SA must get to work if we want to restore public trust, hope for future: Here is the plan of action

• Now is the time to get South Africans feeling optimistic about and invested in the future of the country.
  
• Distinguished leaders across various sectors of society joined News24's summit on Thursday to chart a way forward for the country.
• The event, held in Johannesburg, provided a platform to debate and pinpoint the country's biggest barriers to success - and how we can overcome them.
• If you missed our coverage of the thought leadership summit, we have collated the most crucial takeaways from the gathering below. 

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Politicians, civil servants, lawmakers, the media, tech innovators, sports heroes, and everyday South Africans all have a major role to play in restoring hope and trust in South Africa. 

This was the resounding message echoed through various panel discussions at News24's thought leadership summit in Midrand on Thursday.

On The Record, hosted in partnership with Nedbank, returned to Johannesburg for the second time, bringing together South Africa's foremost industry leaders to discuss what lies ahead for our country. 

The preeminent event, held at the Kyalami International Convention Centre, has firmly established itself as a platform for civic engagement and nation-building conversations. 

Distinguished panellists and guests gathered to discuss the country's most pressing problems and put forward ideas, proposals, and perspectives to would help inspire citizens and overcome the narrative of despondency taking hold in our country. 

Here are some of the plans and priority areas that have been identified to forge a new path of hope for the country:  

1. Opposition parties need to do more to inspire confidence ahead of the crucial 2024 vote 

Senior representatives from the country's leading political parties joined News24's Qaanitah Hunter to discuss political prospects as next year's watershed elections loom large. 

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga, Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi and ANC second deputy secretary-general Maropene Ramokgopa reflected on the state of the nation's political leadership and the level of depth needed to take democracy forward. 

Opposition party leaders debated the newly inked multiparty pact aimed at unseating the ANC in the 2024 polls.

While they agreed the country needed a new democratic vision, they could not agree on how it should be implemented.

Meanwhile, the ANC called on the electorate to give it one last shot. 

2. Whistleblowers and journalists put their lives on the line for truth - we must do better at protecting them

News24 legal journalist Karyn Maughan led a panel discussion about the targeting of journalists and whistleblowers, highlighting the often-dire consequences of speaking out against wrongdoing.

If journalists and whistleblowers are not protected against online attacks, malicious legal threats, job loss, and the risks to their lives, then South Africa is in danger of becoming a nation where citizens are too afraid to flag misconduct or criminality. 

Prasa whistleblower Martha Ngoye, veteran journalist Anton Harber, News24 investigative journalist Jeff Wicks, and University of Witwatersrand Media Studies Associate Professor Glenda Daniels spoke in detail about the cost of taking a stand against corruption and misinformation.  

According to Wicks, every day the government stalled on legal reforms to safeguard whistleblowers, more lives were put on the line and the truth would become buried by fear.

3. The government needs to hold up its end of the bargain after CEOs signed a large-scale business pledge 

South Africa's business sector has a lot riding on the success of a recent business pledge made by more than 100 of the country's top executives, as discussed with News24's Sikonathi Mantshantsha.

The CEOs of Nedbank, Business Leadership SA, Thungela Resources and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange all expressed their commitment to helping fight the country's power, logistics, and security crises, but said the government would also have to urgently come to the party.

If not, the economy, which is in desperate need of more foreign direct investment, could be in even deeper trouble. 

4. The ANC's cadre deployment has been holding the state back, it has got to go - and Godongwana agrees 

One of the biggest drawcards of the full-day summit was the exclusive one-on-one with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, who openly criticised the ANC's cadre deployment policy while in conversation with News24's Carol Paton.

Godongwana did not mince his words when he likened the policy to a "weapon in the hands of somebody who is not well trained". 

5. Policing structures must be in sync to fight organised crime - and the ID needs new laws enacted 

It feels like South Africa is fighting a losing battle against organised crime because the country's law enforcement agencies are working in silos, without a clear, unified strategic plan to get the bad guys behind bars.

These were the sentiments shared by Investigative Directorate (ID) head advocate Andrea Johnson, News24 investigative journalist Jeff Wicks, and crime expert Julian Rademeyer, as they explored the obstacles blocking South Africa's corruption-busting efforts.

Johnson said criminal networks were better coordinated than the country's law enforcement structures, and the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill must urgently be made into law to empower the ID with more legal and operational muscle.

6. AI is not the enemy, but SA needs an enabling environment to prepare the youth for the future of work

It was not all doom and gloom when it came to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, according to a panel on tech innovation led by News24's Ahmed Areff. 

Trend analyst Dion Chang, investment strategist Adrian Saville, tech entrepreneur Senele Goba, and Nedbank exec Ciko Thomas shared their insights and predictions on how an AI-driven world will impact how we live, work, and learn in the future.

While there are some reservations and ethical considerations, there are also plenty of opportunities.

But for SA youth to grab these opportunities, the government needs to equip them with resources. 

7. SA is counting on the Boks to boost national pride - but they need brace for a tough crowd at the World Cup 

The summit ended with a special rugby segment looking at the Boks' chances of retaining their Rugby World Cup title, days before the tournament kicks off.

While the Springboks have not always been a favourite on the global stage, they have shown they still have a fighting chance at keeping their world champion status.

Former Bok mentor and current Bulls director of rugby Jake White sat down alongside ex-Springbok fullback and national assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher, and News24's Lloyd Burnard and Simnikiwe Xabanisa.

They examined what steps the Boks would have to take to bring their best foot forward, including their attacking strategy in the game and preparing for unfavourable refereeing interpretations.