OPINION
Moving through our collective grief LEBO MADIBA reflects on how South Africans can deal with the crises facing us and come out stronger.
W
e’ve been living with the Covid-19 pandemic for well over 18 months. And now we’ve had to deal with a new crisis: widespread civil unrest. Collective grief for friends, family and colleagues lost to the pandemic now extends to include grief for the many people whose lives and livelihoods have been lost to rioting and looting. We watched in disbelief as the infrastructure that supports our daily lives was destroyed and mass looting laid the foundation not only for economic hardship in the months to come but also for the very real possibility of widespread food and medicine shortages.
IMAGE: SUPPLIED
Losing leaders
These events have exposed deep cracks in our socioeconomic construct. While we commend short-term gains as the authorities manage to restore order street by street, we also understand that there is so much more to be done. At times like these, we look for guidance to business and community leaders, which is why the loss of those who have had such a significant role to play in our communities comes with such a profound sense of weight.
Lebo Madiba
One of those we’ve lost is elder and businessman Jabu Mabuza, who died from complications arising from Covid-19. His loss is made all the more poignant by the fact that taxi drivers turned out to be such unexpected heroes during this traumatic time. Ta’Jabu was a very special South African whose career took him from the taxi ranks to some of the most eminent boardrooms in South Africa. On a personal level, my admiration for him was only heightened by the leadership he showed in the fight against state capture. I had the privilege of working with him in his capacity as president of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) at a time when we were only just starting to connect the dots on the themediaonline.co.za
issue of state capture. He was the one who took up the baton and led business’s response, working tirelessly to help stop the rot. So it was an honour when my public relations agency was appointed to handle BUSA’s messaging, communications and reputation management under his leadership at such a critical time in our history.
No more normal
Reflecting on the events of the past weeks it’s easy for me – as it is for many of us – to long for a sense of normalcy. Sadly, we have to confront the fact that life as we knew it is gone forever, and we need to grieve for that as much as for the people we’ve lost. We’ve been exposed to the uneasy reality of how quickly death and destruction can happen. But South Africans are made of stern stuff. We have to take the time we need to grieve and, just as importantly, to think about the kind of society we want to live in and leave to generations to come. Then, as we have done so many times before, we need to draw on the example that people like Jabu Mabuza have set for us and do better. One step at a time, one brick at a time, one relationship at a time, we need to build a South Africa that is a safe and nurturing place for all who live here. In this moment of darkness, we can choose to move through our loss and grief with bravery and conviction, and create something better for all of us.
Lebo Madiba is managing director of PR Powerhouse. She is a communication expert and brand builder with 20 years’ experience using communications and branding to solve a range of complex business challenges.
T H E M E D I A i 57
