In election or re-election campaigns around the world, politicians around the world have been speaking out about the threat of inflation to their economies and the livelihoods of the most vulnerable in society. His advisers are crafting policy interventions (some smart, some not-so-smart) to combat his impact in places like Westminster, Washington, and Sao Paulo. I am quite jealous of these discussions when each of us considers what our political theater is concerned with.
What policy intervention have you most recently heard from your favorite politician about an inflation rate that may officially sit at 7.6%, but we all know is much, much worse? I don’t have much to imbue the feeling that the men and women who sit in parliament are considering even for a moment the rising cost of living for South Africans every day.
Today, the Reserve Bank of South Africa will most likely raise interest rates again to fend off the rising tide of inflation – it’s the only tool they have. Following that announcement, it would be nice if the Mail & Guardian inboxes were flooded with statements from the main political parties about South Africa’s day-to-day struggles.
One can only hope that our political class can stop scoring cheap points that has been their hallmark for over a decade.
