WHAT or Where is the Soft Attraction to Africa?
The regional and global presence of South Africa is undeniable. The country belongs to international organizations such as the BRICS, IBSA and the G-20. Membership alone with such powerful economic giants has gained the rainbow nation middle power status and hegemonic influence in African International Relations.
Middle Power State and behavior is one thing but Soft Power...........
“It is complicated… It is always just so complicated with South Africa”
SOFT POWER
The application of Soft Power by states in the global system is not limited to just the seductiveness and attractiveness of political values, culture, and policies. States must also analyze their current political sociology while synchronously developing, crafting, and nourishing their unique soft power.
The seductiveness and attractiveness of political values, culture and foreign policies of “State A” must be enjoyed by close neighbors and regional neighbors. It is after this stage, that it can go onto the global stage. Above all of this, citizens must believe and “benefit” from it, may it be what they see daily or from the overall economic health of the state.
In the event that only selected few are enjoying this soft power, the state will loose it bric by BRICK.
The "A" Word
It would be extremely dismissive not to mention the Apartheid era of South Africa as I attempt to explain South Africa soft power. So before S.A could appreciate the good in bye by ending the apartheid government and becoming the rainbow nation, it was a country that existed on the application of extreme hard power to citizens and neighbors.
“What is Hard Power? The use of military response from countries in International Relations.”
The application of military interventionism in apartheid S.A by then President Pieter Willem Botha contributed to the destabilization of spaces in the region. There was also enforcement of racial separation and complete control of social and economic interactions of the white minority population towards the colored majority. The cost of such hard power in this portion of S.A history will put a $60 billion dent to the economy, including the lost of 2 million lives and catastrophic civil wars in Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
South Africa Soft Power
Just a snap of South African Soft Power
“Show me the money.........................Wait, Show me the Rand??”
Total trade between South Africa and the East African region in 2016 was R25.5 billion, an increase from 2015's R23.6 billion.
Foreign Direct Investment from January- March alone of this year was R15.3 billion.
Over 10 million tourists visited the country in 2016 spending R75 billion.
Despite such profits that come from the nation's persuasive soft power, the country has slowly regressed to some familiar dark behavior.
While there are arguments for the issues and concerns on behalf of the foreigners and the native people in South Africa, it should be noted that governance has failed both groups.
“Ubuntu???”
Socioeconomic concerns, political factors, parliamentary drama that is simply something to watch and not explain....
..... Xenophobia, racial tension, high levels of poverty and unemployment... Did I mention the protesting in the university sectors and mine sectors?
“Where is Ubuntu?
Be Kind and respect others......”
What about Identity concerns??
English or Afrikaans???
Soft Power Diplomacy is what states do and not what they say or present. As, I mentioned your constituents better believe you are soft, attractive and benefit them as you wish for others to believe. These videos show a South Africa on a dangerous path of loosing "Ubuntu-Soft Power" appeal bric by brick.
Perhaps other African middle power states can take advantage of this moment to work on their soft power status. Countries that come to mind: Nigeria, Angola, Morocco and Egypt.
Maybe, this is also the fact that South Africa is still in the infancy stages of state growth from the ending of the apartheid movement. You can't hurry these things right? I mean look at South Korea's global soft power and then their everyday practice, it can be questionable at the very least.