‘Arch’s demise ends an era of truly outstanding ethical leadership’

• Published date: 28 December 2021
• Publication title: Cape Argus (Cape Town, South Africa)

His widespread national respect saw this man of all seasons officiate at the funerals of Steve Biko, Robert Sobukwe and Chris Hani

Recovering from polio and burns as a child, tuberculosis as a teen, diagnosed with prostate cancer in later life, he survived the apartheid system, which he abhorred.

He devoted himself to social justice in South Africa and wherever else oppressive regimes brutalised their citizens. A deeply spiritual and compassionate human being, he was comfortable in his belief. Not for him the need to scream out the gospel or profess his faith. He openly embraced leaders and followers of other beliefs globally, without an iota of insecurity.

Our Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) could not have been led by anyone else. The Arch brought his unique alchemy and repertoire of talents to the TRC process, visibly affected by the horror stories he heard, appropriately showing his emotion. He was unfairly blamed for the TRC’s limitations, which were part of the political compact reached – alluded to recently by FW de Klerk – and the deliberate neglect by previous ministers of justice to bring perpetrators to book.

This contributes to a lack of social cohesion and the inability to bring closure to our painful past that will continue to afflict us.

I have realised that there are three types of adults in the world, approximating to what social science calls the bell-shaped curve.

On the one end are the givers, and on the opposite end are the takers. The rest of us are somewhere in between these givers and takers.

While many pretend to be, the Arch is one of the fast-diminishing breed of selfless givers who expect nothing from us besides just being good to one another in the image of God, as the Arch would say.

Sadly, on the southern tip of the African continent, the bell shape has become increasingly skewed. The shameless takers are alarmingly growing all around us, feeling entitled and self-absorbed.

At a perilous time when fearless heroes and iconic role models are quite rare to come by, when greed and selfishness abound, when the few take what belongs to the majority, the Arch’s demise ends an era of truly outstanding ethical leadership that our world is in dire need of.

Despite this tremendous loss to all of humanity, it is appropriate to briefly reflect on some of the life and times of a remarkable human being, who meant so much to so many who not only knew him but who were otherwise touched by his tremendous contributions in various...