What happened to ubuntu when civil servants fail to deliver on the basics?

Thousands of workers will take time off on Thursday to celebrate Heritage Day.  They will join millions of  South Africans from all walks of life  to celebrate their culture, as well as  the diversity of their beliefs and traditions.

 As a country we have a rich heritage. One of our celebrated philosophies is ubuntu, which speaks to selflessness, compassion and humanity. It is our hope that today as citizens we will reflect on this philosophy  as we celebrate Heritage Day.

This week we reported on two stories that may leave many wondering what has happened to our spirit of ubuntu.

The Eastern Cape has been in the throes of a severe drought for some time. Day Zero is a living reality for many communities who have to share their drinking water with their animals from polluted rivers.

Earlier in the year the Dispatch exposé “The Stinking Truth” highlighted how raw sewage flowed into rivers that were a source of domestic water for many Eastern Cape residents.

Against this background we learn with horror that most municipalities in the province  have not spent more than 1% of their budgets on water infrastructure maintenance.

What goes on in the minds of those charged with  this  task when the resources are available? Are they not being used or are they being abused?  Have these municipal officials lost everything that humanity stands for? Have they no care about the health implications  for those who have no access to clean water?

The state has promised there will be consequences. We are not convinced. We have heard similar statements before  and nothing has happened. What would prompt them to act this time around?

Equally shocking is a court case involving the social development department and a number of organisations caring for the elderly. The department terminated funding for the organisations during lockdown, arguing that the elderly were not attending daycare centres because of social distancing rules.

As Judge Judith Roberson pondered, we wonder, too, what was left in place to carry out the constitutional obligations of the department once it had pulled the organisations’ subsidies. Already vulnerable elderly people were left in the  lurch at their most vulnerable time.

Civil servants have been taught the Batho Pele principle, which is about improving service delivery. Who are they serving if the most vulnerable among us are left so exposed to the vagaries of life? 

It is our hope that such civil servants would do a through soul-search today as they celebrate Heritage Day. May the day resuscitate the compassionate spirit of ubuntu in them.

Otherwise they should leave the posts and let those willing to serve take over.