Fighting to save South Africa’s moral compass: Unashamedly Ethical's Gary Power

Gary Power lifts the lid on corruption, ethical collapse, and the fight to rebuild South Africa from the ground up. In this powerful conversation, the CEO of Unashamedly Ethical shares how his father transformed a major construction business, why integrity is a survival strategy, and how collective action, faith, and courageous leadership can change communities, businesses, and nations..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.Edited transcript of the interview.00:00:05:19 - 00:00:34:22Alec Hogg:Now, this interview has taken a long time to put together. Gary Power is the Chief Executive of Unashamedly Ethical, and anybody who's followed the BizNews story will know that this is very aligned with the kind of thing that we like sharing with our community - with our tribe - because without ethics, without honesty, without fighting and beating corruption, you've got no chance either as a human being or certainly as a nation.00:00:35:00 - 00:01:00:01Alec Hogg:And I've been trying to talk to Gary, who's a very busy guy, and his late father, Graham, who was just as busy. But we've finally managed to connect - the universe aligning - and, well, stand by for some interesting insights.00:01:00:03 - 00:01:27:04Alec Hogg:Gary, I suppose the weight of legacy, to a degree, must weigh on your shoulders. Although you and your dad weren't really front-page figures, he was very well known amongst the sector of the community that says you need to get yourself right, get your house in order, be ethical, and then you can actually bring that to the rest of the world.00:01:27:04 - 00:01:50:09Alec Hogg:So it's almost like you guys have been at this for quite a while now. And it's not just the South African organisation, Unashamedly Ethical — it's global. It was your dad, though, and he has since passed away, and you've now stepped into those shoes. Given your family's background in the construction business, what has it been like taking over the mantle from not just such a prominent figure, but also your father?00:01:59:20 - 00:02:40:12Gary Power:Alec, thank you. I think the success stories are what everybody knows about, but I'd like to maybe go back to how I got here. Growing up with the Power Group - Power Construction - which started in 1983 on a smallholding in Gordon’s Bay when I was only four years old, with one bakkie and one employee, and which has now, after 43 years, become one of the biggest privately owned construction companies in South Africa.00:02:40:14 - 00:03:22:10Gary Power:It was a privilege growing up with that, but I was also behind the scenes, seeing how business was done. A lot of people talk about corruption and just think about white envelopes, but I grew up seeing “business as usual” as taking officials on hunting weekends, entertaining decision-makers in the industry - from politicians to city officials responsible for tenders — hosting them at suites at Newlands rugby and cricket.00:03:22:12 - 00:03:51:06Gary Power:So there wasn't necessarily money being paid, but there were favours and entertainment for clients. My dad was a brilliant networker, and I suppose this was seen as normal - not necessarily corruption - but it definitely impacted business. I later also learned about how my dad was part of this construction club, which used to meet monthly at a restaurant and decide who got tenders and who needed work.00:03:51:06 - 00:04:18:22Gary Power:Sadly, many of those companies - a lot of the big listed companies - are no longer around today. Murray & Roberts has just gone down, which is sad news. Seeing all of that made me think: how many young South Africans are seeing what’s happening in the news and thinking this is normal? It definitely isn't normal.00:04:19:00 - 00:04:44:01Gary Power:My dad turned his life around in 1999. That happened to be the year I started working at the group, but it took six years before he made the decision not to be part of this construction mafia club anymore. He stepped away. It was hard - relationally, financially and strategically - it was a huge step.00:04:44:01 - 00:05:08:23Gary Power:But in hindsight, I’m thankful to say Power is still around, and I don't think it would have been around otherwise. It wouldn’t only have affected our family, but also the 2,000-plus employees and suppliers. Probably my parents’ marriage wouldn’t have survived either if he had carried on doing what he was doing.00:05:09:01 - 00:05:34:23Gary Power:A lot of people ask why I’m not in Power Construction. I believe we need to do something different. And I do want to congratulate yourselves and other news agencies, journalists, whistleblowers and activists who are standing up and exposing corruption. That is much needed.00:05:34:23 - 00:06:12:09Gary Power:But I also think we need to do something very different, because if we keep doing the same things and expect different results, that’s