I am a highly politicized individual who thinks a great deal of the future of Africa and the world. I have been influenced by a great deal of thought leaders ranging from African Nationalists to Socialists. I was highly inspired when I first read “A Grain of Wheat” by Ngugi wa Thiongo when I was in high school. When I was living in the USA I read “Das Kapital” which was a prescribed text in my History of Economics Course.

I have been active in the ANC for almost 20 years having joined it in 1989 when I first visited London. I have held leadership positions in the ANC Sandton 103 Branch as a Deputy Chairman and as a Branch Executive Committee Member and in the ANC Zone 16 as a Deputy Chairman. I have contributed extensively to the ANC’s theoretical journal Umrabulo. Some of my writings are:

1. Skills necessary for the advancement of South Africa

2. Prospects for improved skills capacity

3. The anatomy of capital and the National Democratic Revolution

4. Strategies and tactics for increasing economic participation

5. The NDR, technology and a developed economy

I believe that we have not yet achieved the National Democratic Society and it probably will not happen in the lifetime of my generation. At the same time I believe that each generation has a responsibility to advance the National Democratic Revolution regardless of setbacks which come in various frequencies, magnitudes and phases.

I am concerned about the readiness of my generation to lead and believe that just because people put one into positions does not mean that one is ready to lead. In fact the biggest tragedy of human history as far as leadership is concerned can be traced to the phase mismatch between readiness to lead and being called upon to lead.

I am an avid writer having edited one book and written 2 books and many (over 200) journal and proceeding papers. I am currently writing a book titled:

“The Prospects for a Developmental State in South Africa”

Chapter 1: Introduction to a Developmental State

Chapter 2: Economical Prospects for a Developmental State

Chapter 3: Social Prospects for a Developmental State

Chapter 4: Political Prospects for a Developmental State

Chapter 5: Educational Prospects for a Developmental State

Chapter 6: Industrial Prospects for a Developmental State

Chapter 7: South Africa’s Prospects for a Developmental State

I strongly believe that it is important for modern Africans to engage. Nothing said untruthfully should be left uncorrected. In this regard I have written letters to Time Magazine and the Economist and these are:

1. T. Marwala. Letters: The Chinese Century. Time Magazine. February 2007, Vol. 169, No. 6, p. 10.

2. T. Marwala. Letters: A South African success story. Time Magazine, 22 September 2008, p.8.

3. T. Marwala. Letters: Democracy in South Africa. Time Magazine, 30 April 2009, p.8.

4. T. Marwala. Letters: First amongst equals. The Economist 16 May 2009, p. 20.