As part of the professional exposure in the SAWIP journey, each participant in the program works four days a week in some of the most influential and dynamic working environments. The program coordinators work incredibly hard finding suitable work placements for the summer and it still feels out of this world when I take a look at my work nametag or approach my work desk in the mornings. The feeling of “Wow, I am here” reiterates what an amazing leadership development opportunity this program is.

For the summer I am gaining professional experience at C-Span in the Marketing Creative department. C-Span is a public service broadcast platform on cable or satellite TV. C-Span is not funded by the government or by advertising and this helps its mandate in providing ordinary Americans access and insight into public policy and the sittings of Senate and Congress. In the marketing department, I am currently looking at the US presidential candidates for 2016, specifically looking at how each candidate engages with support on online digital and social media platforms. My work allows me to gain interesting perspectives on American politics but also gives me the unique opportunity to delve into the issues that lie on many hearts. Working in this environment has also aided my understanding of the challenges that all forms of leadership around the world face.

At the beginning of the week, the interns and I had lunch with Susan Swain and Brian Lamb, CEO and Executive Director at C-Span. The lunch allowed for the 30 summer interns to engage with them on a professional and personal level. Both Susan and Brian were very interested in our stories and how we feel about public broadcast engagement in the future. Sally said something that has remained with me since then. In response to a question about how the organization remains a space that is connected and value-driven she replied that at C-Span, the “tone at the top” is significantly different here at than at other businesses and organisations. The "tone at the top "phrase originated in financial circles to describe an organization’s ethical climate, but more comments on how the leaders of an organization lead their environments.

Authentic and value-driven leadership infiltrates to all members of the organization. This is the Tone at the Top that I have positively experienced since my first day in my work environment. I felt a sense of welcome at my arrival, at the lunch Sally and Brian knew us each by name. In our conversation, it was clear that the organization is excited about having young people learn and contribute to the workplace.

So what’s my tone at the top?

This is a difficult question for me to reflect on. As a young leader, I have been challenged with holding myself accountable to the values to which I have committed. Not keeping my word and forgetting what’s important has been the song in my ship of late. As personal as this is, I must share that I had an honest reflection about the type of leader I am, and if that is aligned to who I want to be and whether my intent is translated into action. I have had many internal conversations that I would like to encourage my team and many young global leaders to have; check-in once in a while. It is not always easy but we must commit to leading in a way that is honest, accountable and transparent. Now and in the future, I want to be a leader who’s “Tone at the Top” inspires and innovates, in the same way that Brian and Sally at C-Span do.

Read more about C-Span here : http://www.c-span.org/

Every summer, my host parents, Joyce and Richard Schwartz open their homes to host four students from the SAWIP, New Story Leadership (NSL) and Washington Ireland Program (WIP). I am lucky enough to have the unique experience of sharing a home with young people from Israel, Palestine and Ireland for the duration of my stay this summer in DC.

Stuart is part of the WIP team, a PHD History student and greets me with a cup of tea and a biscuit after a long day. Chen and Abeer are part of the NSL team and both love finely chopped salads and have an appreciation for good wine. Abeer is a social activist at heart who uses language and poetry to connect with the world. Chen , along with Stuart has become somewhat of an annoying older brother who teases me while I am on the phone but look out for me, especially when I am feeling under the weather.

The beauty of our multicultural living experience is that our dinner conversations are filled with interesting narratives, perspectives and lived experiences. Chen for example served in the army, Abeer has been to more countries than she can count on both hands. Both experiences have significantly shaped who they are and will undoubtedly impact the communities they will engage with in the future.

Our host parents (very knowledgeable, might I add) contribute an interesting inter-generational aspect to our conversation (the sort of interaction I believe, does not happen enough in our society). Richard is a lawyer specializing in environmental issues who often shares his experiences. He is currently working on a criminal case which he says is giving him the unique opportunity to learn. In the short time that I have known him and Joyce I have learnt a significant amount from them, in particular that we don’t ever have to stop learning and developing, regardless of our age.

Having honest and critical conversations with those who from a different generational context can be of immense value to younger leaders in the broader context. In having conversations about the future with younger global leaders, it is important that we include those who have belonged to a different time. I have seen the value of inter-generational interaction from the SAWIP curriculum sessions as well as from a project at Stellenbosch University called Discourse Café* which invites prominent thought leaders, both local and international, to interact with a smaller group of students and other interested parties in an informal and engaging setting.

I am looking forward to many more dinner conversations, traditional Israeli, American and Irish meals. I can tell that this summer is going to be great!

* Discourse cafe - initiative by the Frederick van Zyl Slabbert Institute for student leadership development. enhance and round off the broader programme offering of the Institute.

It has been over week since I have arrived in the United States of America. The United States has treated me well thus far; the trip has exceeded expectation. I have come with a mind-set of learning - I was fortunate to have a session with David Lovins who I met through Lee Schinder, my host mother for the summer. David, being a life coach, afforded me the opportunity to benefit from his advice and life experiences and to guide me in the right direction. The conversation for the first hour was based on getting to know one other then the next two hours was solely based on coaching. I am unable to pinpoint certain aspect of the session that I felt were important because I feel that every word that was uttered by David was valuable. As an individual I am responsible for my own success and the journey of success is a process that requires patience and consist of continuous action.

Firstly, I learnt about the importance of making a list of tasks that need to be completed in order of priority. This simple action has the ability change the way time is managed more effectively. The key is not to get overwhelmed when there is a long list of tasks to be completed. This process is fundamental in changing one’s behaviour and can encourage greater efficiency due to increased confidence when completed tasks are ticked off the list.

Secondly, paying attention to detail every little decision that is made is important because it slowly builds momentum, which becomes habit. David emphasised that I should pay meticulous attention to the finer detail because the cumulative effective would lead to exponential development. The small decisions are what David called critical areas that could make an individual or subsequently hurt a person. Few examples of critical areas are procrastination, not being honest and over-promising then under-delivering.

