The fall of the Wall, the rise of the BRICs and the new Scramble for Africa.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to construct a possible future scenario for South Africa in Africa using the backcast approach. Design/methodology/approach - The methodology followed is to present a brief political and economic history of African colonization and de-colonization, globalisation and the rise of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICs). Strengths and weaknesses are discussed and used to sketch a desired future scenario from which the backcast is constructed. Findings - It is suggested that the optimal future is one involving SADC-MERCOSUR alliance with South Africa and Brazil as the respective leaders Research limitations/implications - A study of this kind is necessarily speculative. Practical implications - The paper alerts policy makers to the threats and opportunities inherent in south-south dialogue. Social implications - The prospect of collaboration holds promise of social upliftment in the region. Originality/value - The arguments are original to the author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]