Failing to lead by example

IMAGINE your son returning from school one afternoon and innocently declaring: "Mommy, I want to be like Jacob Zuma when I grow up."

What do you think many honest parents would say?

As we promised last Monday, today we focus on President Jacob Zuma and society. Next week, we shall turn our analytical spotlight to Zuma and government.

Again, it is not difficult to imagine livid protests from some members of the ANC, those who prefer not to look at the whole picture to respond thus: "You have no right to lecture us about our president; we love him as he is."

Indeed, analysts who reflect critically on Zuma are often dismissed as people who hate the president.

The people who are quick to scream "hatred" think that analysis is like a soapie - where life is about love and hate.

Their logic is: you either love or hate Jacob Zuma.

Far from it. And unfortunately, ours is to analyse - not to love or to hate. By virtue of being the president Zuma is ipso facto leader of society. Therefore, nobody has the right to stop us from analysing the influence he has on society.

If South Africa were a family, and if all of us were children, Zuma would be our father. In other words, our collective dignity - or indignity - would be embodied by the father. In fact, he is the political father of the nation.

Some latter-day immoralists might ask: why do you emphasise the personal qualities of a leader. Is it about a leader's personality, or is it about his political commitment to a cause?

The ANC has tended to be led by presidents who had moral gravitas in society. In other words, previous presidents of the party have exuded values and qualities cherished by society.

That the ANC counts among its previous presidents such men of the cloth as Zaccheus Richard Mahabane and Albert Luthuli is not an accident of history.

It is true that religious devotion has never been a requirement for leadership in the ANC, but good moral standing has undergirded the selection of leaders.

Due to the moral soundness of the character of the ANC throughout its history, strong religious believers never felt repelled by the party. Being in the ANC did not make them feel like being in an organisation whose moral values contradicted progressive religious beliefs.

All this had to be embodied in ANC leaders. In other words, ANC leaders did not say "Do as I say, not as I do."

The personal conduct of previous ANC presidents was never a source of embarrassment for the party.

The recent history of the ANC confirms that the party has been concerned about matters relating to the personal conduct of its leaders.

In the discussion document, Through the Eye of a Needle, the ANC is unambiguous: "A leader should lead by example. He should be above reproach in his political and social conduct."

It is hard to find political parties so progressive that they seek to inculcate such level of social consciousness to the extent of ordering its leaders to be above reproach, even in social conduct.

But why did the ANC require its leaders to be of such high standard within and outside political office? It was obviously driven by the noble intention to cement bonds between itself and society. This is why an analysis of Zuma and society is called for.

The Eye of a Needle further states: "Through force of example, he (Jacob Zuma, in this case) should act as a role model to ANC members and non-members alike."

At the historic Polokwane conference of 2007 the ANC adopted its Strategy and Tactics, which took the matter further, emphasising the critical importance of exemplary leadership.

Polokwane was very clear: "wherever they are to be found, ANC cadres should act as the custodians of the principles of fundamental social change; winning respect among their peers and society at large through their exemplary conduct".

The ANC believes that its leader, Zuma, must be an example not only to ANC members, but to non-members as well.

We, non-members, are thus entitled to answer the question: is Zuma our role model?

Now, here is a difficult question: has Zuma led society by force of example?

No doubt, spin doctors in the ANC and the Presidency will hasten to say "Yes."

We must not blame them for such a response. They are paid for it.

While some might want to write about Zuma's contribution in the ANC underground, we must resist such tantalising temptation. Underground stories do not lend themselves to sound and comprehensive analysis.

Before he became president of South Africa, Zuma faced a string of criminal charges. As we all know, the charges were dropped in a manner not very dissimilar to the modus operandi of the mafia. Some might suggest that this is what it means to lead by force of example.

During his rape case - of which he was not found guilty - Zuma made statements that led to Zapiro, one of South Africa's gifted cartoonists, to attach a permanent shower head to the head of our president.

Who knows, maybe this is also leadership by example.

Shortly after becoming president of our country, the whole nation woke up to what is perhaps the most embarrassing scandal in the 21st century: a president fathering a child with a daughter of a friend. Again, this could be leadership by force of example.

As if we have been running around a circle, we find ourselvesconfronted with the same innocent boy child, returning from school one afternoon: "Mommy, I want to be like Jacob Zuma when I grow up."

Such is the story of Jacob Zuma and society.

Leadership by example?

• Mashele is CEO of the Forum for Public Dialogue (www.fpd.org.za). He lectures politics at the University of Pretoria and is a member of the Midrand Group. He is the author of The death of Our Society, available at Exclusive Books.