Public protector galvanises youth to be future ethical conscious leaders

Public Protector Adv. Thuli Madonsela has called on youth to be future ethical and conscious leaders who will promote good governance at all costs.

She said this while addressing students and management of the University of Johannesburg during the Young African Leaders Forum held in Johannesburg on Friday.

The Public Protector urged the youth to do away with the belief that people become leaders only when they are in positions of authority.

"In the past we called young people future leaders, and we were wrong on two grounds. Firstly, that was the understanding that you become a leader when you get a position to lead whereas you are a leader wherever you are," she said.

The Public Protector added that: "You can be in a leadership position but not be a leader. The truth is you are a leader even if you are a three year old in a pre-school."

She also urged them to constitute themselves into a united front against maladministration, corruption and conduct failure.

"Through a united front for good governance, we can ensure that our hard won freedom is secure, our rights are respected and protected and the state is accountable, operates with integrity while being responsive to the needs of all people," she said.

The Public Protector added that maladies such as corruption and conduct failure were at the centre of depriving citizens a constitutional promise of a freed potential and a better life for all.

She told the council chamber that the country needed to reflect on its journey since the dawn of democracy and what needed to be done going forward.

"We have travelled a great distance compared to where we were, but we need to ask ourselves honestly if we are where we are supposed to be," she asserted.

The Public Protector further asked if, as a country, we improved on maladministration and good governance, the state would be able to, among others, claw back money already lost and ensure that it does not pay where it has already paid.

She warned that once rules were broken and ignored without accountability, rule breaking would become a norm and eventually be part of the organisational culture.

"As members of society we need to conduct ourselves in an ethically and morally upright manner and demand the same from the whole of society," she said.