Thirdly, making good decisions that will contribute positively to my success, I should always remove myself from a situation by viewing it from a bird’s eye view. Before I make a final decision, I should think of how I would advise my younger brother, Khumo, on how to approach the situation. This was the game charger, I realised that if I focus on this each time I will constantly make the right decisions.

Since the SAWIP 2015 teams arrival in Washington DC a few days ago, I have been reflecting heavily on how blessed I am be here, to be doing what I am doing, to be meeting the people I am meeting and to engage with the wonderful souls that are my SAWIP team and team managers.

It all started with an application I spent about two weeks completing a few months ago. It is funny to think how that led to one phone call that changed my life and to this incredible trip to Washington. It really baffles me how a small act like that has impacted me so immensely. But do you know what’s really scary? I can’t help it but wonder how many of these small actions have I missed out on doing that could have changed my life like this. Are my eyes really open?

What consoles me though is that SAWIP is a program like no other. Honestly, I wouldn’t swop this experience for any other I have ever had. Coming from engineering background that I do come from I would honestly never have been exposed and enlightened like this. I look around me in class and it is clear to my how I am different. I have never had a sense of purpose as I do now, and that’s an amazing feeling. It’s almost like feeling absolutely free.

I often think back to what I would have spent my time on this year if I didn’t get onto SAWIP. After not making the team in 2014, I was heavily disappointed. Mostly because I was never accustomed to not getting the things I applied for. Which is egotistical to some extent, I know. But it’s true. I know its cliché but I honestly think it was meant to be. You see, that feeling of disappointment came from a source that has no place for in my life. It has no place in a grown mans life. As one of my good friend once told me Ego Must Fall. I can admit that 2014 was not as great as I expected it to be, but looking back, it is the exact contrast I needed to this year. We are all flawed I think. We can never be perfect. All we can really do it recognise our flaws and consciously work at them in our day-to-day lives. The past two years have been an eye-opener to these flaws of mine and I am eternally grateful for that.

My SAWIP team. I absolutely adore every single one of you. At a session we had last night, I briefly reflected on the months we have spent together in SA. Never have I met a bunch of people so genuine and loving. You are all true from your soul and so special. I think the greatest blessing of them all is that I get to share this experience with you.

So what does it really mean to be a SAWIPer? Well, I guess it’s different for everyone. I am slowly getting a full picture of what it means to me and I look forward to completing more of that picture over the next few weeks in DC.

Yesterday was my mother’s birthday and, although I am miles away from her, she was on my mind all day (and not only for the 10-min Whatsapp call we had as I stood hovering outside Starbucks stealing their Wi-Fi). I took the day to reflect on what my mother meant to me and how she shaped the individual I am today. I specifically thought of the personal struggles she overcame throughout her life; struggles she rarely refers to and I feel guilty to say, struggles that I tend to forget about quite easily.

It got me thinking about the role females play in our society…now, this is a massively broad topic, but I’m referring specifically to the amount of female-headed households in South Africa and the typical strong female figure who fearlessly struggles through various obstacles to provide for her family. Some of the main causes of female-headed households in South Africa are:

1.) Males migrating in search of work opportunities

2.) Absent male figures due to either death and/or adolescent pregnancy

3.) General family disruption

There is an assumption that female-headed households are generally poorer than male-headed households and that they are in a position of greater vulnerability with a lesser chance of improving their position. Some of the characteristics of female-headed households are the following:

1.) They have a higher dependency ratio in spite of the smaller average size of the household

2.) They have fewer assets and less access to resources

3.) They tend to have a greater history of disruption

Despite investments in education, health and basic services in the post-apartheid period have undoubtedly improved the lives of millions of South Africans, significant gender differences in levels of human development persist. Women and people living in female-headed households still suffer most. A comparison of income between female- and male-headed households shows that female-headed households are poorer by an average of 40% as opposed to their male counterparts. A large portion of South African families are headed by a single mother or perhaps even a grandmother or aunt, so why is almost every law, structure, institution etc we have based on the classic image of a core family of two (married) parents with their children living in the same house? South African women are strong and hard-working, but are we paying enough attention to the massive gender inequality of our country? Let the ladies be heard! Let the women be empowered! Let all be equal.

For more information on this topic, Michael Rogan’s article is very helpful:

http://www.econ3x3.org/article/poverty-may-have-declined-women-and-female-headed-households-still-suffer-most#sthash.tmJ2upWm.dpuf

The first semester of the academic is drawing to an end. The final hurdle being the final examinations are on the horizon. Earlier during the week as I was setting up by my work station to begin with my studying preparations, I could not seem to find the one thing that assists me with studying being my earphones. This did not contribute my enthusiasm as I had been waiting the whole day to listen to a new jazz album that I serendipitously stumbled across. I began searching all over the apartment, becoming despondent I decided to take a break. As I sat down I remembered that I had left them in my jacket that I had worn the previous day, with a rejuvenated spring in my walk I headed towards the cupboard and found my long lost treasure. At this point I leapt back to the study station. I could finally begin studying whilst listening to some good music. In my excitement I hadn’t noticed that the earphones were tangled, now I had to figure out the maze trying to get the earphones free. I am pretty certain that the earphones knew how badly I wanted to listen to the music so just for fun the earphones decided to tease me. There were points when I thought that the earphones were about to become free but then I would pull the wrong end causing a tighter knot. This went on for several minutes and I was slowly becoming frustrated. It was only until I focused on one end and began weaving out the knots, was I able to get the earphones untangled and finally begin with my studies. Now that you know that I was able to conquer the earphones I will not keep you in suspense like the earphones did with me. This event that that took place applies to one of the SAWIP sessions we had.

