South Africans need to take a conscious decision to take the lead in improving their lives regardless of a lack of leadership.

That’s according to former Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene who was speaking on the first day of the 20th Southern African International Audit Conference in Sandton on Monday‚ hosted by the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa.

“Lack of leadership is an opportunity for people to take charge of their lives and that’s why many countries are on autopilot because citizens have taken it upon themselves to actually improve themselves‚ do what is right‚” said Nene.

Nene‚ who has since ventured into the private sector with many titles under his belt‚ said citizens have a responsibility to improve their lives.

“If leadership is not prepared to do it‚ they (people) should take it upon themselves to work towards improving our lives. This is a blessing in disguise that if we think there’s no leadership‚ the question we should be asking ourselves is‚ ‘What are we doing’. We want to hold the leadership to account but at the same time‚ we must drive our own programs that will benefit ourselves for the better‚” he said.

Also at the panel was the chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) Themba Godi. He disagreed with Nene and said leadership was key to the success of people and therefore government must take authority.

“Leadership is critical and central and I think that is one of our fundamental challenges and I don’t think we should incorporate that and allow or country to autopilot because we are the government and government has a responsibility to deliver on its responsibilities to the citizens‚” said Godi.

Godi said that if government did not want to deliver on its mandate‚ South Africans had the power to change leadership and government officials must also note that the interest of the people and country comes first.