We are not the first country to find itself in a difficult spot. China, India, South Korea, Vietnam and many others have gone from economic basket cases to powerhouses, lifting millions out of poverty. So, how can we pick ourselves up and fix things? In his book, How to Fix a Country, Roy Havemann argues that we need to focus on six basic Es: Eskom, education, environment, exports, ethics, and equality.
Dr Havemann is the CEO of Krutham, previously Intellidex, a research and advisory firm with offices in Johannesburg, London and Boston. Krutham has consulted the SA Presidency, the Treasury, the World Bank and private companies, among others. After lecturing macroeconomics, Havemann joined the National Treasury in 2002 and rose through the ranks to be head of the Western Cape budget office and Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni's speechwriter.