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Each time state capture and corruption are exposed, it shows in a much broader light how incapable and inhumane African leadership and bureaucrats are to not only govern, but also take care of each other.
This malady manifests itself in a lack of patriotism, principles, confidence, enthusiasm, empathy, humility and humanity to take charge of disempowered citizens’ lives.
So is the story of the mass looting of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) which was formed to cater for the poorest masses.
The report by the Special Investigating Unit revealed that the former NLC board and executives had stolen more than R1.5 billion that was meant for the construction of old-age homes, schools, sports facilities and rehabilitation centres, and the delivery of basic projects within the poorest communities. Some of the money was allegedly used to purchase luxuries that included Rolls-Royce cars.
EXTREME EMBARRASSMENT
It is an extreme embarrassment that Africans within an institution that is supposed to uplift the lives of the poor saw this as an opportunity for self-enrichment.
Their stewardship of the NLC’s worthy cause was expected to place a priority of ubuntu, fairness, openness, sympathy, humanity, humility, responsibility, courage, faith and concern for all citizens.
This raises a question that all leaders should be asking themselves: What is the meaning of leadership, especially in a developing economy such as ours?
The question is important because it requires that we examine contradictions between our declarations, responsibilities and actions. It is African leaders’ duty to bring food where there is starvation, light where there is darkness, hope where there is despair and civilisation where there is savagery. Why do Africans seem to be failing to provide the expected stewardship?
In October 2003, Eskom responded to African leadership challenges by launching the Eskom African Leaders Forum, whose goal was to fix Africa’s deadliest disease – its leadership.
WHAT IS AFRICA’S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY?
Its main focus was to provide answers to these questions: What is Africa’s leadership philosophy? And how and where do Africans acquire sophistication in the leadership skills required to guide the continent towards breaking the cycle of misery and negativity, and achieving sustainable development?
The forum was aimed at diagnosing Africa’s leadership development challenges in order to build an ideal African leadership that was based on African humanism and communal relations, and driven by the principles of probity, humility, compassion and solidarity around group goals.
Former Eskom chair Reuel Khoza, who had never concealed his belief that Eurocentric leadership needed to be replaced with authentic African leadership principles, was there to contribute.
Khoza said:
He also believed that leaders should be people’s servants, and cited Nelson Mandela as the servant-leader par excellence.
Central to the forum was research led by Eric Mafuna and titled African communities are in crisis and the leadership of many institutions run by Africans is in turmoil.
The study covered the problems of African leadership and compared it with other leadership models elsewhere in the world and found that Africans lacked confidence in their own cultural traditions, expertise and experience.
It recommended the introduction of a programme that would teach leaders about the communal value of traditional African leadership principles and practices.
It is my conviction that, had the recommendation been executed with passion and precision, the high level of unethical leadership that South Africa is experiencing could have been avoided.
AFRICAN LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT SERVICE
African leadership, from ancient times, was always about caring for and being of service to others. It was always driven by patriotism, humanism, humility, responsibility, collectivism, serving selflessly and communalism.
For example: when African forefathers choose transparency over corruption and secrecy, it was because, as the Bapedi say: “Le ge o ka buela lengopeng, magokoba a a go bona,” which translates as “Even if you slaughter a cow in a ditch, the vultures will see you.”
When Africans engage with each other through izimbizo (mass meetings) to reach out to the masses and consensus, it is because, as the Venda people say: “Nyama yo dzovotenwa mbita,” which means: “If you force meat into a pot, you will break the pot.”
Again, Africans strongly believe in cooperation and partnerships, hence there is a Zulu proverb which says: “Indlovu ihlatshwa umuntu wonke anduba iwe,” which means: “People have to work together in order to kill an elephant or complete a huge task.”
If these African proverbs could be the essence of the country’s governance philosophies, South Africa could avoid having self-serving and greedy leadership and bureaucrats. We need to constantly think and talk about these concepts.
There is a greater urgency and fresh impetus for this country to nurture ethical and conscious leadership that has strong conviction to withstand the threats of state looting, corruption, human rights abuses, wanton disregard for good governance and the temptation for personal aggrandisement and self-enrichment.