The session which was more of a discussion was facilitated by Simone Freemantle who is a Senior Political Economist at Standard Bank. The discussion was based on the current regional and continental challenges , as well as the fault lines and opportunities in South Africa and the rest of Africa. What stood out for me during the discussion was a term Simone used which was “Inflections points” in South Africa. Inflection points refer to substantial change in the progress of an industry, sector, company and the economy which can either be positive or negative. The cause for crisis in South Africa can be explained by some of the following inflection points. Firstly patriotism being a part of the current ruling party’s focus, there is the belief by the party that there is a definite link between its own political programmes of transformation and patriotism. In which if individuals do not agree with the party’s policies then their loyalty to the South African democracy is questioned. Secondly the violation of the constitution by government officials, when the constitution was drafted there was no anticipation of presidential abuse of power. Thirdly the stagnate growth of the economy and rising unemployment rate. Fourthly the lack of direction we have as a country under the current leadership.

Druring Nelson Mandela’s term as a country there was a set vision that was instilled in the nation. The country knew what the presidential mandate was. The Mandela era was focused on reconciliation and this steered South Africa through crisis towards co-operative governance and nation building. Through this he was able to inspire confidence within the country and internationally. The Thabo Mbeki era from 1999 focused on the African Renaissance with the vision of the emergence of a new approach to African leadership. It was during this era we become accustomed to the phrase ‘’African solutions for African problems “. Under his leadership he was able to create employment in the middle class which we also saw an exponential rise in the black middle class.

Under the current leader leadership I unfortunately do not know what the main vision is. As a nation we currently don’t know what our vision is as a collective. There is now a divided approach which results in individuals going in their own direction. The issue with individuals going on scattered paths is that just like the tangled earphones tremendous efforts have been made in untangling the ills of the past. Individuals are trying to make to make a difference because they feel not enough is being done, but the problem here is not having a shared vision as a nation, we currently don’t know what we stand for as a whole. This is clearly evident with the protests, strikes just to name a few which are typical signs of frustration. Frustration hampers progression, like my situation with the earphones progress was made but when I started tugging on the other end the progress was reversed. Currently the lack of synergy is causing knots that should not exist. We have come a long way to allow the foundations that have been constructed to crumble. Let us not lose sight of where we came from, a great deal has been untangled. Let us focus and get these earphones free. It is time to listen to some good music.

Although I don’t eat fish and will, therefore, never go fishing, I have gone on a bit of an hiatus, an academic hibernation you may say. Yes, the streets and bars of Stellenbosch are empty for that bi-annual delight that we call exams. In between the glorious musings of Contract Law and the terribly interesting findings of Insolvency Law (for those of you who didn’t, please note the sarcasm here) I received a SAWIP-related e-mail. Not just any SAWIP e-mail, but a work placement related e-mail. Yes, ladies and gents, it is so; I too have found a place that is willing to welcome me to their office for my time in D.C. It is with great excitement that I confirm that I will be unleashing my vast knowledge and experience upon the employees of the US African Development Foundation (once again, folks, note the sarcasm, seeing as I feel like you should call me Jon Snow: I know nothing!).

For a lot of us, this is our first experience with the proper professional world. I must admit that I am nervous, but it would be abnormal not to be. I’ve been on Google researching (a euphemism for ‘curiously snooping’) the USADF: in a nutshell, USADF is an independent Federal agency established to support African-led development that grows community enterprises by providing seed capital and technical support. USADF provides grants of up to $250,000 directly to hard to reach and community enterprises in 19 African countries. This empowers those who are least served by existing markets or assistance programs to become a part of Africa's growth story. USADF connects community enterprises with capital and technical support organizations create and sustain jobs, improve income levels, achieve greater food security, and address human development needs.

It got me to thinking about community service, entrepreneurship and the roles different actors can/should/do play. I’ve always been actively involved in my communities and I’ve always loved the idea of “giving back”. After a project, I would go home and comfortably sink into the sofa that was my self-satisfaction. “What a good thing we did today!”, I’d think. “How happy those people were!”, I’d observe. Man, I was the most deluded person back then. I soon grew up and realised how wrong my approach to community service has always been. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but it all comes down to this: stop thinking you are the saviour of the people. We all have a tendency of riding into disadvantaged communities on our horses of privilege and hand-outs, thinking we are about to be soldiers of the Good and protectors of the Poor. Do we not see how obnoxious we are? In my opinion, there are only two key elements to designing a successful community project: I’m not saying it’s full-proof, but it will add significant value to your project and it will ensure more fulfilling results for the target group, as well as for you.

Firstly, get out there and do some research. You need to spend time in a community, you need to talk to the people, you need to scout the area and you need to allow THEM to tell you what they need. Once they have told you it will be necessary for you to listen. I know you had a fantastic plan to deliver canned goods to the entire village, but if they don’t have can openers your donation would be useless. (A silly example, I know). I think this simple step is skipped, because our motivation to go into a community is often so wrong: do we want to help someone to significantly change their life or do we just want to appease our guilt? Are we facilitating a process through which people can empower themselves or are we merely enabling them to stay where they are as soon as we leave?

Secondly, you need to ask yourself if your project is sustainable. Handing out canned goods might curb the hunger for a month, but what happens after the last baked beans are spread onto the last slice of toast? Are these people supposed to await the next cavalry of do-gooders? It cannot be said that a project is successful if it falls apart when you leave - building relationships and transferring skills and knowledge are of much greater value: you can give a hungry man a piece of fish and his hunger will be satisfied, but you can teach him how to fish and he will never go hungry again. BOOM. Wisdom right there. (OK fine, I admit, I stole that proverb from the wise old Chinese folk)

So ask yourself, are you fishing for people or are you fishing for compliments?

P.S. I don’t think anyone has ever captured my thoughts on this topic more aptly than the charismatic and handsome Italian, Ernesto Sirolli. Have a listen to his TED Talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chXsLtHqfdM

In Northern Ireland the national identities of the people living there is amazingly complex, extremely diverse and profoundly interesting.

Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was apportioned between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland by The Government of Ireland Act of the Westminster parliament back in mainland Britain. Unlike Southern Ireland, which would become the Irish Free State in 1922, the majority of Northern Ireland's population were unionists or loyalists, who wanted to remain within the United Kingdom and the majority of these people were the Protestant descendants of colonists from Great Britain. There was however a significant minority who were mostly Catholics and nationalists who sought a united and independent Ireland not controlled by Britain.

