Heed ethical voices

DECADES ago at university, I remember a political science lecturer saying, “part of colonial philosophy was to embed within the colonised psyche, a sense of inability”. The notion and plan was to ensure the colonised mind needed to believe European intrusion was necessary and beneficial.

As a result and by implication, using the lecturer’s logic, it could be considered unpatriotic to blame lack of progress on our leaders as this would exonerate the nefarious intent of colonialism.

At university the idea of freedom was a shared activist mantra. Ironically there was a deep resolve for victim-and-victor status to exist as this would ensure victimhood could be conserved even when the victim eventually resorted to a betrayal of principles.

Years later, the mantra of blaming history is wearing thin as the media shines its light on issues that are difficult to ignore. The colossal levels of corruption, wastage and ineptitude in governance have blunted the patriotism of even the most stalwart of former activists.

Since regular folk can identify the issues without the help of political analysts, this has led to anger. This disturbs all classes who witness a handful, living extraordinarily wasteful lives at taxpayers’ expense.

What is now transpiring is activists who see the rot are rallying around issues of ethics and values.

Those current and resurgent ethical voices are vital. Leaders like Thabo Mbeki, Achmat Kathrada, Denis Goldberg and others must be interviewed regularly so they are given occasion to share their wisdom and experience.

If the resurgent political voices of ethics are minimised we fortify those who use our democracy for nefarious self-enrichment. If they succeed then we all lose.