Good, old-fashioned honesty needed in leaders

The saying that “you must choose only loyal people” holds true. Who better to illustrate this than deputy president David Mabuza. By betraying the radical economic transformation forces in favour of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the 11th hour during the last elective conference of the ANC, he did himself an injustice. He lost a lot of support from both sides. That was the behaviour of an untrustworthy person, concerned with his own selfish interests. Now he is left in the wilderness as he fights for political survival after failing to garner enough votes to continue in his role for a second term.

Our society really needs a good dose of old-fashioned honesty, particularly among its leaders. In the business sector, politics, schools, homes, and even in churches, we see a total decline of this vital quality and virtue.

Mabuza lacked honesty when he traded Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s votes for a plate of curry.

We should make it our mission to live in such a way that the word “honest” sounds right when placed in front of our names. “Whatever things are of good report, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are praiseworthy, we must think of these virtues,” so says the Bible.

Samuel Radebe, Heilbron