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I read an article relating to the taxi violence in Cape Town which said that the taxi industry is dominated by cowards – it got my attention.

They break all the rules, bully road users, put their passengers and other innocents at risk, and are cowards because they resort to violence when they don’t get their way.

Crazy because violence begets violence.

Poor leadership has bled South Africa of the unilateral international goodwill which was extended during the transformation to democracy. Rather than change our ways we rely on enviable mineral resources to negotiate our way through the slippery downward slope towards a failed state.

We cannot afford to bumble along continuously with practices which are counter-productive and ridiculed by many.

We cannot suspend our democracy any longer by allowing immoral factions to influence and control the strategic institutions and business which were designed for equality, democracy and freedom.

Those in office would argue that they have not lost control to the nefarious and corrupt yet do little to suggest this.

It is going to take courage, especially from those leaders who are in the know, and have the authority, yet supposedly have too much to lose in exposing the truth.

Good leaders are courageous and are set apart through their boldness in making tough decisions. They are guided by their conscience. They remain true to themselves. They know why they wear the leadership badge to serve others.

It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in knowing that you will be challenged, may lose your popularity, and become a target for expressing an opinion.

It takes courage to say no, to be authentic, and to defend the truth, particularly when there is something to lose.

Where is the bold, ethical leadership that’s required to set a new trajectory? We need way more trailblazers such as Paul O’Sullivan, Rob Hersov , Sim Tshabalala and Gareth Ackerman to pave the way for significant breakthroughs.

I didn’t say it would be easy – when last did you admonish yourself for not having been more courageous and what was the reason for it?

I am the author of Leading Self and Others (how to make a difference where you are with what you’ve got) and Teaming with ideas (life lessons in teams- from business, sport and parkrun). You can contact me here.