Corruption, leadership & poverty: Mogoeng Mogoeng's speech in quotes

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng on Wednesday spoke at the 67 Minutes Leadership Talk in commemoration of former President Nelson Mandela. Corruption, poverty and the restoration of SA were among the key points. 

Here's his speech in eight powerful quotes:

Leadership

"We should pause and reflect on what he [Mandela] would expect of every South African, of every African and any other person around the world who is a leader. Each and every one of us is a leader, as leadership is never really positional. It is functional leadership that matters."

Be careful of so-called leaders

"Be careful about those who are prepared to do things even outside of the book to ascend to a leadership position. It is never those they seek to represent that they really seek to represent, it is their stomachs and their insatiable appetite for power and money that they seek to satisfy."

Restoring SA

"Things have gone wrong, and we were watching. We were too concerned about our careers, our money-making opportunities, and possibilities to ascend to positions of leadership more than we were, if we were at all, about the plight of the suffering masses of SA, Africa and the rest of the developing world."

What does Mandela want from us?

"Nelson Mandela clearly requires and expects for each and every one of us to have a lifetime commitment to something. So the question is: since he dedicated his life to a cause, what is it that you have dedicated your life to? What are you committed to?

On Africa's plight

"He made reference to the struggle or the plight of the African people. Until you grasp the fundamentals of the situation of the African people, you'll never really feel impelled to do anything about their plight. The kind of poverty in Africa is nauseating."

Appalling living conditions 

"Have we lulled our conscience? Does it matter when we pass Khayelista, Langa, Diepsloot or any of these places? Does it touch you? Have you allowed it to speak to your conscience? These are human beings. None of us ought to allow this to be normalised."

Injustice

"Have you fully embraced and internalised the fight against injustice? White or black domination or do you go along with whatever narrative is put out there of whatever agenda might be there, to make others look forever good and others look forever bad?"

Corruption

"Part of what we have to grapple with in SA and the world is corruption. But it looks like we have channelled ourselves into believing that corruption can only be in the public sector. Believe me, it takes two to tango. We will never be able to defeat corruption if we allow ourselves to be choreographed into believing that corruption can only be in the public sector."