Public figures like Sisulu have little regard for their brand value

Tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s controversial article casting a long shadow over SA’s judiciary and its globally venerated constitution has resulted in several intended and unintended consequences. But unsurprisingly, as a politician she is not alone in having made such reputational missteps. In a world where trust and transparency are in short supply, individuals holding office have lost sight of their duty, becoming fast and loose with the facts and spouting opinions as if they were truths. 

Another case in point is British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s denial of culpability around the various gatherings held at 10 Downing Street which flouted UK lockdown restrictions. A litany of source-based evidence suggests the British premier knew precisely what went on at the events his office organised. Yet his continued protestations and denials remain at odds with the facts that have emerged.      

In a similar vein, Sisulu, on occasion via her spokesperson and also directly, has continued to double down on her two controversial pieces and denies plagiarism accusations — despite the publication of both pieces of content side by side clearly indicating otherwise. Though her endgame strategy around this episode remains unclear, what is clear is that her strategy appears to be precisely the opposite of what best practice dictates.

This raises the question whether we as citizens have become so accustomed to broken promises and untruths that we no longer require or demand a higher standard from those who hold positions of power. In this age of misinformation it is not easy to distinguish between opinion, casting aspersions and the abuse or misappropriation of information used to push forward personal agendas.

Unfortunately, in SA’s case misguided utterances from public figures are seldom in the best interest of citizens. Sisulu’s attempt at a hatchet job on the constitution she has sworn for over two decades to uphold says more about her than it does about SA. Her attempts to shift focus from her own ineptitude by blaming a “greater issue” were ill-conceived and poorly executed.

In the wake of COP26 and the reaffirmation of the UN sustainable development goals 2030, the ability to deliver on these depends on authentic and effective leadership. Last year SA recorded the highest level of unemployment among countries tracked by Bloomberg, at 44.4%. Historically, tourism, the portfolio Sisulu is responsible for, represented 13% of SA’s GDP and a large chunk of all employment opportunities. With the urgent need to rebuild the sector so evident, it beggars belief that the tourism minister has instead chosen to undermine SA’s constitution, which is widely recognised as among the most progressive in the world.

What is actually required is a single-minded approach to attracting meaningful investment to the sector, improving skills levels to ensure we are competitive, and making SA attractive to visit, work and live in. Surely what our politicians should be doing is delivering on their elected promises? We need effective leadership that translates into prudent public policy formulation, successful implementation and reliable public service delivery. To get there, we need urgent and strong consequence-driven leadership.

In the Sisulu case, when factoring in the accusations of plagiarism, what has been most lamentable is how little regard public figures seem to have for their brand value or intellectual honesty. Protecting one’s name — or reputation — requires more than not doing wrong. For our society to thrive we require that individuals in leadership across the public and private sectors deliver on their commitments, consistently. Every misstep is another hole in the canvas of our nation’s reputation, which has already been mortally wounded by the vagaries and corruption of the past decade.

In the private sector, the same principle applies. Pragmatic management that regularly articulates the company vision, performance and strategic objectives is more likely to gain and maintain the trust and respect of stakeholders than those that don’t. If SA were a corporation, would there be sufficient belief in the company’s leadership and brand equity to continue attracting and retaining investment? 

As for Sisulu, her disagreeable approach seems misguided at best and delinquent in its attempts to incite turmoil at worst. For this, she must be held accountable, by the same judicial structure she has tried to undermine. After all, as citizens who continue to hold on to the belief in a prosperous, productive, unified SA, we must continue to advocate for effective leadership in a country that would be committed to serving the interests of all South Africans.

• Silke is associate director and Chatterton CEO and managing partner at Instinctif Partners Africa.