Saturday Dispatch Marks of true leadership

THE efforts of Themba Wele, the former EFF leader in the Eastern Cape, in coming to the aid of an elderly shack dweller, are worthy of much applause and appreciation by all.

Yesterday we reported how Wele, now unemployed, used most of his own savings to build a house in Boxwood for Yoliswa Jawuka, 95, who had been living in a shack her whole life.

The granny is one of millions of citizens who have been waiting for a government RDP house for years.

At her advanced age, she was at risk of never having a house of her own until Wele intervened.

Wele’s stellar delivery of compassion came after he saw her feeding her pigs. Jawuka was a complete stranger, but Wele was touched by her plight.

To his enormous credit Wele not only went to businesses cap in hand to ask for assistance, but used most of his own savings in a determined effort see the senior citizen’s dream of owning a house become a reality.

What makes Wele building Jawuka the house even more heartwarming is that he still lives in a shack in Orange Grove. But rather than put himself first and build a house of his own, he decided to first help someone even more vulnerable.

Of course, this is not the first time someone with political links has built someone else a house. The EFF built a house for a resident in President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home village shortly before the 2014 polls.

Wele, however, may still be seen as a political figure, but he does not hold office in the ANC, where he returned to after his departure from the EFF. His building project does not appear to be have been politically motivated in any way – no political party was involved. Nor are elections looming for one to try to score cheap points.

Instead, what Wele has done has been to demonstrate what a true heart of compassion looks like: it is one that matches words with deeds, it puts the service of others before oneself and it is willing to make substantial sacrifices for the sake of those in greater need.

This is not only compassion writ large, but the mark of great leadership. It is how great leaders behave. It is how statesmen begin their journeys through life.

South Africans have had more than enough of politicians who move around in expensive cars and live the high life while scattering empty promises at the people and costing them a lot of money.

What we need is more of the calibre of leadership demonstrated by this young man from Orange Grove squatter settlement – of caring about the plight of others, especially the poor and vulnerable.

The sages tell us “the generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor”. Wele indeed, deserves such a reward.