Following the Presencing Institute’s excellent Theory U course last week, I had some time to become a tourist in Berlin. Germany seems to be dealing with her past by holding it firmly in mind: a sign above a pub door proclaims ‘The Past is Over’. And indeed, one notices on both national and individual level a culture very different to that which gave rise to the holocaust. Nationally, the manner in which the country responds to refugees, as well as on individual level, the manner in which individuals with special mental needs, the homeless and even drunks are treated as part and parcel of daily life on the underground; it does seem as if they are able to contain historical paranoid, persecutory attitudes.
This collective tolerance can partly be attributed to the fact that, paradoxically, every atrocity of their modern history is made visible. This visibility often happens by means of profoundly symbolic architecture and installations in a non-sentimental, non- judgemental manner, yet with the effect of appealing to the viewers’ moral compass in a compelling manner.
The indelible imprint of the Wall is amplified. Likewise the horrors 
perpetrated during the Holocaust, not only against Jews but also against homosexuals and gypsies. Submerged under the surface of the gypsy memorial pond is a poem of which a line states ‘without breath / without words…’
South Africa does not allow the luxury of escape
It is against this powerful visual imagery that the recall of Pravin Gordhan happens for me. Reluctant to be drawn from tourist status into a state of turmoil, I yet find myself weeping at the footage of Ahmed Kathrada’s funeral. And from here onwards SA is plunged in a downward spiral. On Monday, a new finance minister asserts one individual cannot contribute to a country being downgraded to junk status; within the hour, it happens.
Norman Lamprecht, NAAMSA’s Executive, states in an interview that it makes no sense at this stage to try and predict trends in car sales in South Africa for the rest of 2017; our normal, trusted means of forecasting and planning accordingly, has in many ways become obsolete in the disruptive environment we find ourselves in.
To this phenomenon, Theory U would pose the question: ‘what is ending, and what is waiting to be born?’
What seems to be ending, traumatically, is the world as we understood it, including our conventional measures of making sense of this world, conventional structures and conventional, convenient habits of leaving accountability for governance to politicians.
We have to uncover what is waiting to be born; either anarchy or a regenerated, more sophisticated democracy. The future we will be presented with is dependent on the actions we take, or do not take.
The unlikely has already happened in the media statement by opposition parties of their intent to work in unity towards the state presidents’ recall.
There is a massive, unprecedented surge of civil and public response; unlike the gypsy poem, it is as if South Africa’s civil society is finding its breath and voice and has begun to participate in spontaneous, yet resolute manner in the task of bringing about change.
What can leaders do?
Importantly, our work is to cultivate the process which holds most potential. How should leaders respond? Magda Wierzycka, Sygnia CEO, has offered some suggestions in an article with similar title in Daily Maverick. Two of these are;
- As executives and business owners, make time available to employees to participate in the public processes.
- Keep the relevant conversations alive. To this, one could add conversations not in a sensationalist,blaming or fatalistic manner, but held in an enabling manner, calling upon our highest selves.