Dr Shaka Sisulu Explores the Hidden Forces Shaping Africa’s Future

Africa’s future is often discussed through the lens of politics alone, but Dr Shaka Sisulu’s newly completed PhD suggests something equally important is happening behind the scenes… business leaders helping... The post Dr Shaka Sisulu Explores the Hidden Forces Shaping Africa’s Future appeared first on Good Things Guy.

May 21, 2026 - 08:14

Dr Shaka Sisulu Explores the Hidden Forces Shaping Africa’s Future

Africa’s future is often discussed through the lens of politics alone, but Dr Shaka Sisulu’s newly completed PhD suggests something equally important is happening behind the scenes… business leaders helping shape stronger institutions and more stable societies.

Johannesburg, South Africa (21 May 2026) – While headlines often focus on political instability, corruption or systems falling apart, Sisulu’s latest work turns the spotlight towards something far more constructive: the people helping hold countries together behind the scenes.

And after years of research, conversations and analysis across four African nations, his findings paint a surprisingly hopeful picture about the future of governance and development on the continent.

Dr Shaka Sisulu recently received his Doctor of Philosophy in International Business from the Gordon Institute of Business Science, the business school of the University of Pretoria. His thesis, titled “The Rules of the Game: Business Elite Behaviour in Limited Access Orders“, explores how influential business leaders operate within political systems across Africa and how their behaviour can directly shape national institutions.

But this was never simply an academic project designed to sit on a shelf gathering dust.

Dr Sisulu’s research examined whether local business elites merely protect their own interests or whether they actively contribute towards building stronger, more functional societies. The answer, according to the findings, is far more nuanced and far more encouraging than many might expect.

Building on the foundational work of Nobel Prize-winning economist Douglass North and his colleagues John Wallis and Barry Weingast, Sisulu’s research found that when local business leaders coordinate effectively around shared interests, countries often experience stronger institutions, greater stability and, where conditions allow, healthier democratic systems.

To properly test the theory, Sisulu selected four countries with vastly different political and economic realities: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa. Together, they represent very different versions of how power operates across Africa, ranging from fragile and authoritarian environments to more open and competitive democracies. He then sat down with forty-nine senior business leaders across those countries for honest conversations about leadership, influence, commerce and governance. A clear pattern emerged repeatedly across all four nations: where local business communities were able to cooperate around common national interests, institutions tended to function better and societies became more stable.

“Local business coordination is not just good for commerce. This research shows it is one of the building blocks of national development… and, where the conditions exist, of democracy itself.”

That message feels particularly important right now, especially in South Africa, where frustration around leadership failures can often leave people feeling powerless about the future. Dr Sisulu’s work suggests that building better countries is not solely the responsibility of politicians or governments. The private sector, ethical leadership and collaborative business communities also have an enormous role to play.

And importantly, the research is not ending with the PhD.

From the 28th to the 30th of July 2026, Dr Sisulu and Professor Albert Wocke will co-lecture a new MBA elective at GIBS titled “The Inner Circle: Politics, Elites and Business in Africa“. The course aims to give MBA students practical insight into how African power structures and markets actually function, helping prepare future leaders to navigate the continent with greater understanding and responsibility. The pair are also collaborating on a series of articles that will bring the research findings to a wider audience, ensuring the conversations move beyond academia and into the hands of executives and policymakers actively shaping Africa’s future.

Dr Sisulu’s own story adds even more depth to the achievement. As the grandson of anti-apartheid icons Walter Sisulu and Albertina Sisulu, leadership and social change have long formed part of his world. Over the years, he has built a career spanning activism, broadcasting and business, with interests across mining, infrastructure, hospitality and media. He also chairs Retroviral, one of South Africa’s most awarded independent advertising agencies, and serves as a faculty member for the Wharton School’s Global Modular Course in South Africa.