Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education 145does not have the monopoly of Ubuntu practice. Ubuntu is not unique to
Africa. It is a universal ethical practice. However, it does not cease to be
universal by reason of its becoming rooted on African soil. Africa shares
with the world community a common outlook on life that arises from a
common humanity.
Secondly, Ubuntu must be observed in varying cultural, economic
and technological circumstances. For example, it is arguable that
modern society may no longer be unquestioning and compliant in terms
of expectations, cultures are a lot more intermingled in our time, and
there is a lot more reliance on modern technologies that affect human
conduct. Ubuntu for those reasons may no longer be as abiding as was
once assumed. Ethical practice thus can no longer be assumed or taken
for granted but must be interrogated. Even the ideas of goodness,
harmonious relations, love and peace are idealisms that are continuously
tested in real-life living by people including Africans who may be under
the influence of a variety of cultural and philosophical presuppositions.
Where should such leaders come from? How does society produce
and reproduce its best? I start by mentioning that good leaders
distinguish themselves by “intelligence”, by that capacity to have
insight, possessed of the power of deep discernment, and wisdom to
aspire to higher ideals and resolve, and to be able to “read” the signs of
the times. Prof. Hellicy Ngambi^9 of Mulungushi University in Zambia
takes the statement below to make the point by reference to my paper
published previously:
“... there is most likely to be a tendency from leaders who are
without intellect to also lack in moral fibre because they fail to
understand the limitations of governance, but also that they may
be incapable of drawing from their own capabilities to provide
the nation with a new, compelling and confident vision of itself
9
Cf. forthcoming publication to mark the 70th Birthday of President Thabo
Mbeki.