Great leadership requires great responsibility
28 February 2017
Honourable Speaker,
Being a leader is not an easy or simple task. It is not, and should never be, about a position or about the power or the remuneration that comes with such position. Being a leader should be about being aware of the responsibility such a position brings; a responsibility about being of service to others - the people who follow you. Great leaders understand this- they understand that the benefits of being a leader also bring with them great requirements such as greater responsibility and sacrifice. Being a leader in politics is even more difficult and complicated. Dwight D Eisenhower said “The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionable integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, football field, in an army, or in an office”.
Responsible leadership is about making decisions that take into consideration all the stakeholders who are impacted. Unlike in business, where the key stakeholders are the shareholders, thereafter other stakeholders such as workers, clients, suppliers, the environment, the community and future generations, in politics, the most important stakeholders should be our shareholders; the people who put their trust, their wellbeing and their future into our care. Thereafter it should be about other stakeholders such as the environment, the Party and numerous others.
Unfortunately, the world is full of political leaders who sadly do not live up to leadership ideals. Unfortunately, far too many political leaders seem to severely lack some of the most important leadership qualities, such as integrity and accountability. It is no coincidence that for many people, more so in South Africa, the word “politician” has a negative connotation. Sadly when one meets people for the first time and they find out that you are a politician, the first thing that goes through their minds is “gravy train”. Many actually say as much. It is not uncommon to hear the statement - oh so you too are on the gravy train. It has become a joke. It is sad that in our beloved Country, being a politician is to be associated with corruption and self-enrichment.
However, history and the present day shows us that there are still a few who come close to the leadership ideals and who are good examples of an effective political leader, however, there are too few such leaders.
As political leaders, through the authority of government, we have access to the distribution of power and resources, we build relationships and make decisions that have a great impact on the well-being of our nation and our people. Our goal as political leaders requires that we focus on the long-term good of our country, above and ahead of any personal short-term gains. Good political leadership requires a combination of charisma and integrity, as well as the ability to access a situation and make a decision based on what would be best for the greatest number of people. Most of all, leadership in a political framework requires “statesmanship”- as opposed to just being a “politician”- this means having the integrity and willingness to stand up for what is right, even if it means resigning from a position in government or losing an election. Thabo Mbeki was such a “Statesman”. He made the unpopular decision to fire his Deputy President and as a result, when recalled by his Party, he stepped down gracefully. He could have used the power of the State to remain in power but resisted the temptation. In so doing he retained his dignity and earned the respect of the Nation, including that of his detractors and indeed of the world.
Madame Speaker, being a leader, and more so a political leader, is very difficult. We often find ourselves in a situation where we can easily compromise our principles. As MP’s and MPL’s we do not contest an election in constituencies, we are elected into office via Party lists. This situation often puts us in a position where our loyalties and responsibilities can be compromised. We could believe that our allegiance to the Party takes priority over our accountability to the people we should serve, our nation and future generations. We could believe that in ALL circumstances we should put the Party first. That we must hold onto positions and remain in power at all costs. Thus in the process, we could lose our dignity and self-respect, and face the real possibility of losing the respect of the electorate and those we should be serving. For we should first and foremost always remember why we are here as politicians; we should be the servants of our people first and our respective Parties.
A leader needs to embrace a number of key qualities. True Leaders are not born as such but are shaped by their experiences gained from the University of Life and the University of Hard Knocks. A true political leader should have the qualities of humility, simplicity, self-awareness, passion, compassion, courage and integrity. A true political leader will listen to their team and be open to listening to the opposition even if they do not like what they hear. They consider all views and assess them. Then they need to weigh up the pros and cons of the choices they have to make. Thereafter they have to make firm decisions, without the waiver, and should not leave things undecided for long. They do not make excuses; if they have made a mistake they take ownership of it and don’t pass the blame to someone else. Cut their losses. Arnold H Glasow has this to say about leadership “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit”.
Another fundamental quality of a leader is that they should trust what their team presents to them, but they verify the information. They do not take such information as a given. Evaluate and verify.
Madame Speaker, I dwelled upon the characteristics and qualities of leadership as described not only in textbooks but also in terms of general expectations of leaders, for we are all leaders in this House. Hopefully, we are here to represent the interests of our people, to serve them with dignity and more so to ensure their wellbeing; to ensure that their plight is improved and that we secure for them a better future. We should always strive to put our people first.
We have heard what motivated Member Mabala to bring this motion before this House; we will furthermore hear what Member Bloom and other speakers will be contributing to this debate. These subsequent speakers will inform this House of the facts and evidence relevant to this debate. Member Bloom, in particular, will present to this House the facts as to the unfolding of events and circumstances that lead to the untimely death of at least 100 and counting, innocent mentally ill patients; the most hopeless, voiceless and vulnerable, who we in this House, as leaders, are tasked to serve and protect and we failed to do so.
The Honorable Premier in my humble opinion failed to exercise his duties and responsibilities as a leader. He did not listen to the opposition and others who brought the matter to his attention and warned him about the possible dire consequences that could result from moving these mentally ill patients. He trusted the information he received from his MEC, without verification, without considering all the evidence before him. He made the wrong decision. When what he was warned about became a reality, he relied upon a defence of denial.
The Premier claims that he was lied to and thus mislead. If he was misled, it is because he ignored the information received from the opposition and from other bodies and individuals. He cannot claim his innocence. It could be argued in his defence that he delegated authority to his cabinet, however, as the captain of his government, responsibility and accountability falls squarely upon his shoulders.
It is said that you can delegate authority, but you cannot delegate responsibility. Winston Churchill said, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” The Premier was called upon to suspend the former MEC, at least until a finding was made, a process that should be normal in such cases. He either refused or neglected, to make this unpopular decision. Therefore, he should have done what a true leader would do, and that is to take responsibility for his actions or inaction and resign, with dignity. I, therefore, call on this House to consider what I have said about the responsibilities and qualities of leadership, to take into serious consideration what other speakers will present, then ponder upon your decision, be led by your conscience and then vote to remove the Hon. Premier from his position.
Issued by John Moodey, DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, 28 February 2017
