LEBUSA MONYOOE | Weak leadership led to heritage and legacies of dereliction

I took a walk to the countryside to reset my mind and reflect on the benevolence of Heritage Month. It was an occasion of mixed feelings. In all its endeavours, humanity creates heritage and legacies. Life too is full of ironies, and governance the paradoxical game of thrones. It is the cumulative essence of these aspects that constitutes heritage and legacies.

Nature too affords us magnificent creations. I was bowled over by cascading hills and mountains camouflaged in green. What a beauty Our Beloved Country! My hiatus of appreciation was rudely interrupted by the gurgling croak—“kraa-kraa”, the ravens asserting presence! I guess they had identified a field of carcasses to take care of.

SA is fraught with all manner of carcasses. We have presided over dysfunctional entities for 28 years of democracy and the carcasses keep multiplying. Thus the invocation of the ravens’ gurgling croak seems a fitting metaphor to describe current levels of dysfunctional organisations and governance.

How did we get here?

Poor governance, dyslexic leadership and an ineffectual organisational culture have fast-tracked the creation of a dysfunctional state that presides over the systematic hollowing of state and infrastructure. Senator John Faulkner argues dysfunctional organisations exist because they are led by unethical and unaccountable leadership. Scandalous pillaging of public resources and disregard for fiduciary obligations when manning public and private entities create incessant heritage and legacies.

Name departments or entities of government that excel in the delivery of services? For 28 years of democracy, we have presided over the creation of the “heritage and legacies of dereliction”. Scandalous allegations of impropriety; incessant corruption; state capture and dyslexic leadership at strategic spheres of governance are hallmarks of dysfunctional organisations.

Various national infrastructures have lost vitality, capacity and capabilities, despite infamous “bailing-outs” of entities such as Prasa, SAA, Eskom, etc. Returns on investment have been zilch, yet we keep bailing them out. A drastic and befitting strategy would be to call the executioner for their interment and reprioritise resources for services that benefit citizens.

The Eskom humdrum announcements about electricity shutdowns do not change the situation. They merely expose the entity’s inability to fix the problems. Perhaps that’s where the challenge lies. When electricity shutdowns are institutionalised, the power grid no longer has a problem – it is a disaster that requires different strategies. Unbundle components that create disaster and implement efficacious and effectiveness plans to sustain power distribution.

Agitating for a 30% increase in charges will not change the status quo. We created a heritage of uncaring, undermining the rights of citizenry to good service delivery. The destruction of property and the Esidimeni health centre debacles are examples of demeaning heritage and legacy.

A kneejerk reaction to road utility transgressions and outlandish rhetoric yields nothing as road accidents continue unabated. We should reframe the vetting processes to ensure that only those with high competence profiles are allowed on our roads and transgressors must be dealt with to deter offenders. Changing road users’ culture has limitations, it must be supported by a well rehabilitated road infrastructure.

Transportation of heavy goods and merchandise should be delivered through the railway networks. Regrettably, our networks are derelict. Modern organisations strive for excellence and sustainability. We failed at both, thus creating a “skorokoro” heritage and legacy. Faulkner counsels “government integrity demands more than general expressions of goodwill… cultivating ethical behaviour needs more than simple, sweeping statements of expectations”.

Andreas Schleicher argues “success will go to those individuals and countries which are swift to adapt, slow to complain and open to change”. Excellence creates great heritage and legacies. SA needs to plan better and capacitate all sectors with the requisite skills set and expertise.

• Monyooe is a Sowetan reader