Northern Ireland as we know it today was established by the Northern Ireland Act of 1998 as part of the Good Friday Agreement. Residents of Northern Ireland are British citizens and are officially part of the United Kingdom. This is in line with how the Northern Irish people had preferred it in 1997.

During the 2011 census in Northern Ireland the question was asked to the inhabitants of Northern Ireland ‘With what national identity do you identify with?’ The results were quite fascinating.

43% of respondents said that they are ‘British’. 26% responded with ‘Irish’. And here is the interesting part, 27% said that they identify as being ‘Northern Irish’ (For those who have totalled the percentages as you were reading, 4% said ‘Other’).

What makes these statistics very interesting is if you had asked the very same question 20 years ago it would have been a near 50/50 split between ‘British’ and ‘Irish”. With the latest census it found that in just a mere 20 years more than half a million people or 27% of the population are now forming a new identity.

Of this 27% that identify as ‘Northern Irish’ 31% stated that they are ‘Catholic’, 27% said that they are ‘Protestant’, 35% that they follow no religion and 7% follow other religions. The trend thus shows that more and more people of Northern Ireland in their post-conflict society are forming a new national identity across previous religious, cultural and opinion divides.

I would argue that in South Africa we are following a similar trend. The parallel between the situation in Northern Ireland and South Africa that I wish to draw here is based on the conversations that I have had and the young South Africans that I have met in the past few years.

I know that my view on this is subjective to my personal point of reference, but if one twenty one year old student at the University of Pretoria is starting to notice it, I truly believe that this new identity is spreading. Not only across our campuses but throughout the whole country.

Our students are engaging and the conversations are happening. A new national identity is forming around the values that so many fought and died for. The values of true freedom, equality and human dignity are at the forefront of what this new generation is working towards. True in the sense that these values are made tangible and a reality to every South African. Young South Africans from all backgrounds are working together in an amazing Rainbow Nation fashion. Even though the days of ‘us’ and ‘them’ are very much with our footprints behind us, there still is a lot of work to be done.

To paraphrase former president Thabo Mbeki, I am a South African and so too are so many others that are truly starting to believe and embrace this identity.

It is strange to think that I have been part of the SAWIP community for almost four months now and yet somehow I can’t imagine my life without SAWIP. Over the past few months I have learned so much from the experiences and relationships I have made and encountered ranging from selection camp to the curriculum sessions and even goofing around with my fellow teammates, all of which has enriched my life profoundly.

I remember standing at Selection Camp thinking about the how truly talented each of the individuals attending were. We had just finished completing a debate about the National Development Plan for South Africa and each member had given an input through their own life’s story and I found myself dumbstruck. Throughout the weekend we were asked to do two things: be authentic and communicate our vision. I think we all succeeded in doing both these things and it amazes me to think that such a pool of talent is drawn to this programme every year. I did not pity the selection committee’s task and by the end of the weekend I was gobsmacked to find out I had made it!!

It has been a rollercoaster ride ever since comprised of weekly curriculum sessions with awe inspiring guests, getting to know our own little SAWIP family and of course the daily speculation of what Washington DC has in store for us. On a more personal note this has been one of the single greatest leadership development opportunities of my life. As a Political Science student attending curriculum sessions presented by the leaders in my field such as Clem Sunter and Simon Freemantle has not only broadened my networks but has also granted me a once in a lifetime academic experience!

Engaging with my fellow SAWIPpers on difficult topics such as identity and reconciliation has enriched my understanding of humanity and curriculum sessions such as the talks with Mariam Lichterman, a holocaust survivor have taught us all the triumph of the human spirit, which is a lesson that will stay with us well into the future.

Finally the greatest gift that SAWIP has given us is, the idea of a collective future. Visiting Somsdelta Wine Farm this past weekend has shown us what a future of collective wealth and opportunity sharing society can look like. Which ties in with what I hoped SAWIP would be those many months ago at our first selection camp: an opportunity to breach the gap between difference and indifference and a shared experience which would be fostered in a collective future.

My hope is that whichever side of the Parliamentary benches I sit on one day that I will know that there is a fellow SAWIP colleague on the other side who despite our differences is willing to work on a collective future for our country with me because of this shared experience!!

“THIS IS WHY I NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

I look around myself and I see men of Value

Men of Strength

Men of Dignity and Pride.

Wen I look at these men,

I see a better me.

So why can’t I strive to show them

A better them?

These attributes have no ceiling,

But rather exist on an endless spectrum.

Brothers build of brothers.

I want to be successful to lay a platform for others.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, AFRICA NEEDS LEADERSHIP.”

Looking down my Facebook timeline this past week, I came across a post I had made about a year ago. I made this post for a movement called AMADODA started by one of my good friends, and SAWIP teammate, Leroy.

It really reminded me of one of my fundamental truths that I still am firmly set in, but that I often don’t have in mind when going about my daily activities. I reflected on what I have done over the past year and it became clear to me that I have strayed from this truth to some extent.

Today I grabbed a marker and an A3 page and wrote it down in in large dark letters. From today on, it will reside permanently above my desk.

Writing a short blog about it as an extra permanent reminder won’t hurt as well. :)

“Do I develop myself to propel my personal goals and ambitions or do I develop myself to truly serve others?” Am I able to do both?

These are the questions that many young middle class South Africans are faced with. It was in an interaction with facilitator Dr. Reddy, early on in the curriculum development that I began to really think about the role of the middle class in developing society. Since then, almost every facilitator has provided insightful and different commentary on the growing middle class.

“Politics is expected to do too much”.

In a session on South African political history, Political Science academic, Dr. Reddy, described the South African middle class as a group who is living in fear. A group that that is unknown and living in self constructed border; creating their own wealth through the opportunity of formal education and not ploughing enough back in society. In a country that is framed by vast inequality and different access to opportunities, the middle class must be the driver for economic development.What does this mean for my peers and family? The answers I have change daily as I grapple with the reality that we are in the unique position to alter and uplift an entire country.

