Mkhwanazi is a great example of servant leadership

KWAZULU-NATAL Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi must be extraordinarily proud and elated with his work and that of the men in blue he proudly leads.

Who can not? Rarely does the whole country agree on one thing. If there is a person who is respected, admired and loved by the majority of South Africans, it definitely has to be the KZN commissioner. It is selfless dedication to his work that has endeared him to millions of South Africans.

Jackie Robinson puts it aptly when he says, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Undoubtedly, Mkhwanazi has impacted people’s lives positively. Mkhwanazi is a leader that inspires respect and admiration for his ability to grasp and work through complex issues. He is a leader who is revered for being smart, articulate and forthright. He stands out as a voice of reason, who listens rather than arousing emotions and mediates rather than infuriates. 

In the cauldron of politics, Mkhwanazi has earned respect across party lines and commands respect across the political spectrum. Indeed, Mkhwanazi is, in Dante’s words, maestro and autore: mentor, exemplar and a leader. A transcendent quality of Mkhwanazi's is his personal humility and support for the raising up of others.

He takes care to mentor those he leads and creates opportunities for their leadership, recognition, and advancement. He has his own way of both exercising and demonstrating what it meant to lead. Mkhwanazi is known for his gentle disposition, a quality that makes him a very agreeable colleague and an influential mentor. His trademark ability to engage directly with respect and optimism are qualities that make him a rare public official. 

He understands that one of his fundamental responsibilities as a leader is to treat all those he works with and leads with respect. Never to denigrate or humiliate his subordinates, because to do so is much more a reflection on one's lack of personal discipline than it is on the shortcomings of someone one mistreats.

Mkhwanazi is a visionary in understanding the role that Saps could play at this critical moment in our country where crime is rampant. I have watched Mkhwanazi observe numerous contentious debates with volleys of conflicting ideas and opinions flying back and forth, then raising his hand to quietly move the discussion in a positive direction.

I have also witnessed time and again the persuasive power of Mkhwanazi's intellect and the respect afforded him by the others assembled. His skills of bringing the relevant parties together and achieving agreement on what is important are what have made him successful and endeared him to millions of South Africans. For me, Mkhwanazi is a rare cocktail of brilliance, dogged determination and foresight, compassion and respect, and tolerance. 

Armed with an imperturbable demeanour and self-effacing humility, Shamase, which is Mkhwanazi's clan name, is also the epitome of architect Wies von Ludwig's aphorism, "Build, don't talk." What distinguishes Mkhwanazi is his sharp mind and remarkable skill at making good arguments. He has a rare gift – an intuitive ability to distinguish good arguments from silly ones.

Together with countless men and women in blue, they are a formidable team that share the passion for the welfare and safety of the residents of KwaZulu-Natal. Simply put, Mkhwanazi and the police force are on a mission to make KwaZulu-Natal a better place. What they are doing is just fundamental but comprehensive. Mkhwanazi has come to enjoy great success and well-deserved admiration as one of the best-performing and no-nonsense provincial commissioners. His career has many deserving milestones. 

There is one quality of Mkhwanazi that impresses one. It is his preternatural ability to nurture and inspire everyone he works with. It is an open secret that the police in KwaZulu-Natal at some stage did not inspire confidence. They did not always operate as a well-oiled machine. The great Mkhwanazi has since changed that perception.

He has energised the police, seen the value in what others bring to the team, and worked effectively together. He has encouraged and challenged all the police, teaching them to focus on the real objective and always strive to do their best. And when their best isn't good enough, their first concern is that you would have let Mkhwanazi down. 

Indeed, Mkhwanazi has an ability to take the personal out of disagreements. I don't know how he does it, but he could make differences of opinion not about one or about me, but about the organisation and getting the job done. He inspires us on a daily basis. Mkhwanazi's secret, I think, is that, while a proud man, he is without guile or gall.

A bright, quick study, he could home in on what is important and never, ever, find it necessary to build himself up at the expense of others. He is, quite simply, utterly at home in his own skin. He is an excellent boss--and a better person.

I firmly believe Mkhwanazi is not just the by-product of being the consummate "people person" that he is. It's the mark of a leader, a manager, a guiding star to one and all. It's the essence of a unique person who is always present. I hope and pray the men and women in blue are learning from Mkhwanazi the value of ‘being exact, being prepared, being careful – all things that are important to what I do now.’ 

What we need today is to provide servant leader role models for our young so that they realise that celebrity status is not a substitute for knowledge, service, or community building. Our world needs servant leadership practitioners more than ever. Deepening economic woes threaten the American dream for far too many working people.

There are precious few servant leaders in our current political environment. Many elected officials are more interested in personal power, individual legacy, and financial gain than in the sacrifice and commitment that servant leadership requires. It is people like Mkhwanazi that the nation expects to empower the youth to purchase the future by the present. 

Today’s leaders have what is called the power to 'empower' others. The author, Henry Miller, expressed this concept best when he wrote: “No one is great enough or wise enough for any of us to surrender our destiny to. The only way in which anyone can lead us is to restore to us the belief in our own guidance.”

Police Commissioner Mkhwanazi’s leadership is precisely doing just that, to ‘lead us to restore to us the belief in our own guidance.’ In the words of Robert F. Kennedy, “Some men see things as they are and ask, ‘Why?” I dream of things that never were and ask, “Why not?” Why not, Mkhwanazi? May you ignite the spark that will provide the needed and better leadership that our country desperately needs.

Dr Vusi Shongwe works in the KZN Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and writes in his personal capacity. His views don't necessarily reflect those of the Sunday Tribune or IOL

SUNDAY TRIBUNE