MINISTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS & POSTAL SERVICES

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

“A Perspective on Leadership” 

By

 The Honourable Deputy Minister Of Telecommunications And Postal Services, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, MP, 

During the 2014 Fast Forward Leadership Conference

Date : 25 July 2014

Venue : Gracepoint Church, Glenferness

Time : 14h00

Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Bishop Zipho Siwa,

Dr Draeme Codrington,

Rev Jacqui Rivas, Minister at Gracepoint Church,

Rev Gary Rivas, Minister at Gracepoint Church,

Pastor Mark Van Straden, Senior Pastor of Grace Family Church,

Rev Peter Witbooi, Bishop of the Central District of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa

Friends and Leaders, I greet you all in the wonderful name of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Under the leadership of Tata Nelson Mandela, South Africa gave hope to all South Africans when Parliament adopted the Constitution which spelled out the Vision for the future through the Constitution.  Its  preamble reads thus:

We, the people of South Africa,

Recognise the injustices of our past;

Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;

Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and

Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.

We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to

• Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;

• Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;

• Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and

• Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

May God protect our people.

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.

God seën Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.

Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Afrika.””

I saw it fitting to put at the onset, the preamble to our Constitution. The values enshrined in the preamble talk to the vision our leaders should aspire for. They also contain the principles which today’s leadership should defend and uphold.

The challenges we face today do not require the old ways of doing things. They call for a paradigm shift from our traditional ways of thinking, like viewing the “State versus the Church” as though the two institutions are opposed to each other. For people to enjoy the promise of Freedom and human dignity leaders should stand firm in defence of the future.

A quick survey of ongoing deadly conflicts world-wide clearly shows that the percentage of leaders is small; the majority of decision makers are power mongers. The recent killings in countries like Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Egypt, Lybia, Ukraine, Kenya and many parts of the world point to weaknesses in our leadership systems.

For the church to take its rightful place and grow in society, it has to strengthen its systems of care and compassion. It has to be responsive to the needs of the people. If for instance the youth is exposed to drugs and extreme poverty, we cannot think of any good news for that generation except to avail to them education on long term consequences of drug use and career opportunities. 

People are united world-wide, that the first President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Nelson Mandela was the most courageous, respected,  respectful and trusted leader, the world has had in this century. It is fitting and appropriate to reflect on his leadership qualities especially because July has been declared as a Mandela month. With regard to attributes that enabled him to occupy the upper house, we can all testify about him as a selfless, courageous, committed, humble, disciplined, hard working shepherd of the people. As a visionary leader, he was innovative and imaginative. His leadership, qualities, values, strategies and tactics emerged out of life turbulences and other tipping points.

Mandela was born at the time when South Africa was completely different from what it is today. A person’s personality is not shaped by any one experience. He had a loving mother, a devout Christian and a prayer woman. He was sent to a Methodist School, which gave him value based education. He grew up within chiefdom, again, that location, had impact on his sense of self and identity. He went on to obtain a legal degree.

Even the education he received was designed in such a way that it gave him more than intellectual skills, but also prepared him for the principled role in society. He emerged above his peers because of his ability to articulate the struggles of the times and made huge personal sacrifices for the good of his beloved country.

In the process, he was humiliated, harassed by the police, arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated at the Robben Island for 27 years. The ideals he stood for passed the test of time because he was highly principled for a common good. He used the historically significance Rivonia Trial as a moment of truth. He told the prosecution team that they are the ones who were supposed to be in the dock and that he was prepared to die for his beliefs. Madiba’s ideals were embedded and talk to the interdependence of three important institutions, namely, the Community, the Church and the Commercial. He fought for a just, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist society.

The Church has long been an instrument for action, liberation, social change, and development. Some of you might be aware of the landmark Kairos document which   became a strong voice against Apartheid from mobilized and organized church leaders. This document was published on the 25th of September 1985. It took the church leadership to stand up and say enough is enough in protest against the Apartheid State Orchestrated violence in the townships. The church leaders who initiated the drafting of the Kairos document which was an embodiment of all concerned Christians did not turn a blind eye.