In places such as the United Kingdom we see that the middle class are frustrated and disempowered. Despite earning an income, they, as highlighted by Clem Sunter , are unable to purchase housing nor enjoy the same benefits as their parents were able to as young professionals.

“Middle class people change society”

This is true for Greece. The middle class strongly supported left wing Syria and has now changed the course of politics in Europe.

“Do I develop myself to propel my personal goals and ambitions or do I develop myself to truly serve others?”

As I prepare for my professional exposure in Washington DC, this question is stuck on my mirror to remind me of the unique opportunity I have to develop and then go on to serve greater society as a change agent and young leader.

I am not too sure why a particular South African financial institution (will not mention names) decided to change their slogan from the title of this blog piece . “Thinking ahead” is what the world and South Africa needs now.

This past Monday, the Western Cape team began the penultimate curriculum week on the Economy and Employment before our departure to Washington DC. The discussion led by Mr. Clem Sunter on Mega Trends left me thinking about our current institutions, leaders and organizations and whether they are investing enough time in anticipating the needs of the future. The session was centered on identifying “flags” as tools to better understand our environments. Much like marketers identify trends, flags are areas of interest that are currently as Sunter suggests, “going up now in society”. In the greater world context, religion and the population ageing dynamic were some of the topics identified as flags. Identifying flags can be of immense value and the challenge is how we chose to act, and decide on a way forward given what we now are aware of. How we chose to react on the increasing wars on religion and on age and its effect on economic development around the world will further influence how future societies are shaped.

As a graduate of Agriculture, I am concerned about how we will deal with the changing temperature and its impact on the quantity and quality of crop produced. It seems as if the world has temporarily put the conversation on climate change on hold. Mr. Sunter shared an interesting story of how climate change was surprisingly identified as one of the crucial world flags by a Safety and Security State official. The Southern Hemisphere wine industry would be severely affected should our summers continue to get warmer and our winters scarce with rain. A small number of farmers have taken an interest in alternative farming methods but I wonder whether this is enough to curb the impact of the rapid and severe change in temperature. Winemakers of the future will be tasked with creating wine that reflects a different terroir*, and perhaps straw wines (wine made from dried raisins) will become a more popular style in the future.

“You cannot remain in the premier League of Nations and stay divided”

In the South African context, inclusive leadership was identified as a flag. It is no secret that South Africa is currently challenged in terms of our leaders but this curriculum session made me realize that we cannot have the conversation on leadership in isolation. It is important to consider other stakeholders, such as entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators and their role in creating our future. In developing leaders, it is becoming increasingly important that we also develop those with skills to develop products and services that will develop and sustain an economy.

Terroir *- the environmental conditions, especially soil and climate, in which grapes are grown and that give a wine its unique flavor and aroma

“The purest treasure mortal times afford is a spotless reputation”- William Shakespeare

This week the SAWIP team had a presentation on Reputation Management facilitated by Alan Arguile. Allan shared twelve lessons which he was learned about insuring your reputation stays intact in various situations. After the session I did some reflection on what Allan shared and I have come up with six tips from my own life experience about saving face. Here are some lessons I have learned about Reputation Management.

1. The devil is in the detail

At a first year welcoming event I was once called onto stage by our Vice-Rector and asked to introduce a team of twenty Student Union members and give the details of each of the member’s portfolio. When I got half way through I realised that I had forgotten one of the member’s surnames and spent the next two minutes stuttering in front of five thousand people. Now I know this is not the norm and that usually one has more time to prepare however it did drive home the idea that if you do not prepare and practice even the most basic things can slip your mind. Thankfully the crowd was forgiving however following the event I make a point of it to prepare for any speech giving opportunity, even if it’s just the basics to ensure that I have all the bases covered.

2. Everything is on the record

There is an old saying that perception is two thirds of the battle. The problem is that in the twenty first century technology has blown perception out of the water. Everyone has access to everything, even that eight grade speech you gave about legalising marijuana. Therefore what you say now could affect you in the future and perhaps more importantly what other people say about you now might affect you in the future. I have a rule of thumb, if you are not comfortable with your mother knowing it, don’t say it on a public platform. Also manage what the people who are in your life say about you on a public platform, your mother might think you are her little honey bee on social media but your boss might find it less amusing.

3. Humour is subjective

Not everyone is a born comedian, nor should everyone be. As a politician I am more likely to put you to sleep than to make them laugh and that’s okay. There are worse things in the world than to be thought of as over-serious. However when you start trying to hard or laughing at your own jokes you can do more damage to your reputation than good. It’s about knowing your own strengths and playing to them and humour is not everyone’s strength.

4. Your core message is key

During my first year at university there was a saying in a local language “skiet jou ruimpie” loosely translated it means to “say your rhyme” and what was meant by it was that you had to practice introducing yourself to such a degree that it eventually stated to sound like a rhyme. The four of five things that you chose to say would become your introduction to hundreds of people during orientation week and the same is true about almost any situation in life. You need to know the four or five things that are core to the message that you want to say at all times. People will often forget the content but if your core message is communicated effectively they will always remember it. An old politician I know once explained it to me as “on message, in mass, over time”. You need to put your core message out there, repeat it so that it sticks and continue to do so to ensure it sticks. This is essential to building your brand in any given situation.

5. Be a story teller

People respond to stories that they can relate to and people relate to stories in which you share of your own vulnerabilities. There is a great Ted Talk about the power of vulnerability which explains this phenomenon very well but essentially it means that people will not go to war for/with you if they cannot relate to you. People don’t go follow you through a PowerPoint presentation but they do follow you if you can tell them a story in which they can believe in. Just think of the great leaders of our time: Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan all of them are great story tellers.

