My piece on moral regeneration Sunday Times 15 September 2013. I refer to the informative and challenging opinion piece by Paulus Zulu ‘Morality can’t be manipulated’ in the Sunday Times 8 September 2013. It is clear from this peace that Zulu makes a very strong case for moral regeneration in South Africa. There is probably unanimity amongst political, religious and leaders of civil society concerning the urgent need for moral regeneration in this country. More is however required than mere words, action is required from both government and the private sector. Some kind of moral regeneration summit is urgently necessary in order to formulate a plan of action by leaders in both government and the private sector. When the ANC came to power in 1994 and during the period of Nelson Mandela’s presidency the ANC occupied the moral high ground. The Mandela presidency, although short-lived, was indeed a golden age. Mandela bequeathed to us an inestimable legacy of moral integrity and selfless service, which unfortunately has been squandered. In both government and in the private sector there is manifest corruption, fraud and dishonesty. Corruption has adversely affected service delivery, particularly in relation to local government, in which sphere of government there have been violent protests by disgruntled persons. The issue is therefore of profound political and moral concern for those involved in public life as leaders and public representatives. In this regard we need exemplary role models of persons in the public and private sectors who are persons of integrity and leadership ability. It is of vital importance that those in the service of the public should set an example of financial discipline and frugality. If prominent politicians live lavish life styles at the expense of the tax payer, they encourage the incorrect kind of role model. As a result ordinary persons become envious and this facilitates dishonesty and corruption both in the public and private sectors. Sad to say evidence of this abounds in South Africa today. South Africa today is crying out for role models in both the public and private sector who in their lives reflect the great values found in the Constitution, of dignity, frugality, compassion, and caring. If the vast majority of black people of South Africa continue to live in abject poverty, the political human rights, such as freedom of expression or religion or association, enumerated in the Bill of Rights have very little significance. Such a situation is exacerbated by endemic corruption and could contribute to or precipitate a populist revolt that could overthrow the democratic order with disastrous consequences for human rights. The moral, political and social issues in South Africa are inter related and it is necessary to have a wide-ranging discourse on these. Democracy, although imperfectly and embryonically, has taken root in the native soil of South Africa. Nevertheless, South Africa is confronted with formidable problems of a socio-economic nature. It is for this reason that moral regeneration is essential both in the private and public sectors if we are to succeed as a nation. Action needs to be taken and our political, religious, economic and moral leaders must take an unequivocal stand, come together and formulate a dynamic and comprehensive plan of action. Ordinary citizens must bring inexorable pressure on the leaders in our country to fulfill this important task of moral regeneration. If government leaders fail in this regard, religious and civil society leaders must seize the initiative. South Africans, having achieved and created an authentic democratic system of government, premised on the values of equality and liberty for all, at a sublimely great cost, need to deepen it and extend its benefits to all the people of this land. Furthermore, it needs by example to be promoted and defended against the predations of those in the new body politic and the civil service, who prove to be corrupt, unscrupulous, uncaring and avaricious. Political and social integrity must triumph over brazen political expediency and naked ambition so that a genuine compassionate and caring society can emerge, facilitated by a dynamic plan for moral regeneration. George Devenish is a Senior Research Associate at UKZN and one of the scholars who assisted in drafting the Interim Constitution.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 15:53:01 +0000
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