Another recent illustration of what strategic leadership can achieve, emerged in 2006, when 189 member states of the United Nations adopted eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). At their core is the intention to alter the reality of global poverty fundamentally. 

They set out to:

1.Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2.Achieve universal primary education

3.Promote gender equality and empower women

4.Reduce child mortality

5.Improve maternal health

6.Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

7.Ensure environmental sustainability

8.Establish a global partnership for development

Again, the church made a rapid response to a call by the United Nations, for governments to achieve minimum development goals. In June 14-15, 2010, during the United Nations General Assembly Hearing with Civil Society on the Millenium Development Goals, the World Council of Churches (WCC) released a statement entitled “Tackling the Roots of Poverty.” 

The WCC statement begins by asserting that, “For Christian churches and the worldwide ecumenical movement, eradicating poverty is nothing less than a moral and ethical imperative.” 

The WCC statement goes on to state that the prevailing logic that unfettered economic growth is necessary for progress is false and unsustainable. Instead, they argue that, governments and international institutions should urgently develop economic frameworks and adopt policies “pro-poor, redistributive growth, universal provisioning of common social goods, sustainable production, investments in small-holder agriculture and ecological protection.”  The commitment of the World Council of Churches in supporting developing countries to achieve the MDGs shows that the church is embedded in a secular society.

As of today, progress on MDGs is mixed. The wealthy nations have failed to meet their pledges of funding developmental programmes in developing countries. In Africa, benefits have not accrued sufficiently to the poor. 

The global economic crisis and climate change threaten progress and achieved gains. With just a year, before countries’ report on achievements against the set targets of the MDGs, there is much more to be done. 

Next year, official reports on MDG outcomes would be tabled. There is an urgent need for all leaders to re-visit the practices that sustain inequity and tensions in society. Leaders are required to champion actions which will take countries forward, through the creation of inclusive societies.  

To round off my humble contribution which would hopefully revive stewardship of contextual Christianity, I would like to reiterate the following pillars of leadership:

•A good leader is a shepherd that has an impeccable character and is selfless.

•We should all acknowledge the interdependence between the church, the community and the commercial when it comes to questions of leadership. The family which is responsible for primary essentials in bringing up future leaders is to a large extent influenced by its economic status. So questions of wage gap, poor quality education, unemployment and inequality are not only about socio-economic rights but are also leadership related.

•We have to pay attention to the cultural milieu whether it is conducive to the production of future leaders. Mr Mandela taught us to differentiate between power and leadership. After decades of struggling against colonialism and the Apartheid system, he became the first President of the democratic South Africa. He used his high political office to champion reconciliation and healing the divisions of the past, promoted adherence to the culture of human rights and showed the highest honour and respect for the rule of law. Through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he planted a seed for social cohesion and friendship. He became the advocate for pro-poor policies.

In conclusion, I would like to say the church leadership of the 1980s analysed the social situation based on their membership’s everyday experiences and produced the 1985 Kairos document.

This document was said to be an open document, meaning it can be developed and adjusted as the need arises. The methodology used is still relevant today, producing a voice of the people about the direction the country should take through popular participation is critical.

The National Development Plan Vision 2030 which has been produced by Government is another opportunity for the church leadership to take its rightful place by guiding the nation on strategies which will create a better tomorrow for all. Organised business, the unions, political parties have commented on it and the church leadership cannot afford to be silent. It has to forge ahead and give strategic leadership. 

That leadership role will give hope not only to South Africans but to the continent which to a large extent, expect South Africa to use its infrastructure for strengthening new development partnerships for equal beneficiation.

I wish you God’s blessings and wisdom as you deliberate on leadership for the future. Unfortunately I cannot stay longer as I have to go back to Parliament, we also have our Conference which started today and ends on Sunday.