6. Have an Alpha dog in your corner

This is a lesson my father taught me and it is something I will live by for the rest of my life. There will always be people trying to discredit you, especially if you are trying to do something different to the status quo, however as long as you have a core group of people who believe in you and articulate that to you often the sky is the limit. No matter how bad things seem or what people say, if you have an alpha dog reminding you of what your core message is your end game will supersede whatever your detractors have to say

Leadership is a lonely road and managing your reputation can be a slippery slope and by no means are these the only lessons that there are to navigate this path. However these are just some of the lessons that I have learned and I am looking forward to learning even more during this SAWIP experience.

There is something incredibly electric about standing at the point in a road where the path diverges - separate paths which contain known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns (Quite a mouthful eh?).

When Simon Freemantle, a senior analyst at Standard Bank shared his thoughts on South Africa, he described the current state of affairs as being an inflection point, where our country could take a number of different paths, some promising while others not so much. Clem Sunter, a renowned author and scenario planner effectively contextualised Freemantles' 'inflection point' concept by illustrating a number of 'flags' which will influence the possible paths that our country could take.

Amongst these so-called flags are;

i. Challenges in education, where South Africa spends more per child on education that most African countries, yet produces comparatively dismal results against countries who spend less on education but have a 'better' system for lack of a better phrase.

ii. Counter-entrepreneural spirit in the country - Unlike most other rapidly growing African economies, South Africans have a lackluster attitude towards entrepreneurship, a problem compounded by bureaucratic red-tape and difficulties in accessing credit for capital.

iii. Race. Need I say more ?

iv. Corruption - In some areas of the private sector, the cost of doing business with the state requires bribery, however companies have corporate governance codes which disallow such behavior. This effectively makes doing business in these sectors unappealing.

The issue of education has been dealt with in detail by many South Africans. Problems center around poor teaching, syllabus issues and resource allocation. The biggest issue to my mind, and Mr Sunter concurs, is that teachers are not held accountable. The unions have on a number of occasions blocked attempts at re-introducing school inspectors or teacher accountability mechanisms. Education also needs leadership, and bright young South Africans need to see the value in education as a career path as opposed to the traditional choices. The solution to our education problem therefore begins with introducing measures for adequate educator accountability which is backed up by excellent leadership in schools in the form of passionate headmasters/headmistresses.

I am in two minds about the solution to the lack of entrepreneural spirit. The private sector is incredibly appealing to young graduates because it represents a low risk career path as opposed to starting you own business. The only way to eliminate this risk would be to introduce wide-reaching and easily accessible capital for young South Africans with bright ideas to start businesses. The downside to this is that it is open to abuse, and the accountability measures that would need to be implemented may mirror the current red-tape facing small to medium business owners and entrepreneurs. I personally think that entrepreneurship can only become appealing when both the state and the private sector invest in small businesses to make it a legitimate career choice.

The issue of race in our country can only be dealt with when all parties come to the table to speak to each other as opposed to screaming past each other. I have dealt a lot with race in other articles and I won't delve into the issue here as it is a vast topic requiring more than a few words typed out in my study-break. Ultimately we need a psychological shift in the mindsets of South Africans, especially amongst the privileged. I do believe that the only way forward is working towards a truly non-racial society, and that nationalism based on race will destroy us from the inside.

In essence though, all these 'flags' indicate a need for leadership n every single sector of South Africa, from the desk of the President to the offices of NGO's to the smokey boardrooms of JSE listed companies. It is fallacious to believe that a difference can only be made in public service or the NGO sector - The right leadership in private companies can result in social-responsiveness programs and most importantly, employment.

Thank you for delving into the scattered thoughts of my mind as I juggle academic work with the small question of the future of my country. We are at a crucial point in history, and what we do now will determine the outcome. This is more than just an abstract idea, as most of the SAWIP team will be graduating in the next 1-2 years and we will have an opportunity to take our country down a promising path whether we enter the public or private sector.

I love SAWIP site visits. They are always exciting, and I always learn a lot. The most recent one was the visit to the South African Jewish Holocaust museum in Cape Town. This has to be one of my favourite tours of all time. Linda Hackner was our facilitator for the evening and taught us a lot about the Holocaust. First, she introduced us to Nazi ideology. Then, she showed us the origins of anti-Semitism and finally, gave us tour of the museum.

The tour was an emotional experience for the team, especially the narratives of those who died brutally. The post-museum conversations that followed this experience were particularly intriguing. I found it to be rather scary. Allow me to explain.

What was scary about the post museum conversations was the kind of language used; some would say “I cannot believe how they [Nazis] mercilessly killed all those people” others would say “How could those Nazis do such a thing” others still “I would never do that”. The scary part about the language use is how those who were speaking were distancing themselves from the events of the holocaust and its perpetrators. The language implies that there was something wrong with them that is not wrong with us. We should not forget that the Nazis were not monsters or sinister madmen. They were something even more terrifying: they were normal human beings. Consider the case of Adolph Eichmann and Yehiel Dinur.

Adolph Eichmann was a high ranking member of the Nazi party. He is considered to be the chief leader of the murder of 6 million Jews in concentration camps. After the war, he escaped to Argentina until May of 1960 when he was arrested and brought back to Israel to stand trial. During the trial, Yehiel Dinur (A concentration camp survivor) entered the courtroom to take the witness stand. As he paused before Eichmann, he fainted. Dinur was asked whether or not he was overcome by fear, hatred, or the memories of what he endured. Mr. Dinur’s response was chilling…

“No,” he responded… explaining that he realized Eichmann was not the godlike army officer who sent millions to their deaths. Much worse, he was an ordinary man. “I was afraid about myself. I saw that I am capable to do this. I am… exactly like he.” Dinur concluded by saying, “Eichmann is in all of us…”

I would like to submit to you that human beings (yes, including me and you) are capable of the most heinous of acts. And given the right pressure, right situation, and right opportunity, none of us know what we could do given the previous conditions. Therefore we should continually examine ourselves, and make a conscious decision to be better individuals and acknowledge that Eichmann is in all of us.

