SO MANY of our sons and daughters are receiving awards from international organisations for their contribution to mankind.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, South Africa's former deputy president, has been appointed executive director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised her highly for her work ethic and commitment.

We are truly blessed as a country that such calibre of people emanate from our shores.

If only the criteria for becoming a cabinet minister, a member of parliament, a councillor or any position in society was based on hard work, honesty and transparency by our government and ruling party, instead of party allegiance, slates and materialism, then this country would be a model of democracy that the forbearers of the ANC truly envisaged.

We have lost many capable cadres of the ANC either because they were marginalised in the organisation or they became disillusioned with the type of leadership and the direction the party has taken.

The likes of Mlambo-Ngcuka should be in the ANC's national executive committee and in government where their skills and leadership vision is sorely missed.

Nick Chimelwane Silverton, Pretoria