Retiring SA insight and knowledge self-defeating

There are times when states and institutions are forced to make decisions and choices between rupture and continuity.

They must decide whether, for the sake of progress and development, they have to make changes that break decisively with the status quo, or maintain a measure of continuity.

It is not always easy to make these decisions and one can never be sure that any changes we do make will work for the better.

Sometimes taking risks is necessary.

Other times the cost of such risks may be too high.

There may be times when the difficult decisions have to be taken to ensure that social change and transformation are effected, and the risks or fallout is mitigated. There are always trade-offs. This is when courageous leadership is required, which is a discussion for another time.

One of the more difficult decisions the state has had to make over the past 25 years is whether or not to “retire” a generation of public servants in key portfolios.

The reasons for these retirements have almost always been for political reasons that were necessary, but insufficient.

This transformation of the public service has not always been successful.

For instance, we know, now, that the haste with which white technocrats were forced to leave institutions like Eskom may have played a significant role in the current crisis in electricity generation and delivery.

The point I am getting to is that there may be times when our haste to “transform” the public service has had diabolical results.

I should be clear, given the historical background and the roles that many whites played in propping up the apartheid regime, from Spoornet to the SA Police, it is not inconceivable that the progressive change and transformation would be sabotaged.

Only the most cowardly leaders, and appeasement, would leave these actors in place.

Sometimes it’s okay to do the right thing, but it may be better, other times, to do the intelligent thing.

The intelligent thing to do is to identify the most dedicated and humble people, and retain them in the system because they can and are willing to give the best to society.

What am I getting at? I recently met an old friend again after many years.

His name is Johann. After more than 30 years as a public servant, Johann recently retired.

With him retires a wealth of knowledge, strategic thought, bargaining skills and unrivalled insight into the legal and institutional basis of world trade.

Johann spent at least two decades in the secretariat of the World Trade Organisation.

What he learnt at the organisation, and his commitment to SA, to prosperity and social cohesion, trust and economic expansion, are the basis of public service.

If we are going to make any progress in expanding the economy, especially through international trade, people like Johann are crucial, perhaps essential, to our success.

But he is lost to SA and never mind what you will hear from political leaders, there is no ready replacement for Johann.

The question is, now, how do we replace someone like Johann.

It is true that nobody is indispensable.

It is also true that knowledge – deep knowledge and understanding, and sensibilities – take years to cultivate.

Johann reached retirement age, and probably deserves to kick back and relax, but I know, for sure, that he would grab at any opportunity to serve the country.

I will also say, confidently, that there is no South African who knows the workings of the World Trade Organisation secretariat better than Johann.

Now Johann may disagree with me – he is a humble and just all-round decent person – but if he was black, we would find ways to use his knowledge, his insights and his sensibilities.

Dear reader, if I may be so bold: you have no idea how complex the rules and the laws of world trade and international institutions are.

As things stand, Johann is a valuable asset for the country not because he is white, but because of what he can do for SA.

This is what President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Thuma Mina (Send me) appeal is all about.

I wish Johann well in his retirement.

With him we have retired knowledge and insight at a time when SA needs public servants who are dedicated to excellence, and not those people who are in jobs because of political fealty, nor those who have held the country and institutions hostage on the (spurious) basis that nobody can do their jobs.

If we had courageous leaders, they would be put out to pasture and the fall-out managed.

To people like Johann, I say, thank you for your service. You will be missed.

If I had my druthers, you would be back in the public service.

You would, I am sure, make a better contribution to the country than very many others.