Mkhize and Cuomo reap praise for being sober, responsive and measured leaders
There is an uncanny resemblance between the leadership styles of New York governor Andrew Cuomo and South African health minister Zweli Mkhize as they respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Their political dynamics are quite literally worlds apart, but they have both become the public faces of seemingly efficient government responses to the “invisible enemy”.
Cuomo is dealing with an epicentre in North America, while Mkhize is fighting in the epicentre of the pandemic in Africa. This is a pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives worldwide and infected more than a million people.
Naturally, both Cuomo and Mkhize have seen a surge in popularity and confidence in their leadership, which is unprecedented. Even as deaths climbed and infection rates rocketed in New York, a poll this week found that Cuomo’s favourability rating has soared to 71% for the first time in seven years.
It was no surprise then that he was suggested as a viable presidential candidate to challenge Donald Trump, who has come across as childish and inept in this global crisis.
SA does not have a culture of approval ratings compared to the US, but if anecdotes and sporadic tweets are anything to go by, Mkhize’s approval ratings are high.
His role in the government’s response to Covid-19 has been lauded even by vehement critics of the government, and he has, as a result, become the face of the government’s efforts.
Some have even touted him as a successor to President Cyril Ramaphosa and whispers in political circles have already begun.
But the two politicians have not always been public darlings, with New Yorkers historically having a lovehate relationship with Cuomo, who has not always got things right.
Mkhize too has had his fair share of scandal. He is known for his bullish character and has a reputation for being overly sensitive — to the point of being litigious. He micromanages and is fussy about detail, and mistakes can send him into a tailspin.
Yet in this time of global uncertainty, these are the same characteristics that have projected him and Cuomo as the voices of reason and decisiveness.
The New York Times put it aptly, saying: “Andrew Cuomo is the control freak we need right now. In ordinary times, Mr Cuomo’s relentlessness and bullying drive New Yorkers crazy. In the age of the coronavirus, they soothe our battered nerves,” the column read.
“Mr Cuomo holds news conferences filled with facts and (accurate) numbers almost every day. He explains systems and challenges and decision-making with a command that Mr Trump lacks. He even models social distancing by having speakers stay six feet apart from one another.”
Mkhize gets similar praise.
He speaks with authority, maintains a no-nonsense approach and is well versed in his subject matter.
“Health minister Zweli Mkhize has likewise garnered nearuniversal praise for his no-nonsense, energetic performance, and his sober, deeply knowledgeable, daily briefings,” the BBC said of him this week.
Those who are sceptical insist that a fish should not be celebrated for swimming, but the sentiment has been drowned out by those who believe that if Mkhize ran for president tomorrow he’d win.
The confidence and optimism shown by people in both Cuomo and Mkhize reflect an important point about what people want in leaders. At a time when the whole world is desperate for leadership, the recipe is simple: leaders must have a firm grip on the problem, give hope and caution in equal measure, and have a demonstrable plan.
The virus will dictate if Cuomo and Mkhize become the heroes we desperately pine for.
But in the meantime, politicians will know that people want leaders who are decisive yet not arrogant, knowledgeable yet able to take advice, and most importantly, measured in their responses to a global pandemic.
That is not asking much from leaders.
It was no surprise then that he [Cuomo] was suggested as a viable presidential candidate to challenge Donald Trump