At the beginning of October, when I flew overseas, the country was at the centre of a convergence of crises including a prolonged drought, a new wave of university uprisings, the conflict surrounding Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, the South African Revenue Service and the Hawks, as well as accusations of state capture by powerful business interests.
I did not expect that, about a month later, when I returned home, all these conflicts would have quickly escalated, plunging our nation into widespread institutional chaos.
All the failures are largely or completely home-made, attesting to a serious governance collapse. I’m not surprised many groups in society have become extremely vocal in calling for the resignation of the government and the replacement of the top leadership. There is no point in blaming international circumstances: the predicament is of our own making.
Good governance is not the result of progressive constitutions and intelligent laws, although both can contribute to it. More deeply, good governance is the outcome of citizens’ commitment to building a better society, holding the powers that be accountable and demanding respect from their peers, from those with more money and from those who are elected to make laws. Policy makers are servants of the public and must remember they owe their special positions to the people, the ultimate source of power.
In the past few years, no public official has embodied the principles of good governance more effectively than former public protector Thuli Madonsela. After Madiba, she has become our country’s most revered icon, a true example of what it means to serve the public interest. Not only has she relentlessly upheld the values of the Constitution, but she has elevated the institution of the public protector to a pillar of modern-day democracy in SA. Her successor is entrusted with a very powerful office that must be strengthened in future.
Like Madiba, Madonsela’s most striking characteristic is her modesty. When I first met her, she kept addressing me as "Prof" and took lots of notes as I was talking, like a diligent student. When I told her that in my view, she represented the best institutional tradition in democratic SA, she blushed and responded that she was simply doing her job. Madonsela is fully aware of the political and symbolic importance of her actions that have meant so much to defenders of human rights and good governance across the country. Yet she sees herself as nothing other than a public servant. Not a hero, not a leader, not an icon: just a servant.
This is exactly what her legacy will be about. Madonsela has demonstrated that being a good public employee can have enormous ripple effects. In a society in which politicians seem more intent on filling their pockets and those of their corporate masters, she has shown that even one person can make a big difference. When we don’t hide behind the veil of complacency that has infected society, when we take our bosses to task, in short, when we say no to abuse, we erode the authoritarian tendencies of any institutional system, be it a state, a company or a university.
Progressive students, whistle-blowers and the many indefatigable public officials who believe in a better SA are the real heroes of modern societies. These are not special individuals with special gifts. They are ordinary people who cannot be bought, who don’t bend to please power and simply want to do their jobs properly.
Good governance is possible only when ordinary citizens learn the extraordinary importance of fighting abuse — not occasionally but every day.
We must all become whistleblowers committed to serving the public interest in the face of pressure, just like Madonsela "simply" did her job.
As a tribute to the ordinary power of public servants, the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation (GovInn), which I direct at the University of Pretoria, has launched the annual Thuli Madonsela Good Governance Lecture, which took place on Tuesday with Madonsela as the inaugural speaker.
In line with the ordinary simplicity and devotion to the public good that characterised her tenure, we have decided to invite common citizens to celebrate her legacy and what it means for the nation. Unlike other similar events, where elites dominate, we have made an extra effort to ensure that individuals and families from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds participate. We arranged a shuttle service connecting the lecture venue to the main townships around Pretoria to guarantee easy access, and we teamed up with Power FM and eNCA to broadcast the lecture live nationwide.
We all know about the high-profile investigations conducted by Madonsela when in office. But few are aware of the many actions she took to defend the fundamental rights of ordinary citizens vis-à-vis abusive or dysfunctional state authorities.
We therefore invited a few "witnesses", who travelled from the rest of the country just to tell how Madonsela’s job had changed their lives. By giving voice to those who are usually voiceless, we want to send a message to the entire society.
The future of this beautiful nation will not be decided by a few powerful individuals; it will be the result of a collective leadership exercised by all of us. Good governance is not a matter for legal experts and bureaucrats; it is a public good we can contribute to every day, by doing our "job" as active citizens, with devotion and commitment to the public interest.
• Fioramonti (@lofioramonti) is director of GovInn and a member of WE-Africa.org
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