
Leaders in Africa often lack moral convictions, but their public and media presence depicts a
very different picture. Leaders who did not grow up with morals cannot change their views
once they become in positions of power. The lack of ethics among African leaders negatively
impacts the control of government funds. In order to control public finances, public officials
must be ethical. Good government in Africa is only possible if leaders are ethical and
creative. The goal of African leaders is to control resources. By controlling government
funding, African leaders have caused many government institutions to collapse.1
Africa requires courageous leaders who will decide to transform the African economy even if
other continents oppose it. Ethical practices and effective governance are possible in Africa if
good leaders get together and have had enough. A resolution to seize control of the African
economy may have a negative impact on the economy, but things will get better in the end.
Whatever decisions are taken to reform the economy, it is now worsening and there is no
strategy to improve it.2 Presently, no African leader is prepared to lay his head on the scaffold

1
Kate Massarella et al., “REDD+, Hype, Hope and Disappointment: The Dynamics of Expectations in
Conservation and Development Pilot Projects,” World Development 109 (September 2018): 375–85.
2
Ibid.
and fight the global economic titans, as well as stand hard against economic colonialism in
Africa.3
3. African youth unemployment and poverty
Each country on the continent experiences high levels of youth unemployment and youth
unemployment is different in different countries. African leaders fail to develop systems that
will lead to sustainable economies as the average youth unemployment rate in Africa stands
at 55.75%.4
Young people in Africa are having difficulty finding employment and entrepreneurship
opportunities. Africa is dominated by elderly individuals holding government positions and
business sector organizations that are at best not contributing substantially. 5 The school
system in an independent Africa has an impact on young career chances. While graduates are
still fresh out of university, industries want extensive job experience.
Because the leaders in Africa use the youth to fight their political battles, they do not want the
youth succeeding. Africa's youth are unable to find employment, forcing them to be in the
pocket of older politicians that are wealthy and in power.
4. Leadership culture and lack of clarity
The African culture still revolves around a distinct leadership culture that embraces a specific
way of doing things. Africans suppress changes in the culture of leadership and do not permit
young, energetic individuals to take over leadership positions. An individual's struggle
credentials are used to determine their leadership capacity when they do not assist the
continent of Africa. In Africa, the generation that is in authority believes the new generation
has no capacity to lead. The majority of African countries are dominated by very old
presidents and very old cabinets.
5. A lack of leadership succession planning
Africa needs effective leadership, which has an impact on the training of the next generation
of leaders since they are unethical. Those who demonstrate leadership ethics convey the
message that ethical behavior is not expected of leaders. That image will also impact to
the future generations. The current leadership in Africa does not plan for their departure nor
do they believe there will be successors.6 If leaders allow themselves to depart positions of

3
Max Savelle, “Colonial Blockade and Neutral Rights, 1739-1763,” Hispanic American Historical Review 20, no.
2 (May 1, 1940): 254–56, https://doi.org/10.1215/00182168-20.2.254.
4
James McCann and Bill Freund, “The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society
since 1800,” African Economic History, no. 13 (1984): p.209.
5
Ibid.
6
Martin Plaut, “Reporting Conflict in Africa,” Media, War & Conflict 10, no. 1 (March 26, 2017): 40–47,
https://doi.org/10.1177/1750635217699546.
leadership, they appoint successors. What becomes a huge challenge for leaders to place
leaders that they choose is seeking protection once they leave power.
Independent African leaders are plundering public resources while fully aware that they are
wrong. They raise leaders who will safeguard them in the future while simultaneously looting
the remnants. That is contributing to the African economy's collapse; the African economy is
taking one stride forward and 10 steps back. Current leaders and the succession plan
contribute to the African economy's deterioration. Africa requires future leaders who will
challenge the current quo. Looking at the situation in Africa now, it appears that the
generation which will revolutionize the continent has yet to be discovered.
6. Policy and vision implementation
In many African countries there are clearly defined policies, but the policies are useless due
to a lack of implementation. African countries' economic growth is negatively affected by
policy implementation. Progressive policies cannot be implemented in Africa due to lack of
political will and intentions. No attempt is made by African leaders to advance the vision to
change Africa for the better. The policies offered by leaders during campaigns remain largely
theoretical.7
African countries have concrete guidelines; however, the lack of implementation renders
those policies ineffective. The African economy's economic growth is hampered by a lack of
policy execution. In Africa, there is a lack of intention and political will to execute
progressive policies. The African vision to change Africa for the better is confined to the
offices of leaders, with little attempt to put it into action. Leaders' visions and plans stated
during political campaigns are merely rhetoric.
6. Investing in the education system of the future
African leaders are playing a crucial role in shattering the continent's future. African
education systems must be evaluated by policymakers in the interests of the continent's
future. The education system should satisfy economic requirements and position Africa
among the most economically successful continents. Other continents are providing
numerous answers to world challenges through university and college education, while Africa
lags behind. As a continent, Africa uses education systems that other continents developed,
but fails to create engineers who can create new technology. 8 Leaders of African countries
need to create a place for young Africans to be inventive all the time.
7
Q. Skinner, “Rethinking Political Liberty,” History Workshop Journal 61, no. 1 (January 1, 2006): 156–70,
https://doi.org/10.1093/hwj/dbi054.
8
James McCann and Bill Freund, “The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society
since 1800,” African Economic History, no. 13 (1984): 209, https://doi.org/10.2307/3601489.
7. CONCLUSION
A tragic cycle of violence and corruption is engulfing the leaders of Africa and the next
generation. African leaders are generally involved in corrupt activities, which is the source of
all problems in Africa. The truth is that even when certain leaders appear to be ethical and
free from corruption, anomalous behavior is still occurring. No leader or politician is
impartial; their interests are varied. Unless corruption is dealt with effectively, Africa will fail
to develop. There is a great deal of patronage politics, rampant corruption, and political
power in Africa, which causes African leaders to feel invulnerable.
Bibliography
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African Affairs 116, no. 464 (June 14, 2017): 508–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adx019.
Grischow, Jeff. “Frederick Cooper, Africa since 1940: The Past of the Present. Cambridge:
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Massarella, Kate, Susannah M. Sallu, Jonathan E. Ensor, and Rob Marchant. “REDD+, Hype,
Hope and Disappointment: The Dynamics of Expectations in Conservation and Development
Pilot Projects.” World Development 109 (September 2018): 375–85.
McCann, James, and Bill Freund. “The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development
of African Society since 1800.” African Economic History, no. 13 (1984): 209.
Plaut, Martin. “Reporting Conflict in Africa.” Media, War & Conflict 10, no. 1 (March 26,
2017): 40–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750635217699546.
Savelle, Max. “Colonial Blockade and Neutral Rights, 1739-1763.” Hispanic American
Historical Review 20, no. 2 (May 1, 1940): 254–56. https://doi.org/10.1215/00182168-
20.2.254.
Skinner, Q. “Rethinking Political Liberty.” History Workshop Journal 61, no. 1 (January 1,
2006): 156–70. https://doi.org/10.1093/hwj/dbi054.