By: Gerhard van der Merwe
Edwin Starr said it best: “War, huh, what is it good for?”
Absolutely nothing.
And it’s tempting to want to “choose a team” and argue who is right or who is wrong, knowing that won’t make my diesel cheaper, it won’t drive down inflation, and it won’t return what stability the global market had left.
In other words, as Namibians, we must not favour politics over the practical and the pragmatic.
Our reliance on imported energy and FDI has left us incredibly exposed at a moment when we are likely looking at a significant global financial crisis.
So, what do we do?
First, grab a Tafel while you still can and take a moment to breathe.
Next, we as a nation and as people need to focus on two things: independence and collaboration.
We need independence from imported energy and from fossil fuels entirely. Where you can put a solar panel or two on your roof, we need the government to put a hundred thousand panels in the Khomas Hochland.
Maybe even give Walvis its own nuclear reactor.
And we need collaboration – perhaps even neighbourly love. Simple things like a veggie garden or sharing a lift with a colleague will do wonders for you. More complex things like regional free-trade agreements and import/export licenses will do wonders for the nation.
Weathering times like this requires action from all spheres of society. Let’s think how we as Namibians can become more self-reliant.
And if we act now, war would still be good for nothing, but at least we could keep our lights on and our bellies full.
Gerhard van der Merwe is a Property Development Specialist & Lawyer
