GOOD CITIZENSHIP AND TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP

I have learnt that there is a great need for transformative leadership in our country; a type of leadership that is transformative in nature, and is able to bring small/big yet positive changes in our communities. For far too long we’ve had leaders who’ve occupied seats of high positions, wearing high-powered suits, pushing their own individual agenda, under the pretense and umbrella of the collective-good. And hardly a type of leadership that has a collective interest and collective concern, that looks beyond the dictates of its immediate client, but aims to respond also to the needs and expectations of the wider community, particular disadvantaged members of our communities, enabling others to enable themselves. Often I perceive that the sole purpose of the institution is to make me, as an individual, more employable to the corporate shark, and hardlyto prepare me to be an agent of change so that I too can be in forefront of battles of my communities. I am often reminded of the importance of measuring up to ‘international standards’, and hardly to measures of good citizenship, nation-building and social responsiveness. But we ourselves, as young intellectuals, need to be co-creators, working in partnership with other social institutions to address society’s problems, to develop solutions of lasting, public value.We need to be actively involved in processes and structures to identify issues, diagnose problems, develop strategies, form coalitions, and work on problems to effect political change, and to create things of public importance.We need to avail ourselves and position ourselves to be in the forefront of the challenges of firstly of our own institution, and then the economic, political and social battles of our communities and of our times. We need to start incorporating ‘others’ into our agenda, and in a way that might not necessarily be convenient, but necessary in order to bring legitimacy to our own individual objectives.Why? Because 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. In other words learning to contribute collectively repays the individual many times over. As good citizens, we must use our talents and gifts, skills and intellectual capacity to contributetowards community development. This enables us as people to gain and maintain our legitimacy as citizens of the land,and serves as our social license to exist and to operate in the land.We must remember that when we join the ‘world of work’ it isat a time when South Africa weeps and prays for true leadership; sons and daughters who will toil South Africa’s arid soils, and break their backs until the dawning of new and better days, the dawning of a beautiful Africa. It is my hope that the practices of the institution will haveequipped us to deal with issues of social responsiveness, transformation, good citizenship, and nation building. And if not, that all effort shall be exerted to fully mobilize students on these issues, to ignite in them great passion and great conviction for our country and continent, tapping into their full capacity.

I leave you with this quote:

“WE MUST NOT GO WHERE WISE AND FOOLISH MEN HAVE TRODDED, WE MUST GO WHERE NO MAN HAS DARED TO GO, AND WE MUST LEAVE A TRAIL”

Let us make our mark on the walls of the continent. Let us be legends and history-makers, leaving behind legacies that will endure for generations to come.

Yours in Good Governance

Zuki Mqolomba

SRC President

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