POLOKWANE – One of the thorny questions in our democratic country currently is: “why can’t leaders admit their mistakes when they have done wrong?”
Truth be told, there is a lot at stake because of this. What do we essentially lose if we concede to our mistakes? Does it make us not to be human enough? I think, as human beings, we are not perfect, we do make mistakes. Hence somebody wrote: “Making mistakes is better than faking perfections.”
It is not how we make mistakes, but how we correct them that defines us. It would be fallacious to think that we cannot be corrected when we are wrong. Corrections may perhaps be from lack of service delivery, from abusing state resources, corruption, abuse of power, racism, and many others.
What is important about all these mistakes is to admit them, learn from them and don’t repeat them.
Criticisms labelled against government and leadership today should never be regarded as a tool to destabilise the country politically or economically, but rather a positive warning that things are not in order, and therefore, taking stock and implementing corrective measures should be the key.
Those who occupy high leadership positions both in politics and government, should always create room for constructive criticisms from the society.
Come on, let’s be honest South Africans! This beautiful country, for which many heroes and heroines died, deserves leaders who are humble enough to admit their mistakes and put their country first and not to be concerned about their pockets.
What happened with “Batho Pele” principle? Where is genuine love for this country? When King Saul couldn’t listen to people anymore, refusing to admit his mistakes, God intervened through prophet Samuel’s mouth: “The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him a leader of His people,” (1 Samuel 13: 14.) Powerful, isn’t it?
The most painful thing, is that even those whom God has appointed and put strategically and prophetically in positions of influence to speak out the truth are now inaudible because they fear ill-treatment.
My fellow South Africans, can’t we pray and dream together – about a better South Africa which, with her little economy, peoples’ needs will be put first; South Africa where black and white, Indians and coloureds, young and old, will live in unity and harmony with one another without fear of discrimination. It’s time!