insanity. I’m not saying anti-corruption agencies aren’t needed - they definitely are - but we come from a different angle at Unashamedly Ethical. South Africans and business leaders are tired and discouraged, but we can make a difference.00:06:12:11 - 00:06:36:10Gary Power:I can make a difference as a leader in my family, in my organisation and in my community. It’s up to me. I mustn’t expect politicians or big CEOs to stand up first. It’s going to take collective action, and I can make a difference in my sphere of influence.00:06:36:13 - 00:06:59:18Alec Hogg:One of my obvious questions for you was about use cases, and you've already given us probably the most powerful one - your own family business. But what was that Damascene conversion? How did your dad decide he didn’t want to be part of this rot anymore and wanted to do things differently? You said 1999 was the turning point. What got him there?00:07:07:08 - 00:07:32:23Gary Power:I think there’s a long story to it, but it was faith, and really standing up for his Christian values. The mounting point eventually came when an economist came and did a talk at Power on ethics, and it deeply touched my dad.00:07:32:23 - 00:08:00:12Gary Power:He realised that even after six years of changing his life, there was still corruption taking place. There were still tenders being manipulated and jobs being inflated. I think it’s about culture - a culture that was unhealthy - and there were still things being done in the grey areas.00:08:00:13 - 00:08:24:07Gary Power:My dad saw the effect this had on us as a family and on the business, and he was convicted not just to put slogans like “Unashamedly Ethical” on the company bakkies and buildings, but actually to implement change. A lot of people talk about ethics or have nice words on their business cards and websites.00:08:24:07 - 00:08:53:14Gary Power:But it’s about being intentional and implementing change. It was a difficult process, especially for management. They even said, “You taught us this - we’ve been doing this for 20 years.” It required a whole new strategy in the company to make a difference, as he saw the effect on communities and people around him.00:08:53:16 - 00:08:59:00Gary Power:So it was a tough but much-needed decision.00:08:59:00 - 00:09:37:07Alec Hogg:So if I understand correctly, he turned his own life around, found a higher power, and reassessed different parts of his life. Of course, the biggest part of that was the company. And when you look at business practices through a different lens - and I see this often in people I engage with - when we ask whether certain actions truly align with personal values, it can be difficult to defend them.00:09:37:09 - 00:10:06:03Alec Hogg:I guess that’s what happened there. But you guys took it one step further by creating this organisation where others can sign up. Why not just stay within the Power Group and be unashamedly ethical there? Why go on what some people would call a crusade?00:10:06:04 - 00:10:30:03Gary Power:The honest truth is that the Power Group probably wouldn’t still be around otherwise. There are many other businesses that aren’t around anymore. So the question becomes: what am I going to leave my children? What am I willing to accept? Am I just going to stay quiet and accept what’s happening in our country?00:10:30:04 - 00:10:52:03Gary Power:There is decay, and we only have to look at South Africa and what’s happening around the world. People are feeling hopeless, and the big question is always: what can I do? There’s ethical decay, but there’s also an abdication of leadership.00:10:52:03 - 00:11:17:10Gary Power:We’re allowing others to make decisions for us that are going to affect not only us, but our children. Youth is a huge focus for us at Unashamedly Ethical because they’re going to be making decisions when we’re retired. They are our future employees, and we need to do something drastically different.00:11:17:12 - 00:11:40:18Gary Power:Otherwise, businesses and families are really going to be impacted. We’ve seen it. I often say corruption and ethics are a lot like cancer. You know the symptoms and what’s going to happen, but many people only really care about it when it affects them or somebody close to them.00:11:40:20 - 00:11:58:19Gary Power:That’s the same with corruption. It’s not “out there” - it’s affecting all of us. We need to do something different, otherwise businesses like Power won’t survive.00:11:58:21 - 00:12:07:14Alec Hogg:How many businesses have joined up? How many people in South Africa and around the world are now part of Unashamedly Ethical?00:12:07:16 - 00:12:31:23Gary Power:We currently have 36,500 individuals and just over 14,500 companies and organisations in 144 countries that have signed the commitment form. It’s growing monthly, and we’ve seen a huge increase over the last two years.00:12:32:01 - 00:12:50:18Alec Hogg:And how are they held accountable? Because clearly you’re putting