Why begin with a revolutionary statement? The truth is that there’s no other way to describe the current state of the world. We are still fighting for liberation, but the battlefield today is not marked by bombs and blood. Instead, it is characterized by poverty, high crime rates, inequality, and a massive imbalance of resources. The majority of people are struggling, while a few live in extreme wealth, often just meters away from those suffering.

There is something fundamentally wrong with the way the world is being led. The leadership driven by greed doesn’t serve most people or nature itself. Ancient Egyptian philosophers understood this, identifying greed as the root of our problems. Yet, in the Western world, we are often told that inequality is natural, even good. One philosopher once said, "The one who calls for equality is weak," promoting the belief that inequality is simply the law of the jungle. But if we look at nature, we see a different story. Even a lion, considered a symbol of power, does not kill indiscriminately. It takes what it needs for the day and maintains peace until its next hunt. In many ways, a lion has more Ubuntu (humanity) than us.

Why am I comparing human life to that of a lion? Because, especially in Africa, we live in a world where the West controls vast swaths of our land and resources. African nations remain under the control of Western corporations and a handful of wealthy families. For example, imagine a single family owning all the fertile land in a region, producing sugar for the population, paying low wages, and sending all profits abroad. This has been the reality for generations since the 19th century, when African natives lost their lands, resources, and lives to colonial powers. Despite independence, many African countries have never truly been free.

The question is, why does the West continue to hold on to African territories for centuries? The answer is simple: greed and the desire to prevent the rise of equal, self-sufficient African nations. This cycle of exploitation must end. Africa needs a change that will lead to true independence for its people. And, contrary to what we’ve been taught, this change does not have to be marked by violence or bloodshed.

As South Africans, we have already endured enough violence at the hands of our colonizers. The new generation has the power to divert this struggle onto a new path—one of conscious liberation. By understanding who we are, where we come from, and what we need to do, we can achieve true freedom. One key solution is group economics: deliberately choosing to support our own local producers, building industries, and creating self-sustaining economies. If every household, village, and community makes this a daily practice, we can change the narrative.

It’s possible, and we have the will to build economic power that will secure our future.