In his must-read book, Crisis, Issues and Reputation Management: A Handbook for PR and Communications Professionals, British author and reputation specialist Andrew Griffin says: “Reputation is an outcome; but it is also a valuable, strategic asset.”
As she clears the last of her notes from her desk, these are the words I would like to share with outgoing public protector Thuli Madonsela.
There is little doubt, at least in the minds of those that love democracy and are not victims of her work, that Madonsela has had a sterling seven-year stint in office.
Her work alone puts to shame the forgettable efforts of her two predecessors put together.
When history dishes out its harsh judgement as it always does, Madonsela will be favoured for her unrelenting effort to make sure that she exposes wrongdoing by public officials.
Although the infamous Nkandla debacle will always come first in her book of accomplishments, her successes are too numerous to list.
Her name and work have laid claim to small town local councillors as it has taken the scalp of a sitting president, government ministers and senior public officials including a former police commissioner.
On the penultimate mile of her tenure, Madonsela scored a huge moral and public relations victory when the full bench of the Constitutional Court endorsed her status and constitutional authority.
The highest court of the land not only chastised President Jacob Zuma and the national assembly for disregarding the law that governs the Office of the Public Protector, but also endorsed her ruling that President Zuma is liable for some of the costs incurred by the state in his Nkandla home.
But as she was preparing to vacate office, Madonsela received another complaint about “state capture” implicating President Zuma again. No doubt, this was (is) going make for salivating findings.
As matters stand though, with exactly six days before a new public protector takes office, it would seem that Madonsela will never be able to conclude the state capture probe.
What doesn’t help is that President Zuma has asked for more time to consider Madonsela’s questions to him. Added to this Zuma has also requested to see the allegations made against him, and by whom.
I do not know whether this is right or wrong legally, and whether it has any precedence in law. But objectively, this seems to derail Madonsela’s hope of concluding this probe before she leaves.
Which brings me to my point. However much tempting and luring, I think Madonsela must leave the rest of this probe to her successor, Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
There is nothing more to prove for Madonsela. She has built a strong reputation over the past seven years and failure to conclude one case before departure will not dent that reputation.
In fact, for me it is rushing to conclude this investigation that may just dent her work. She will come across as desperate and even having vested interest in this matter.
Also, insisting on rushing through this investigation unwittingly sends a message of no faith in her successor picking up from where Madonsela left off and doing a good job.
All these possibilities play into the hands of Madonsela’s detractors who have always argued that she has a personal agenda against President Zuma and those who just don’t like democracy.
Someone must whisper in Madonsela’s ear that she has an irrefutable reputation as a great public protector and public servant. And this is the outcome of her sterling work.
Now it is the time to use her reputation as a valuable strategic asset and say to Mkhwebane: “My sister I leave on your desk preliminary work done on the state capture investigation. I wish you luck in concluding it.”
Strategically this would achieve two things. First it would send a message to everyone – admirers and detractors – that Madonsela is not hell-bent to “nail” President Zuma.
Secondly, it would put pressure on her successor to start her tenure with a high profile case. In that case, Mkhwebane gets a chance to prove her mettle from the get go.
I honestly believe that failure for Madonsela to let go of this matter, may just be a poor strategic move on her part, which could be a blight to her otherwise sterling reputation.
It is not worth it.
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