South African billionaire offers advice for those staying in SA
Businessman Christo Wiese shared how he feels about the country in a recent interview.
South Africans are very tenacious and strong people.
The country and its people have had a very turbulent history, but when we come together, we are a force to be reckoned with.
And we have the best sense of humour.
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But sometimes the negativity can get to you, and it's hard to see a bright future for SA.
Mia Spies (Netwerk24) sat down with billionaire Christo Wiese at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees, and he shared some of his views on the GNU and more.
Wiese believes that the country still has great potential and it offers a lot of opportunities for people who decide to stay.
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He, too, touched on the fact that SA has faced many challenges, such as the Anglo-Boer War and Apartheid, and that few people recognise how lucky the country truly is.
Even people who were pessimistic before the elections changed their views and realised South Africa remains the best country in the world. It is the right thing to be positive about South Africa. Nobody could ever convince me that being negative is better than being positive.
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Wiese feels that the Government of National Unity (GNU) brings hope to the country and that "many of South Africa's problems are easier to solve than many others".
According to him, there is no better place to live in the world than the Western Cape, and he does not publicly judge those choosing to leave SA.
He explained that people's perceptions of SA are highly influenced by their friends and family.
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There is a lot of negativity, and there are positive aspects that do not receive the same amount of airtime.
Wiese did add one warning, that he had also told his son to consider:
You have to accept, even if you are the smartest man in the country, you will not be able to become president because of the colour of your skin. If you can accept that you are essentially a second-class citizen in your own country because of your race, it is a great country.
He did point out that apart from benefitting personally, those who have gained wealth over the decades have an opportunity to give back and make a difference.
Former banker Chris Liebenberg, who served as South Africa’s finance minister from 19 September 1994 to 4 April 1996, told him that the right thing to do was for those who benefitted from the country in the past to give back to it.
However, it's easy to dish out advice when you are a billionaire, and it's a lot harder to use this advice when you are not.
Wiese did address this in the interview:
On the one hand, it is easier to be positive when you have a big bank balance. However, on the other hand, rich people are petrified of losing their wealth. I was optimistic long before I was a billionaire. I was positive when we started the business and when we really struggled.
Find the full interview here.
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Main image courtesy of AFP