South Africa as a state is well passed her rainbow nation, overtly unified phase. As a young democracy, we are currently being challenged in all aspects of our transformation. For many, the current conversations on symbols, statues and institutional culture are rather uncomfortable. The reality is, there seems to be an atmosphere of deep rooted anger and frustration. This is evident in the way in which we engage with one another and choose to express ourselves on public platforms. Public commentary on articles and on broadcast media sees South Africans grappling with how we go about transforming spaces. At its worst, public commentary is the platform on which many disgruntled South Africans air their dirty race relations laundry. Our once deeply divided societies,are faced with defining and creating an inclusive environment. I see our current frustration not as negative but rather an authentic approach as to how we deal with what we are thinking and feeling as a nation.

The hope lies in the many people and places committed to having courageous conversations that aim to positively shape our future. One such example is in the US where Starbucks CEO*, Howard Schultz, is currently leading the conversation in his organization on tangible transformation. Howard engages directly with employees on all levels about their feelings regarding the “tragic events and unrest that unfolded across America, from Ferguson, Missouri to New York City to Oakland, California”. In South Africa, young people are currently at the forefront of discourse and debate and further leading social movements. We are not only asking the hard questions but also making sense of our history in an effort to redefine our shared environments.

At the end of last year, I had to make the rather difficult decision as to whether I continue with post graduate studies or whether I take up the role of a young working professional. I am glad I opted in stay in the higher education sphere as it is an exciting time to be a student, even more so being team member of SAWIP. The opportunity creates the rare environment to further discuss transformation matters in relation to our different academic institutions.

Recently a group of Masters in Psychology students from Ball State University from the US came to Stellenbosch University as part of a cultural exchange for their program. In conversation by candle light, it was highlighted that our challenges are not unique. Although our contexts are somewhat different, we all shared and agreed that the transformation concerns that we face at our higher learning institutions are complex and the solutions are multifaceted. The conversation was powerful in that it left me feeling that young people around the world are thinking and engaging with our dynamic society and its development.

My hope for transformation lies in the young minds, who are passionate about tangible and inclusive transformation.

Load shedding (despite its inconvenience) encourages authentic and intimate conversations by candle light. Here, friends and I have a powerful discussion with a group of Ball state University Masters students on transformation and diversity challenges in South African and American Universities.

“Museums have no political power, but they do have the possibility of influencing the political process. This is a complete change from their role in the early days of collecting and hoarding the world to one of using the collections as an archive for a changing world. This role is not merely scientifically important, but it is also a cultural necessity.”

- Richard Fortey, Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life Of The Natural History Museum

History is filled with complex issues. Our visits to both the Slave Lodge (http://www.iziko.org.za/museums/slave-lodge) on Freedom Day and more recently the Holocaust Museum (http://www.ctholocaust.co.za/) are really books and stories that have come to life. It is when we engage with these spaces that we are soon confronted with illustrations of particular world views as it encompasses more than just the stories documented of the time, they are a reflection of a value system, cultural normativity and more importantly illustrate the biases we have as individuals.

Pictures, identification documentation and personal regalia are all intertwined in the echoes of the halls we find ourselves in. They may not move but through them we are moved. Individual reports speak to us in different ways be it through our understanding of our faith, our culture or even our race. We are pushed to stare our current lived experiences in the face as leaders. How would we have reacted to the situations many others had to endure, how would we have led, would we have had the courage to speak out, to die and to fight for what we believed was right?

Museums are important instruments of society. They are never to become static. Much like human beings we are also never to assume a static understanding of our identity. Our identities are fluid. We are more than just our faith, race or the language we speak. And there is significant beauty in understanding this truth.

It helps us to understand and discard the notion of moral absolutism. There cannot be but one right or one wrong. We are also forced to confront the honesty of this statement with caution.

Power of narrative

The opening quote by Richard Fortrey introduces a new notion of the role and place of these places as more than merely archives but as active contributors to the political process and as a cultural necessity. We are to dissect the stories that they tell, rethink and re-establish how it is told and more over to also use it as a tool to influence the progress of society.

Much of the opinions and perspectives shared by members of the team are similar regarding how museums are both a priceless resource but also an important teaching tool. We see more and more that the stories and names are not just that. They are able to help mould how we think, to reflect on why we think that way and influences what we choose to do with layers added to our worldview, the depth added to our perspectives and opinions and more importantly it re-shades the lenses through which we look at the world.

They are stories that help shape the future.

In essence, it helps shapes us as we live in the present - a soon to be past (history) that will be told many years from now.

Ignorance is bliss, but denial ain’t just a river in Egypt… what I lack in personal experience in attending rehabilitation facilities, I make up for in my over-indulgence in cheap American films, which has taught me through the struggles of various tortured characters that the first step to overcoming your problem is to admit that you have a problem. South Africans can no longer ignore the X-Factor. And no, I’m not referring to anything Ryan Seacrest or Simon Cowell is involved with (yet another example of cheap, yet popular American entertainment). I’m referring to XENOPHOBIA. Xenophobia is commonly understood as the dislike or prejudice against people from other countries.

In 2008 when the first xenophobic attacks took place, our government (strategically?) refrained from using the word “xenophobia” and rather opted for sneakily selected synonyms such as “displaced violence” or “acts of brutality” or “rampant criminality”. Finally, this time around, we have formal acknowledgement by government officials that we are, indeed, faced with a crisis of xenophobia. Acknowledgement is not enough, our government needs to take formal action if it wants to ensure that xenophobic attacks will not rear its ugly head again. Xenophobia will never leave us unless we have a proper political plan of action – sporadic eruptions will continue to haunt communities. We need to listen to the cries of those who have no jobs, no adequate housing and no hope. We need to respond appropriately to those who are at risk for drugs and prostitution in order to escape a desperate situation. These acts of violence and thuggery are committed and condoned by people who perceive foreigners to be the cause of their poverty. Desperate locals see foreigners as the thieves of jobs and services and the criminals who side-step the law.

