Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has lamented the deviation from what was envisioned in the Constitution for South African society and has called for a debate on the quality of leadership in the country.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection in Midrand‚ which discussed ethics in today’s society‚ Manuel said South Africa had a lot of questions to answer since the adoption of the Constitution about 20 years ago.
“One does not need to spend too much time talking about how far the society we live in has deviated from the one that drove us into struggle‚” he said.
Manuel said the Constitution was a vision and also a commitment to raising living standards and feeding the potential of every person in the country.
“It is an ongoing commitment that needs measurement but also action. We need to consider the nature of the state...[Whether] we like it or lump it‚ we must talk about leadership in society. Things don’t just happen. The quality of leadership and interaction between the leaders and the led‚ and the institutions that provide for that interface are important‚” he said.
Judges‚ academics‚ religious and business leaders took part in Thursday’s discussions under the theme ‘Seeking the Ethical Foundations of the South African Nation’.
Speakers agreed that the quality of leadership in South Africa was not what would create the envisioned society reflected in the country’s Constitution.
In his 10-minute speech‚ Manuel said chapter 15 of the National Development Plan dealt with one fundamental issue in South Africa – transforming and uniting society. This‚ he said‚ was crucial in realising the society envisioned in the Constitution.
“We speak 11 official languages. How do we construct the sense of coherence we are not 11 nations? How do we construct the sense of coherence and relate to each other differently? What are the forces that drive us together...and how do you deal with people who step out of line? Those who steal from the poor‚ those who won’t be accountable to institutions or change institutions to suit their purpose‚” he asked the audience.
The conference continues on Friday.
We have deviated from what drove us to the struggle: Manuel
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has lamented the deviation from what was envisioned in the Constitution for South African society and has called for a debate on the quality of leadership in the country.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection in Midrand‚ which discussed ethics in today’s society‚ Manuel said South Africa had a lot of questions to answer since the adoption of the Constitution about 20 years ago.
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“One does not need to spend too much time talking about how far the society we live in has deviated from the one that drove us into struggle‚” he said.
Manuel said the Constitution was a vision and also a commitment to raising living standards and feeding the potential of every person in the country.
“It is an ongoing commitment that needs measurement but also action. We need to consider the nature of the state...[Whether] we like it or lump it‚ we must talk about leadership in society. Things don’t just happen. The quality of leadership and interaction between the leaders and the led‚ and the institutions that provide for that interface are important‚” he said.
Judges‚ academics‚ religious and business leaders took part in Thursday’s discussions under the theme ‘Seeking the Ethical Foundations of the South African Nation’.
Speakers agreed that the quality of leadership in South Africa was not what would create the envisioned society reflected in the country’s Constitution.
In his 10-minute speech‚ Manuel said chapter 15 of the National Development Plan dealt with one fundamental issue in South Africa – transforming and uniting society. This‚ he said‚ was crucial in realising the society envisioned in the Constitution.
“We speak 11 official languages. How do we construct the sense of coherence we are not 11 nations? How do we construct the sense of coherence and relate to each other differently? What are the forces that drive us together...and how do you deal with people who step out of line? Those who steal from the poor‚ those who won’t be accountable to institutions or change institutions to suit their purpose‚” he asked the audience.
The conference continues on Friday.