Rational Perspective

In his brilliant book, The End of Power, author Moises Naim wrote that the likes of innovative startups, loosely organised activists, upstart citizen media and charismatic individuals who come from nowhere are shaking up the old order. “These are the micropowers,” he wrote, “small, unknown or once negligible actors that have found ways to undermine, fence-in or thwart the megaplayers……” Naim’s treatise is hugely respected. In 2015, The End Of Power was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s inaugural pick in his “Year of Books challenge” where he challenged his community to join him in reading one book every two weeks for an entire year. It was also listed as a Financial Times Book of the Year in 2013. The powerful messages embedded in the book are being felt around the world, including in South Africa where mobile phone giant continues to battle against a now 42 year old former employee over his idea that the company applied 18 years ago. Kenneth Nkosana Makate fits the bill of the unknown activist who perf