In my previous blog ‘Thank you, Donald Trump,’ I tried to understand Trump’s US-exclusive phrase and then it struck me, in South Africa, we are even worse off. Here’s why.

Dear President Trump

‘America First’ sounds like a great idea and my thanks goes to you for forcing us to think as to whom should come first. Please allow me to borrow from you, this sentiment, but would you mind if I replaced America with Africa, as I happen to be African and not American?

If we are clear that data allows decision-makers to make evidence-based decisions, we immediately understand the importance of open data to the collaborative process. Data not only has the power to revolutionise and disrupt the way societies are governed but also the way citizens and government collaborate. 

Many businesses find the transition from the silo-style environment to one of cross-functional collaboration, highly challenging. Studies from the schooling environment indicate that collaborative learning teams attain higher level of thinking and preserve information for longer times than students working individually.  

There are so many drivers disrupting the workplace as we know it today. Included are expanded lifespans – globally, the rise of smart machines that will make the repetitive, rote-type tasks performed by humans, redundant and a globally connected and computational world among others.

Roger Southall, Professor of Sociology at the University of Witwatersrand, in his article, ‘Eight years too late: Mbeki's ANC set a precedent of undermining the constitution*’, suggests that Thabo Mbeki, did our country and himself a great disservice when he accepted the ANC’s directive to be removed as president of the country. 

Now don’t get confused! The AGE of collaboration is quite different to the Collaborative ERA. The AGE of collaboration is my of assessment of the concept of age within the collaborative space, while the ERA is … well, it’s now. 

What Judge Hillary Squires described as a ‘generally corrupt relationship’ and ‘mutually beneficial symbiosis’ between then deputy President Zuma and Shabir Shaik wasn’t enough to motivate collaboration.

You do know, that being a collaborator is not about being able to openly discuss stuff with others, or being able to shift your opinion and being able to agree on what you may have disagreed on before?

The title of the Alan Paton novel that was my standard six/grade eight English set work has never been more apt than it is today. 

These past weeks, I, along with many of you, I’m sure, have been invited to join protest action/groups. The Active Citizens’ Movement, Joburg for Justice and Save SA, are ones I’m aware of. How could this have happened? I wonder. Loyal, card-carrying ANC patriots being asked to take a stand against the ANC government; who would have thought that would happen?