MTETO NYATI: The forgotten goal of leadership

What is wrong with our leaders of today? Has the bar been set so low? Across the board — in politics, business, labour unions, the church and broader society — we see self-serving leaders who have no regard for the people they lead.

The pursuit of power is their over-arching goal. It occupies their every waking moment. How interesting it is to see the transformation that takes place when they come to power! They change overnight. They forget their lofty promises. Behaviours that used to disgust them they now embrace with ease.

Our leaders yearn for control. Power goes to their heads. They see their positions as giving them the authority to instruct others to obey without questioning. They thrive on directing others even in areas where they themselves lack knowledge and expertise. They make policy and strategic decisions without the much-needed research that leads to insightful action.

They sideline the technocrats, removing them from important decisions. They come to believe that they own people. It is all about their own egos and what they can gain for themselves. They exploit others to suit their own self-serving ends.

In a country with the highest inequality in the world, it’s all about personal wealth accumulation for our leaders. Most organisations have checks and balances to try to control this. But our leaders make it their mission to break down these controls and render them ineffective, so that they can line their own pockets.

Their influence is everywhere. They deploy their puppets in procurement. They fill tender committees with their cronies. They fill their boards with lackeys who will sanction large-scale looting. This is all done in the name of radical economic transformation.

In their quest for more there are CEOs of large corporations that contrive to build pyramid schemes even under the watchful eyes of competent boards. Like corporate David Copperfields, these magicians weave their webs of deceit, creating believable illusions to cover up their trickery.

Their conspicuous consumption has elevated such leaders to celebrity status and our youth, observing their status symbols, see them as role models. Hard work is the last thing on their young minds. When young people in the West and leading emerging countries are occupied with technological innovation and conceptual breakthroughs, our youth dream of the easy life, like our leaders.

Many of us were shocked by some of the revelations that came out of the Zondo state capture inquiry. But we shouldn’t have been. In my mind that is just the tip of the iceberg. Stealing has become a national pastime. It is a cancer that is slowly killing this beautiful country of ours.

Leadership matters. When it is present, possibilities are endless. When it is absent, chaos prevails. What our leaders have forgotten is that service is the only real goal of leadership. In our country, leaders who prioritise service have become an endangered species. Who really cares about our citizens? Who really cares about customers?

In churches, religious leaders are serving their bank accounts, instead of their congregations. In public hospitals, patients are dying like flies. Who cares about the Hippocratic Oath?  Still, there are a few exemplary leaders who remind us every day of the power of service. It is important that we recognise them and learn from them. We should hold them up as examples for our youth to follow, rather than the greedy power-mongers who show off their wealth. 

One of these is Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers. Through his organisation he serves people of all races, religions, colours, classes and political affiliations. His goal is to serve and he does it unconditionally. Where self-serving leaders leave devastation, his organisation builds up communities and saves lives.

Another is Andre De Ruyter, group CEO of Eskom. It may seem surprising that I mention him given the fact that load-shedding is ravaging our country. But how many leaders would take on such a stressful and thankless job? He has taken on the worst job in SA because he wants to serve his country. His life and family are being threatened daily by thieves in suits. Yet he remains calm, doing what needs to be done, telling us the truth about what is going on. I believe that those who can’t tell the truth, can’t lead.

A third is our acting public protector, Kholeka Gcaleka. She took over from a public protector who had gone rogue: who in a very short time had paralysed an institution that had been highly regarded for serving the public. How easy it is to destroy things.

Thanks to Gcaleka, the office of the Public Protector is once again focusing on serving and protecting us. Recently, she had to call out her boss for “inaccurate and untrue” statements. Yes, those who can’t tell the truth, can’t lead.

Another person worth mentioning is Queen Elizabeth II. Her death in September brought the service of someone born into privilege to our collective consciousness. She served her country with distinction. As a princess she delivered a speech in Cape Town where she declared that her whole life, whether it be long or short, would be devoted to service of her country. Her life was long, but she kept her commitment. How many of our leaders can remember what they promised us yesterday?

These leaders know that service is the goal of leadership. In my book, they are a gift to everyone who enters their lives and to everyone into whose lives they enter. They know that the happiest people are those who do most for others.

As citizens, employees and worshippers, we must require this kind of service from all our leaders. It is time for us to take a stand, to demand more from all of our leaders. It is our duty to hold them accountable. If it is to be, it is up to us. Servant leadership matters.

Nyati, a former Altron CEO, chairs Wazo Investments and is a member of the MBA Advisory Committee at Wits Business School. This article is an adaptation of a speech he gave at the school’s “100 Minutes of Business Talk” in celebration of the centenary of Wits University in September.