WATCH LIVE | How do we build trust?

Building trust within a community needs to start from the ground up. It’s something that develops over time and is often long in the making, yet it can be destroyed at the speed of light. Unfortunately, in SA, trust in the government (and in business) has been eroded in the face of the corruption and cronyism that has gone unchecked.

How do we build real, lasting trust again?

Trust is a cornerstone of leadership, and SA is in dire need of ethical leadership as we face economic hardship and social unrest. Two decades of failure by the ANC government to provide for the country’s citizens has left its people facing record unemployment, poorly maintained infrastructure, an education system that needs an overhaul to be more inclusive, and now a national health crisis where far too many people fail to trust the government’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign.

A recent Corruption Watch report states that “the highest number of allegations of corruption in local government — a record number of 857 — were received in 2020”.

The website also says: “Bribery is the most common form of corruption at a local level, followed by procurement and employment irregularities, abuse of power and embezzlement of funds. It is interesting to note that most corruption occurs within the office of the municipal manager, representing 34% of all reports received.”

The failures of leadership in government over years have plummeted SA into a precarious socioeconomic position, with foreign investment being scared from our shores.

The vacuum in leadership is felt most by those living in disadvantaged communities, where their interests are not adequately served or their voices heard. The vacuum also leaves room for thuggery, extortion and further exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Join the Business Day Dialogues in association with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Ecumenical Foundation of Southern Africa as business, religious, academic and civil society leaders tackle the underlying issues and discuss the ethical leadership that is required to restore hope for a shared future in SA, where no-one gets left behind.

Hear more from:

• The Rev Jerry Pillay, dean of the faculty of theology and religion, University of Pretoria;
• Jaap de Visser, director of the Dullah Omar Institute and professor of law at the University of the Western Cape's faculty of law; and
• Prof Thuli Madonsela, law faculty trust chair in social justice, Stellenbosch University.

The discussion will be moderated by Nompumelelo Runji, political analyst and CEO, Critical ThinkAR.

Date: Thursday, August 26

Time: 9am—10am

Click here to register>