In politics, as in development, it is not always true that whoever pays the piper chooses the tune. In case some of our Thought Leader bloggers have not noticed, there is fresh impetus in South Africa right now towards a new leadership culture of accountability and visible service to people in need. Ministers spending nights in informal settlements helps them understand their challenges and should build on real connections made with people beyond the common impact of the imbizo. I think this is to be encouraged. It is not some kind of twisted poverty tourism of a new kind. No, methinks it’s a sign of government leaders trying to be responsive … at least to try and make a connection and “touch the problem”.
Am I being naive or gullible? Cynics among us would certainly think so. What good can come from politicians anyway, right? Wrong? Remember that their political lives and integrity depends on it. The voter is getting smarter with each election …
Have you noticed lately that our national, provincial and local government leaders are constantly challenged to show what they are doing with their annual allocations of our money as apportioned in the (national) budget? I have a strong feeling that some of the local government and provincial leaders who do not deliver this time round will get the boot. I hope those who do not deliver get the message and shape up fast. Let us see examples of actual accountability and holding each other accountable.
It is not only those who voted the leaders into power who must hold them accountable. All of us must watch them closely and play our part. Their peers across other government spheres and structures must do the same and be more diligent in this than Joe Public. Constituents often keep those they elect into office in power for more reasons other than actual delivery and should not always be trusted to elect the best there is. Granted, we are still a young democracy, and must still learn some harsh lessons. If South Africa were a person, she would be a teenager, hormones and all. Need I say more.
So, should the one who pays the piper pick the tune? The real piper’s tune for me is easily the smell of rubber from burning tyres on blocked roads, angry community members fed up with poor service delivery and mounds of rubbish scattered all over the streets during strikes. Timely, effective and impactful responsiveness is the defining element for astute leaders that find themselves faced with such scenarios. There is no room for backing off or for apportioning blame. Here, the specific electorate has very little say regarding how the leader prioritises. It’s a different tune altogether.
There is a palpable push for visible, tangible delivery and anyone who does not wake up to this will miss the train and this one does not seem to have that much gravy on it. Dreaming is good, so let me. It seems as if we are approaching a level of maturity in our democracy where the noises being made by the person on the street are being listened to finally.
I have seen the fresh waves of demand for leadership accountability and it is refreshing. This is the kind of accountability that promises to flush out pretenders and impostors especially at local government level. It should leave in charge leaders who regard their roles not as mere jobs to earn some money, lots of money in fact, but feel the urgent need to serve and relieve the poor of their burden of no-service and limited access to resources and opportunities to change their lives for the better. It is like a calling to be of service to others.
Watch the space for new delivery-driven programmes. From what has been reported in some of the media recently, there seems to be some serious delivery business on the horizon. Trevor Manuel’s planning commission and the new monitoring and evaluation portfolio should be working overtime soon. But then there is this stuff about the pudding and tasting …
I am all for leadership that delivers on its promises, especially if the promises include serious life-improving services for most among us regardless of socio-economic standing. That to me is credible leadership inspired by ubuntu values. That word again. Let’s use another one … The buzz-word is accountability people. Remember that … accountability. So, if the tune among our political leaders is changing, what do you think the dance will look like?
Dumisani, hate to burst your bubble but spending a night in a shack, or popping in to a local mayor’s office does not add up to Accountability.
Why no investigations into the R58 million allegedly wasted by Nomvula Mkonyane on houses that never happened? Why the cover-up of Sheryl Cwele’s alleged drug peddling? And Peggy Nkonyane’s alleged kickbacks for overpriced medical equipment? Shabir Shaik? Why is the messenger targeted for exposing the sale of arms to Zimbabwe and Korea? Why is Fivaz refusing to investigate the megamillion motorsport scandal? Robben Island corruption is being swept under the carpet. As is the appalling SABC saga of theft and mismanagement – Mpofu’s silence has been bought. Today we learn that Mike Maile’s wife scored a contract to tar roads – she who has never tarred a road in her life. So the show goes on.
The minister ACCOUNTABLE for ruining public health is rewarded with another ministerial post, as have many other ANC cadres with filthy records of graft and corruption.
The Arms Deal. Travelgate. Oilgate. Tendergate … don’t hold your breath that Zuma is going to transparently account to us for any of this. Best not to set yourself up for disappointment.
DUMI, I don’t see why Tokyo’s populist antics should commended. Tokyo didn’t grow up with a silverspoon in his mouth. Does he want to tell us he doesn’t know how the poor live? I’ll sure forgive him if he was to admit that he may have forgotten the experience; afterall he lives in the plush and leafy suburbs of Sandhurst. I don’t see this as a demonstration of a government that is responsive; rather an election campaign for the ANC presidency kicking off rather early. To deny that he has presidential ambitions would be foolhardy; and what a perfect portfolio – Human Settlements – to connect him with the people that matter the most – the poor voters. Populism has been his forte and he appears unapologetic and arrogant about it; and he’s entitled to be arrogant, he’s a billinaire after all (not sure since recession though). The poor want services to be delivered not politicians who come to invade their space flanked by an entourage of bodyguards and media people. If he wants to impress us, he must start spending that R15bn he’s been allocated and stop playing a shack tourist.
Agree 100% as long as we differentiate between the talkers/spinners and the doers; the latter govern and the former play sly politics.
