IN MODERN democracies most people accept that there must be leadership. However, in this era, meanings of leadership and the quality of leaders is an issue with which most societies grapple.
Leadership is a relational concept, meaning that unlike during the time of slavery or feudalism, leaders do not have “permanent followers”. Leaders are not unchangeable. They occupy the position through a relationship with those whom they are assigned to represent and leaders can be removed. Followers can become leaders.
He defies constitutional obligations to respond to findings that he was enriched in the Public Protector’s report on improvements to his private estate.
He has chosen to have recourse to separate investigations, which cannot constitutionally be treated as an alternative to abiding by her findings.
The example at the top is connived in by the leadership as a whole.
Through their consent, the constitutional state, which is the guarantee of our freedom, is being undermined by patronage, corruption, violence and various other attacks on democratic life.
When the time comes for the replacement of Zuma, we cannot breathe a sigh of relief unless we have identified the frameworks and relationships that have made pillage of the state possible from top to bottom.
We cannot rely on simply using the words “ethical governance” or zero tolerance of wrongdoing.
We need to recognise that legality has been attacked and needs to be restored.
The current parliament, including opposition parties, has not demonstrated the willpower to restore constitutional government.
Citizens themselves need to unite to reclaim their hard-won democratic rights, which are now being squandered.
Professor Raymond Suttner is attached to Rhodes University and UNISA. He is an analyst on current political questions and leadership issues. He is a former political prisoner and was in the leadership of the ANC-led alliance in the 1990s. He blogs at raymondsuttner.com and his twitter handle is @raymondsuttner. This article originally appeared on Creamer Media’s website: polity.org.za
Madiba, unlike JZ, lived out Constitution’s values
Leadership is a relational concept, meaning that unlike during the time of slavery or feudalism, leaders do not have “permanent followers”. Leaders are not unchangeable. They occupy the position through a relationship with those whom they are assigned to represent and leaders can be removed. Followers can become leaders.
He defies constitutional obligations to respond to findings that he was enriched in the Public Protector’s report on improvements to his private estate.
He has chosen to have recourse to separate investigations, which cannot constitutionally be treated as an alternative to abiding by her findings.
The example at the top is connived in by the leadership as a whole.
Through their consent, the constitutional state, which is the guarantee of our freedom, is being undermined by patronage, corruption, violence and various other attacks on democratic life.
When the time comes for the replacement of Zuma, we cannot breathe a sigh of relief unless we have identified the frameworks and relationships that have made pillage of the state possible from top to bottom.
We cannot rely on simply using the words “ethical governance” or zero tolerance of wrongdoing.
We need to recognise that legality has been attacked and needs to be restored.
The current parliament, including opposition parties, has not demonstrated the willpower to restore constitutional government.
Citizens themselves need to unite to reclaim their hard-won democratic rights, which are now being squandered.
Professor Raymond Suttner is attached to Rhodes University and UNISA. He is an analyst on current political questions and leadership issues. He is a former political prisoner and was in the leadership of the ANC-led alliance in the 1990s. He blogs at raymondsuttner.com and his twitter handle is @raymondsuttner. This article originally appeared on Creamer Media’s website: polity.org.za
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