Walk down any street in South Africa, and you will hear the same concerns: potholes that never get fixed, taps running dry while dams are full, broken infrastructure, unemployment, and a deep sense that those in power are not listening. Many people feel tired, angry, and disillusioned.

Trust in leadership is at an all-time low. This is not just frustration – it is a leadership crisis.

Residents across South Africa share similar frustrations about the government’s failure to repair potholes, even as they cope with dry taps despite the dams being full. At the same time, broken public facilities, high unemployment, and a sense that officials ignore their needs.

In 2009, the previous ANC government, led by President Zuma, promised to create 4 million jobs by 2014.

They further committed to increasing this number to 5m job opportunities within the following five years.

However, one of the major failures of the ANC in governing the country has been its inability to create jobs or foster an environment conducive to job creation.

Statistics South Africa’s reports paint a grim picture of the actual situation, which we can trust to reflect the true facts.

People across the nation experience fatigue together with anger and disappointment. Trust in leadership is at an all-time low.

The leadership failure in this situation goes beyond basic frustration because it has led to a complete collapse of leadership. South Africa does not lack talent or resources.

What we lack is responsible leadership: leaders who serve rather than take, who plan for the future rather than enrich themselves, and who understand that leadership is not a privilege but a responsibility.

Leadership is not a title; it is an action

Leadership, according to numerous individuals, exists only when someone holds a position such as mayor, councillor, manager, or CEO. Authentic leadership exists independently of the requirement for official titles.

People create effects on others through their beliefs and their need to explain their conduct.

A leader shapes the direction of a community. Leaders who maintain integrity create spaces that foster community development. Leaders who follow their personal interests will cause damage that affects the community as a whole.

Research conducted in South Africa at present supports what ordinary people have always understood about leadership: corruption, along with entitlement and short-term-focused behaviour, leads to a breakdown of trust, resulting in social deterioration.

Research shows that South Africans do not trust their political leaders due to national corruption and unmet political promises, affecting 80% of the population.

Service delivery breaks down after trust failure because leaders fail to deliver solutions, rather than because solutions remain unattainable.

What is responsible leadership?

The fundamental rules of responsible leadership are straightforward to understand, yet their practical application is challenging.

A leader who takes responsibility for their actions will choose decisions that produce long-term results rather than making choices that benefit their political campaign in upcoming elections.

They act ethically, even when no one is observing their behaviour, demonstrating integrity in all situations.

They accept all responsibility for their choices, together with every outcome that results from these decisions. A responsible leader prioritises listening to people and involving them in decision-making, recognising the value of diverse perspectives.

Responsible leadership is not a weakness. It is a strength with conscience. Research among South African leaders from various industries highlights that responsible leadership is founded on six key pillars. Firstly, growth needs to happen because leaders who act with responsibility should focus on economic development alongside their teams’ individual and career development.

READ MORE HERE: Delivering tangible results, not just speeches is needed as the election approaches 

The leaders take full responsibility for their choices and continuously help others reach their full potential. A leader’s values function as their directional guide because their core values of honesty and integrity, fairness, humility, and courage form the base of their leadership.

Team mental health is a vital factor that leaders must address, as they need to create spaces where their team members feel respected, safe, and valued, while preventing methods that foster fear and undermine team spirit.

Leaders who demonstrate responsibility need to develop strategic plans because South Africa experiences most of its challenges due to inadequate long-term planning rather than insufficient funding.

These leaders focus on upcoming developments as they adapt their methods to new circumstances, and they take full responsibility for their errors. Leaders who act responsibly need to consider their lasting impact to create sustainable benefits for communities and protect the environment.

Leaders who want to make responsible decisions need to develop their ability to gain wisdom and insight through ongoing education and a deep understanding of complex situations and controlled decision-making, rather than hasty reactions.

Why elections matter – and why voters matter more

South Africans will participate in local government elections for the third time in 2026. During elections, people receive promises of food aid along with T-shirts and small gifts.

People who get public assistance need to perform their duties as responsible citizens, which requires them to do more than what the government provides.

Every voter needs to determine if their chosen leader maintains integrity throughout their regular activities.

Do they work hard, or only speak loudly? Do they serve others, or themselves? Do they listen, or only command?

Do they have a plan – and a track record? The act of voting serves as a political duty that also carries moral significance.

Our individual pain becomes worse when we choose to support deceitful conduct through our voting decisions.

Leadership and Ubuntu: An African Wisdom: African leadership has always understood something modern politics often forgets: Ubuntu – “I am because we are.” Motho Ke Motho Ka Batho Babang (A person is a person because of other people).

Ubuntu teaches that leadership exists for the well-being of the community.

A leader who enriches himself while his people suffer is not a leader – he is a failure. Responsible leadership fits naturally with ubuntu. It values relationships, shared responsibility, fairness, and mutual respect. It reminds us that leadership is not domination, but service.

A Christian perspective on leadership

Most South Africans identify as Christians. That matters – not politically, but morally.

Jesus defined leadership in radical terms: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”

Christian leadership is not about power, entitlement, or privilege. It is about humility, sacrifice, truth, and service. A Christian leader cannot separate faith from ethics, or belief from behaviour.

If leaders claim to uphold Christian values, those values must be evident in honesty, hard work, accountability, and care for the poor.

Leadership starts closer than you think

Leadership does not only belong to politicians. Parents, teachers, pastors, business owners, and community leaders shape society every day.

If we want better leaders, we must also become better followers – people who value integrity, reject corruption, and demand accountability.

Responsible leadership grows where:

• Truth is spoken
• Corruption is confronted
• Service is honoured
• Integrity is rewarded

South Africa’s future will not be saved by slogans, strongmen, or empty promises.

It will be shaped by leaders who choose responsibility over entitlement, service over self-interest, and integrity over greed. Leadership matters – because lives depend on it.

This column is the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of Witbank News.

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