BUILDING AN ETHICAL LEADERSHIP FOR A TRANSFORMING SOUTH AFRICA

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BUILDING AN ETHICAL LEADERSHIP FOR A TRANSFORMING
SOUTH AFRICA

• Dr. Simanga. R. Kumalo
• Religion and Governance Programme
• School of Religion Theology
• University of KwaZulu-Natal
• Pietermaritzburg Campus

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Objectives of the Presentation

• The topic seeks to explore the question of
  ethical leadership
• This is because in the new South Africa we have
  been confronted by the issues of morality
  popularly referred to as the breakdown of the
  moral fiber.
• It also concerns itself with the role of the
  religious community because although ethics is
  not religion, but religion has a lot to do with
  the ethical decisions that people make especially
  in a religious continent like Africa.

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Objectives continued

• It argues that all sectors of society must be
  involved in the processes of transforming and
  make their own unique contribution for the
  benefit of the country as a whole, but its focus
  is on the religious sector.
• It argues for collaboration between government
  and the religious community.

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Key questions answered by this presentation

• What is ethical leadership?
• Who defines it ?
• Who builds ethical leadership?
• What is the role of the religious community in
  this project?
• How does it do that?

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Defining Ethical Leadership

• It is a contested terrain to define what is
  ethical leadership.
• It is also a political project in todays South
  Africa, treading on dangerous ground.

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Ethical

• Ethical can simply be defined as what is deemed
  to be the good behaviour of individuals within a
  particular community which is consistent with
  their norms, values ,standards and aspirations.
  It is do with the basic principles of behaviour.

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Ethical

• Behavior It has to do with practices, decisions
  underpinned by beliefs.
• Community it is negotiated by a particular
  community through their norms, values and
  standards. Ethics must be about the people.
• Aspirations It has to do with the vision, needs
  and dreams of the community.It is for the greater
  good of the whole community other than that of
  the individual

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Ethical

• Community It means that it is the community that
  must build and accept what is to be deemed as
  ethical.
• The community set up the standards of behavior
  for their leaders and themselves (constitution).
• The community through their institutions and
  organizations enforce ethical behavior (civil
  society, paralegals etc)
• It must also protect the institutions and
  mechanisms that guard against unethical behavior
  by their leaders ( section 9 institutions and the
  judiciary).

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Leadership

• It is the ability to influence people to work
  towards achieving the desired goals.

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What is the Problem

• Since the dawning of democracy in SA a lot has
  been achieved., development, houses etc.
• Challenge has been ethical leadership
• Africa has had leaders of liberation but not
  leaders of reconstruction and development (Ali
  Mazrui).
• In the struggle against apartheid all were
  involved after apartheid the politicians go it
  alone without the other sectors of society e.g
  civil society and religious leaders.

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Why do we have this problem?.

• Lack of experience of leadership
• Rapid changes in society with people struggling
  to catch up.
• Human sinfulness of greed
• Myopic vision of liberation, liberation vs
  justice.
• Individualism vs community

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Unethical Leadership in SA

• Rampant corruption
• Kickbacks on tenders,
• Wars amongst the ruling elites.
• Hypermoralistic behavior

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The role of the Religious Community.

• In the African context life is holistic both
  religious and secular.(JS. Mbiti, ATR
  Philosophy, 1970)
• Ethics is not religion but religion shapes the
  ethical choices and practices that people make.
• Peoples ethical and moral decisions are informed
  by their religious, cultural, social, economic
  and political experiences and convictions

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How do we build ethical leadership continued..

• Peoples sacred texts the Bible, the Quran and
  the Gitta etc.
• Educational institutions from craddle to grave
• Educational and business institutions.

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How does the community build ethical leadership

• It starts from the family which inculcate an
  ethical culture (no one is born ethical but we
  learn ethical behaviour) and this is difficult
  where the family as an institution is collapsing
• Peoples cultures, norms and values
• Peoples sacred spaces- mosques, churches,
  temples, river banks, caves etc.

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How can the religious communities contribute

• Moving away from the peripheries of society to
  the centre or denominational to the public
  sphere where the rubber hits the road.
• Protect the institutions that inculcates and
  guard over our freedom and democracy
• Promoting collaboration between between religion
  and government based on the principle of relative
  autonomy
• Cooperation as opposed to cooption

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Types of spaces of cooperation between religion
and organs of the state.

• Invited spaces- When government invite the
  religious community
• Invented spaces- When the religious community
  intent a space to invite dialogue with them in
  their own terms and environment.
• Invaded spaces- when government officials just
  take over the space and dominate.
• Involved spaces negotiated space with memorandum
  of understanding leading to joint programmes

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Conclusion.

• GRACE AND PEACE