No tradition of dissent

“WANT to know how to ruin a nation? Ask Mugabe — or Zuma” (September 18) by Barney Mthombothi refers. Thanks for a great column, as usual. Understanding how leaders hold on to their leadership positions despite continuing to fail their constituencies is difficult.

I have long been fascinated with what I call the “indaba decision process” as traditional group decision-making was described to me years ago by a chief in Venda.

One of the key aspects he described was that once the group involved, including the chief, had made its decision, no disagreement by individual participants was allowed.

At the time, as a manager in a large corporation, I thought this was a great advantage as it would rule out the corridor moans that follow unpopular management decisions, but now I am realising there may be at least one serious downside.

It could explain why no one in the ANC’s national executive committee criticises its decisions. Exactly the same goes for the group around Mugabe in Zimbabwe!

In any commercial or listed company, things are very different. If there is a mess, the top person carries the accountability.

My understanding of this concept is learned, not inherited. I may therefore be interpreting it incorrectly. But it is the only way I can make sense of some of what goes on in South Africa. — Reg, by e-mail