Howzit and welcome to the winter edition of Ukwazi Life. We feel a tad sheepish calling it winter because we’re on the cusp of spring, but for the most part this edition was put together while we were huddling around fires, layering up, and warming our bellies with good food.
I reflected on this at the Hilton Arts Festival, where the weather was unseasonably mild and my heart and soul were immersed in what I’d call the inspiration business – the currency of creativity.
We live in a world dominated by resources, manufacturing, and the power structures and ideologies that control them, for better or worse. Without getting too esoteric, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs lays it bare. Billions of people are understandably preoccupied with feeding and clothing themselves.
The global economy is a complicated system that few of us fully understand, but we know when fuel prices spike, when gold surges, when bills climb, or when jobs are scarce.
Journalist Giulietta Talevi reflected on the state of the market in a thoughtful Currency column recently. She noted that the JSE All Share Index was up, gold was high, US markets were setting records, and no one seemed particularly bothered by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
She did concede that tariffs matter – but her point was clear.
Talevi wrote that the wave of money flowing into markets dwarfed negative sentiment. She quoted Citigroup CEO Chuck Prince’s infamous line: “As long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance. We’re still dancing.”
That sentiment transported me to a dire Lightstone report released in June, which found that 80% of South Africans are priced out of the property market. The analysis revealed “a severe deficit” in affordable formal housing. For households earning below R13 000 a month, there is only one registered property for every 4.8 households.
If I’ve understood it correctly, more than 80% of South African households cannot afford a home and are forced to live in informal dwellings.
So, to pick up on Prince’s chirp, we’re all dancing – but some are waltzing in fancy ballrooms, while others hum along at bus shelters.
Inequality whirled around my head as I sat on my privileged perch, soaking in performances at the festival.
Most of us still have to get out of bed every day to make a living in an increasingly confusing and polarised world. Everyone’s show must go on, for as long as it does.
Some actors claim centre stage and sparkle more. Maybe the message lands better, or their groove is tighter.
Success – and the ability to handle adversity – is relative. For a powerful example, read the remarkable story of Marc Germiquet in this edition.
At the end of the day, we have to use what we’ve got as best we can, behave as honourably as possible, and perhaps put less energy into the scramble for diminishing resources.
Focus less on the gold mines, and mine the imagination more.
Creativity fuels us. It isn’t just art – it’s the capital of innovation and progress. When society invests in creativity, it uncovers ingenuity, empathy and understanding.
Creativity is our most valuable asset.
Vision, discipline and craft aren’t just for the stage; they’re essential for any enterprise that wants to thrive. If you’re grappling with how to interpret this, read the feature on journalling and get inspired.
And finally, thank you for supporting this illustrious rag.
All the best,
Greg
