Former International Relations Minister and Nelson Mandela University Chancellor Dr Naledi Pandor has urged South Africans to ignite a groundswell of civic action and hold government accountable, warning that global uncertainty cannot be separated from local responsibility.
Pandor made the remarks during a Critical Conversation hosted by Regent Business School in Cape Town under the theme Ethical Choices in Fragile Times: South Africa’s Role in Shaping Global Diplomacy, Development, and the Rising Global South.
The event brought together business leaders, academics, diplomats, alumni and students for a discussion on ethics, values, diplomacy and South Africa’s foreign policy posture at a time of shifting global alliances, weakened multilateralism and rising contestation between powerful states.
Responsible leadership
Her address focused on the relationship between ethical choices and responsible leadership, and on the role that values play in shaping future behaviour, public institutions and society.
“Communities should not remain passive in the face of social, political and developmental challenges,” Pandor said, stressing that civic responsibility must rise to meet the pressures of global instability.
International events
Reflecting on how international events are often interpreted through narrow national lenses driven by dominance and control, Pandor located South Africa’s role within this changing environment.
She emphasised the importance of principled diplomacy alongside the growing significance of the Global South as a force in world affairs.
“Global uncertainty cannot be separated from local responsibility,” she warned, urging citizens to act collectively in shaping accountable governance.”
Global conflict
The discussion also examined how ethical leadership, active citizenship and value‑based decision‑making can contribute to a more accountable society.
Audience questions reflected concern about global conflict, inequality and the erosion of trust in public institutions, as well as the need for South Africa to respond to international pressures without losing sight of domestic development priorities.
Urgency
Professor Ahmed Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer of Regent Business School, said the significance of the conversation lay in its seriousness and urgency.
“It connected global instability with the ethical choices that leaders, institutions, and communities must confront every day.
“These are not abstract debates; they shape the moral direction of societies, the quality of our leadership and the responsibilities we carry in shaping a more just and accountable future,” he said.
Education
Dr Shahiem Patel, Academic Dean of Regent Business School, added: “Dr Pandor’s address reminded us that education must do more than prepare graduates for employment.
“It must prepare people to think ethically, act responsibly, and contribute meaningfully to society, particularly in fragile and uncertain times.”
Public service
Pandor’s call echoes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s remarks during Public Service Month in September 2025, when he urged citizens to hold government accountable.
“The public service and the people need to work together in meeting people’s needs,” Ramaphosa said, highlighting the contribution of the country’s 1.7 million public servants.
Mbeki’s critique
But over the weekend, former president Thabo Mbeki delivered a scathing critique of the current government and its civil service.
“Without ethics, the state cannot serve the public to its full potential,” Mbeki said at a lecture at the University of South Africa, paying tribute to the first chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Stan Sangweni.
“South Africans can no longer pretend the public service is working fully for their benefit because it is not. Batho Pele (People First) is missing in most government departments.”
Together, Pandor’s call for civic action and Mbeki’s warning on ethics sharpen the debate on accountability, values and leadership at a time when South Africa faces both domestic pressures and global uncertainty.
