innovation and sustain- able livelihoods.
Chris Hani and Winnie Mandela birthed a fearless generation that understands what needs to be done. We have taken the baton in this long relay of Africa’s development,” he says. Masonwabe says his alarm doesn’t wake him each morning. His purpose does. The so-called ‘new normal’ South Africa needs visionary, courageous and innovative leadership – one that confidently provides clear direction even on the edge of chaos, he adds. That’s why his roles in the Africa Cooperatives Institute of SA and AfriCo Online are particularly important to him. The former was established in January 2017 and conducts research, training and consultancy to develop grassroots cooperatives and NPO’s. He believes education is vital and needs to reflect principles of a shared economy, social
positions so that they can empower themselves and future generations. We strive to leave our country
Sakhulutsha eAfrika transforms his words into action. “Some of our greatest challenges in South Africa are youth unemployment, poverty, and inequality. Yet, our people have capabilities. Our people need their own means of production, but they are poor and don’t own anything. Yet, South Africa is not a poor country in terms of resources. We need a capabilities approach, people who believe in and can do things for themselves. We can’t achieve this through any kind of enterprise because they’re too individualistic, capitalistic and industrial. So, we need to do this through creating cooperative style enterprises,” he concludes. Masonwabe Fuma completed a National Diploma and BTech Degree in Marketing at UJ between 2012 and 2017.
better than we found it.” As executive chairman of
Mentorship Foundation Africa and managing director of Sakhulutsha eAfrika, Masonwabe is takes this one step further. “I belong to a category of young people whose purpose in life is greater than their own jackets. My purpose is to shift the trajectory of our people, to bring hope where there is hopelessness, light to where there is darkness, to be a walking stick to the elderly. It was written in the dreams and tears of my ancestors.” “In 2015 and 2016, we called for fees to fall through the #FeesMustFall movement. We addressed a lot of injustices in institutions of higher learning. My generation is involved in addressing real issues affecting people. Forefathers like Steve Biko,
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