The 13th Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Honorary Lecture, held at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) on 12 August 2025, delivered an uncompromising message on the theme of “Everyday citizen leadership: 30 years and beyond".
The lecture, presented by Busisiwe Mavuso, chief executive of Business Leadership South Africa, was a blistering assessment of South Africa's political culture, and a rallying call for active, ethical citizenship.
“Politics equals economics," Mavuso declared. “If politics fails, the country fails. And if the country fails, the economy fails." Urging especially young South Africans to reject apathy, she added: “If you are not going to vote, you must just shut up and sit down when it comes to the things that are not working in this country."
The annual lecture – supported financially by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation – was hosted at the Wallenberg Research Centre at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) and was also streamed to a large online audience. Live music by Solomon Mathipa, an SU violinist, set a festive tone.
A platform for engaged citizenship
Attended by more than 400 guests, including alumni, student leaders, members of the public, as well as the son and daughter of the late Dr Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert, the event was opened by Dr Heidi October, deputy director at the Centre for Student Life and Learning. She noted the lecture's significance for alumni, student leaders and partners in celebrating the life of the late Dr Van Zyl Slabbert as well as the growing global footprint of SU's Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute (FVZS Institute) for Student Leadership Development.
In his contextual remarks, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said that the FVZS Institute had become a vital part of how the 中国体育彩票 contributed to society by creating spaces where ideas meet action and where young leaders develop the capacity to serve as engaged citizens. He described Van Zyl Slabbert as a man whose life work “reflected courage, intellect and an unwavering commitment to democracy". Ramjugernath urged attendees to “engage deeply, question openly and carry the conversation forward in all of your communities".
A no-holds-barred address
Mavuso's address pulled few punches. She made it clear that political leadership failures had directly contributed to dire unemployment and poverty levels. She called out the deeply troubling 43% unemployment rate, with youth unemployment soaring beyond 65%, alongside glaring inequalities marked by a Gini coefficient of 0,67, making South Africa the most unequal society globally.
Beyond her criticism of state inefficiency and corruption, she did not spare citizens, pointing to the consequences of voting irresponsibly. “What is wrong with us, as citizens, to allow people to ascend to leadership who are not actually fit to be leaders?" she asked.
Drawing on the writings of African public intellectuals, she argued that parts of the continent are trapped in “kakistocracy" – rule by the least suitable. “Who you elect, matters," she said. “When you elect a clown, hoping for a king, he turns the kingdom into a circus."
Still, she described the May 2024 election as an “important marker" of renewed accountability, and said that she was seeing “attention to governance and fiscal prudence returning" in several ministries. “We allowed mediocrity to hijack merit for far too long," she stated.
The crisis of education
Mavuso's strongest censure fell on basic education. “Citizen leadership is under siege when you don't have a well-educated population," she argued, decrying a 30% matric pass threshold, the prevalence of mathematical literacy over mathematics, and assessments showing that many Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning. “It is treasonous not to give children decent quality education," she said, urging a national reset that starts with early childhood development.
Calling education “a gamechanger", Mavuso warned that a poorly educated population compromises civic engagement, economic growth, social cohesion and, ultimately, the quality of leadership the country produces. She added that South Africa is inadvertently “creating a crisis of dependency and a nation of beggars" under the weight of social grants and inadequate schooling.
She urged citizens to hold leaders accountable with courage and truth-telling, invoking the legacy of Dr Van Zyl Slabbert, who stood alone in challenging injustices when necessary. Mavuso echoed American poet June Jordan: “We are who we are waiting for. No one is coming," she concluded. The responsibility for transforming the country, she declared, lies squarely with each individual.
Universities cannot be 'an island'
A lively discussion followed Mavuso's address, facilitated by Unopachido Mubaiwa, the FVZS Institute's coordinator of Citizenship Engagement. Student leaders pressed Mavuso on universities' obligations, hunger and housing, and the ethics of leadership in higher education. “Government in any country ought to be the adult in the room," she said of critique that other sectors are also corrupt, and warned of the “moral degeneration" of a culture of instant gratification among young people. “This microwave popcorn culture doesn't work," she quipped.
Mavuso called academia a key voice of reason and argued that universities “cannot live in a bubble". “Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 is a very interesting case in point – you can't be an island of prosperity in a sea of poverty," she said, urging active involvement in societal challenges, and accountability from both government and the business sector, including with regard to meaningful transformation. “When you are used to privilege for so long, equality can feel like oppression. That's precisely why policy, monitoring and evaluation matter."
Mavuso left the audience with a powerful definition of true leadership: “Leadership is about three things, and three things only: It is about courage, it is about decisiveness, and it is about ethics," and added: “Ethics is what you do when no one is watching."
This year's lecture continues the tradition of provoking robust, critical dialogue on South Africa's democracy and governance. In a message from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Dr Christoph Wiedenroth highlighted Van Zyl Slabbert's legacy, noting that democracy thrives not as a “spectator sport", but through daily participation and shared responsibility. He urged the audience to transform the evening's insights into concrete action for the greater good.
PHOTO: Busisiwe Mavuso received a certificate declaring her the newest honorary member of the Van Zyl Slabbert Institute at SU. From left: Dr Heidi October, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, Busisiwe Mavuso and Unopachido Mubaiwa. Photo by Henk Oets