Note how I say “we” need to listen and “we” need to respond: during the anti-Apartheid struggle, grassroots organisation and civil movements were the backbone of the liberation movement and I am of the opinion that this will be the most effective way of organising people to fight xenophobia. I’ve always been proud of our strong civil society, but lately I’ve questioned its interests: how do we manage to organise thousands of students, civilians, academics etcetera to fight for the removal of a statue, but we don’t apply the same vigour in removing corrupt officials from their positions or in demanding justice for the 34 massacred victims of the Marikana shooting? Is a march against xenophobia in Johannesburg enough?

Here, I suggest we look to one of our neighbours, Zambia, for some inspiration: President Kenneth Kuanda’s government realised that xenophobia is a phenomenon that needs to be pre-empted from childhood. They introduced a compulsory subject called “Civics” in all schools, both private and public. The content of the subject focuses on the history of the region and its people. This is an excellent way to train young minds that intolerance should not be tolerated. Perhaps the introduction of such a subject in South African schools should be considered, where it will also teach learners the valuable role other African countries played in our own struggle for freedom, as well as our current development.

Moral arguments aside, there are massive economic and political implications to these xenophobic attacks:

1.) South Africa exports approximately R3 billion worth of goods to Africa every year. In other words, we need Africa much more than it needs us. If we are setting Africans on fire and looting their shops, what are we trying to say and/or achieve?

2.) The continued expansion of South African companies into the rest of the continent becomes undermined, and so does the South African foreign policy on the rest of the continent.

3.) Both South Africa and Nigeria’s position in terms of possibly being included in an expansion of the UN Security Council Permanent Members will be severely weakened

4.) Our trade and other relations with countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh are also hampered by the attacks, in the same way it hampers African relations

ALL South Africans need to step up and take responsibility in the fight against xenophobia and intolerance in general: why does a study recently conducted in a township in Gauteng show that 36% of the respondents wanted “all foreigners” to be evicted? We need to change perceptions and contribute to creating a culture of tolerance.

We need to turn the X-factor into a Y-question: each of us need to question why xenophobic attacks take place and why we need to act to put a stop to this.

“Why are you always carrying that thing around?” a friend of mine said to me the other day. She was making reference to the little blue book I have been carrying around ever since I was selected for the SAWIP team a few months ago. In between the two covers of this small little blue book is the greatest document this country’s leaders have ever produced; the constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

I carry this little blue book around not because I am a dedicated law student nor an aspiring lawyer, but because I have decided to honour a challenge given to the SAWIP team by Brian Currin, a SAWIP Board member. At the SAWIP orientation camp he delivered a very insightful and inspiring overview of the constitution and challenged us to familiarise ourselves with this beautiful piece of legislation.

As part of his closing remarks he said “Treasure it [the constitution] and let it be to you as your secular Bible”. This led me to think of how our country could be, if every citizen was as committed and knowledgeable about the constitution of South Africa, as some people are about their different religions. Would citizens, for example, know their rights as well as some Christians know the Ten Commandments? Would citizens strive to practice the various principles in our constitution as zealously as some Muslims make prayers, partake in fasts or preach? This would be very interesting to see.

The more I thought about Brian’s words the more I wondered what both the Bible and the constitution have to say about this idea of having two “Bibles” (one secular and the other religious). I found it interesting to find that the Bible seems to support Brian Currin’s statement. For instance in the book of Matthew verse 21 of the 22^nd chapter, Jesus is recorded saying. “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars’s and to God the things that are God’s”. This statement seems to endorse the principle of separating matters of God i.e. religious things, with matters of the state i.e. civil things. Not only does the Bible support Brian Currin’s statement but the constitution also supports it by promoting religious freedom in chapter 2 section 9, 15 and 31.

So I extend Brian’s challenge to all South Africans of all religious upbringings to cherish their sacred writings but also make a space to add the little blue book to the bookshelf , especially since it is the only document that binds all of us together as South African citizens.

Having lived in Cape Town for the past five years, I have become less fascinated and appreciative of the scenery that surrounds the city. I recall my first year in this city when I woke up on some days and spend time looking outside at the wonder of living between water and mountain. Literally.

Perhaps it is the assignments, the tutorials, the tests or all the other things around my neck that have impaired my ability and routine of looking upwards towards the mountains. Perhaps, I have simply taken it for granted that there is much to be admired in the city, or perhaps I had forgotten that they were these glorious marvels to begin with, thus become blind to anything that is not within linear vision.

But today, on an ordinary, chilly Cape Town day, I caught myself in a moment of looking – no staring- at the mountains. I was staring as though I was a tourist, intrigued by this magnificent beauty, as though it was my first time laying my eyes on such splendour. I eventually knocked myself out of what has become somewhat of trance, by the memory that I had forgotten to add chicken to the list of groceries I was off to buy. My sister would have not been impressed with me if I did not come home with the chicken and my justification was that I suddenly “re-noticed” the mountains. “I mean really” I can hear her say “you have been here five years plus and today, the day you need to cook is when you see the mountains? I mean really the convenience of it all! ”

Apologies, I digress. So often I find myself focusing my attention on what is ahead of me, what ought to be done next and endless other things to do after that. My few minutes of staring at the mountain served as a significant reminder that in the midst of busyness and getting through the “to-do list” I ought to often look up, reflect on the calmness above me in order to fully take in what might be happening around me. I found that moment to offer me a sense of peace, as the stillness of the mountains give a sense of serenity and assurance that splendour, excellence and beauty are sometimes not to be pursued or manufactured, but are just there. All you need to do is look up and remember.

This is somewhat how I want to treat my SAWIP journey, if I am to take full advantage of what it has to offer. Although I desire to be a valuable member of the team who contributes where able, strives for excellence always and is continuously compassionate, I want to have moments where I can look up -maybe eyes closed at times - and gradually take it in. I want to allow myself the peace of taking a deep breathe, with a moment of silent to really take in the beauty of this opportunity. Like a sponge I will use the exposure to suck in all I am able to, but like the very sponge, I want to release out to the world all I am to learn for the betterment of others.

Today I stared at the mountains and remembered that I can find the extraordinary in all that is around me. I remembered that it simply by looking up, forgetting about the tangible and rush down below that we at times are able to really find peace again.