Brent
I agree with Dumisani. There’s no point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I still don’t like the fact that Zuma did not have his day in court, and I still feel it represtented a travesty of justice – but I do like the notion of accountability. These are positive signs and to be applauded – and emulated – by all of us…
Let’s at least praise them for the good things they do ! It’s certainly better than them hiding away in their Mercedes and wafting past the rest of us poor plebs…
Dumi,I am sorry but you sound like alice in wonderland.If you think that ‘a billionaire minister spending one night in a shack and then returning to his plush life the very next day’ is a symbol of a new era of leadership then i think there is something seriously wrong here. Have we become so accustomed to poverty, poor service delivery, corruption and feeble leadership that we would applaud a blatant ‘political stunt’ of this nature? Take a close look at Zuma’s first few days in office, his ministers were spending recklessly on expensive cars, accomodation and so forth while the poorest of the poor are enduring the agonizing grind of the recession. I am all for Decisive Leaders that move to bring about visible changes within the lives of the masses, Let me share the South Africa I live in with you, 15 years into our Democracy and we continue to see three or four children sharing a desk in a classroom that is forced to accomodate about 55 to 60 children, is this not ‘BANTU EDUCATION’?. Until these kinds of felonies against humanity are wiped out, I dont think we can associate this government with words of honor!!!
Dumi, though I don’t have all the background details of the story about some politicians ‘tasting’ a slice of poverty in a slum area (or whatever we decide to call it), I still have doubts about the significance of the act.
I doubt that such a ‘quasi-incarnation’ sacrifice would bring about any changes to poor people’s lives. The ministers concerned might have spent that ‘uncomfortable’ night in shacks, perhaps already dreaming about the comforts of their cozy homes, but I doubt if that did, in any way, atone for the sins of all their unashamedly corrupt and heartless officials across the country who deprive the widow and despise the orphan. My only source of happiness about our leaders would be their willingness to repent from their selfishness (at least most of them)and greed for power at the expense of righteousness and generosity. I think what they have just achieved now by sleeping in a shack is the same old liberal gesture of ‘identifying’ with the poor without necessarily bearing the pain of poverty’s effects. By sleeping there just once or twice would they then be likened to Good Samaritans? Have they really poured oil and wine on the wounds of the poor? Mind you, those are very deep and old wounds – centuries old, actually! How do we reconcile this act of ‘identification’ with their leniency on both white collar and violent crime? Let them be hard on criminals! Then we’ll be convinced about their ‘identification’.
Great comments, and you guys make a lot of sense too, especially on the differences between rich political leaders and the poor, and the value of spending a night or two in shacks ‘experiencing’ the feel, smell and roughness of poverty surroundings.
Puleng, you’re spot on, 15 years into democratic government and we have massive poverty and an ever growing gap between the rich and the poor. My question to you, and others bashing Tokyo and other politicians who seem committed to making a positive connection and possible then a difference in the lives of the poor is this: who elected these politicians into office, who keeps them there, and what are the expectations? Where should they start? Who do they account to?
I believe that any signs of positive behaviours from our leaders should be applauded and built on… If it is a fake show meant for publicity, it will soon be exposed as such.
Dumi,thanks for yr response&relevant questions asked.I certainly do not believe in turning a blind eye when a good deed has transpired,at the same time I refuse to applaud blatant propaganda.Who elected these Politicians into Office?Blind loyalists,most of whom sadly remain illiterate,they believe that the ANC is their saviour and the only organization that has their best interests at heart,very sad.What do these voters expect?As you have correctly mentioned, ‘the gap between the rich&poor continues to widen’ and again sadly the people that make up the majority of the voters are the poor, they vote because this is their only tool of hope, casting their vote could transport them to ‘a better life for all’ so cleverly coined by the ANC,a catch phrase that seems to only manifest in the lives of the few within their circles.I think South Africa is in dire need of a fresh breed of leadership that will focus on the basics to empower the majority.In order to secure a prosperous future for a country,the govt of the day has to invest in its Youth and a decent Education happens to be the backbone of any progressive society,this is one of the simplest rules of a modern society.I am tired of seeing ‘free houses etc’being used to get the vote,our people need real empowerment&Theres No Emancipation without intellectual&Financial Freedom in this era so lets get Real..
Dumi-
Let me just point out the service sucks in SA- the politicking of the politicians as far as that goes is all to gain favour with the voters.
The “cadres” of the ruling party run the delivery driven programs and services, with Malema and such likes at the helm.
In a country where the ideology of marxism is masked only by a thin veneer of improvised mass propaganda I am amazed you so naively or conviniently forget just how close we are to becoming a communist state.
“Servant and Collective Leadership is required to create Responsive Governance and improve Empowered Communities.” Let me expand. We dont need messiahs with quick hits and gimmicks.We need leaders that are servants,Humbled to listen and invite partnership,working with and moblisilising collective and innovative efforts and anergies to deal with sustaninable development. Our public leaders must motivate,inspire,led,direct,guide the governace including civil servant to use its policies,programmes, resources,systems,structures to be more caring and responsive to the needs and views of communities.Communities must be empowered to know,understand,input,own their development as active participant and not passive recipents.
I am hopeful that we will go back to remembering our collective leadership culture of selfless service,accountablity,right to be recall and most importanly being rooted and connected to our people. The people shall and must govern. Matla Ke Rona