something on the line when you say you’re part of this organisation, but there are enough con men around who would love to ride on the coattails of ethical people.00:12:50:20 - 00:13:25:09Gary Power:That’s a great question. There is a commitment form which holds individuals and organisations personally accountable. We had an ombudsman in place, but we found that accountability has to come from personal agency. By signing a commitment and displaying it in your office or reception area, you create something that holds you accountable.00:13:25:11 - 00:13:54:14Gary Power:There are many compliance and governance agencies that come with a rules-based or “big stick” mentality, but over the last 17 years we’ve found that doesn’t really work. It doesn’t change culture or character. Ethics isn’t just about sticking to rules - it’s about publicly living out your values.00:13:54:14 - 00:14:04:21Gary Power:So the commitment form is one of the key tools we use, and then it’s really about self-accountability.00:14:19:14 - 00:14:56:08Alec Hogg:So let’s use an example. Let’s say I work for a bank, and the bank is part of Unashamedly Ethical. Someone working there sees actions that don’t sit comfortably with them - maybe the bank is treating someone unfairly who is trying to repay a loan, or perhaps turning a blind eye to someone gaming the system.00:14:56:10 - 00:15:06:17Alec Hogg:What gets done within that organisation to either remove them from Unashamedly Ethical or expose what’s happening?00:15:06:18 - 00:15:30:06Gary Power:We’re not really in the business of kicking people out. Through Ethics in Action Consultancy, we work with businesses to embed ethics and provide training so that it’s not just a policy people sign or slogans on the wall, but a genuine ethical culture.00:15:30:08 - 00:15:51:22Gary Power:Yes, you need whistleblowing policies and codes of ethics, but people need to understand ethics from top management right down to the grassroots. We call it “applied ethics” - not just theoretical ethics, but applying ethics in everyday life.00:15:52:00 - 00:16:18:22Alec Hogg:Okay, so I get it. If you’re in an organisation that claims to belong to Unashamedly Ethical and it’s not applying its ethics properly, then employees can hold people accountable by saying, “This is what we signed up for.”00:16:18:23 - 00:16:49:07Alec Hogg:But there’s another interesting point. I’m almost sure your father was involved in what became a watershed event in South Africa. Not many people remember it now, but there was a gathering with Angus Buchan at Oom Angus’s farm in the Free State, where thousands of people came together to pray.00:16:49:07 - 00:17:12:22Alec Hogg:This was at the depth of the Gupta era, when it felt like South Africa was heading over a cliff. I remember interviewing Angus Buchan - the spiritual leader with a huge following and, I think, one of your dad’s close friends.00:17:13:00 - 00:17:33:18Alec Hogg:Angus said something that still gives me shivers. He said that at the end of the meeting, a whirlwind came from nowhere - almost like God saying, “I hear you.” And not long after that, the Guptas were history. GuptaLeaks came out and everything changed.00:17:33:23 - 00:17:47:20Alec Hogg:To me, as a faith-based person, that’s evidence. When you look for evidence, you find it all around you. But were you there at that gathering?00:17:47:21 - 00:17:59:06Gary Power:Yes, I was there, and I concur - what happened there was incredible. It was real. It was an amazing experience to be part of.00:17:59:08 - 00:18:15:02Alec Hogg:And the power of prayer. Because at that stage, the fact that the meeting was called was itself evidence that we were in a bad place as a country. Yet not long afterwards, things started changing.00:18:15:04 - 00:18:38:22Gary Power:Absolutely. And even going back to 2000, when my dad received the vision for the Global Day of Prayer at Newlands in 2001 - people forget there were bombings at Planet Hollywood and elsewhere. I think there were eight bombs in total.00:18:39:00 - 00:18:57:15Gary Power:And on the very day of the event, the people responsible were caught in Paarl. That’s another powerful testimony.00:18:57:17 - 00:19:18:20Alec Hogg:What about right now? Many people would say South Africa is in just as bad a state today as it was at the height of the Zuma-Gupta era. Are we not at a point where similar actions by the faith-based community are needed?00:19:18:22 - 00:19:47:08Gary Power:Absolutely. That’s critical. It’s about collective action - civic organisations, businesses, citizens - not just screaming and shouting or pointing out the bad elements, but taking personal agency and action together. We are at the heart of it right now.00:19:47:08 - 00:20:17:06Gary Power:I don’t think everybody realises how serious the current situation is. Maybe we’ve become numb to the news and think it’s not our problem, but it definitely is. Corruption directly leads to poverty. We all know corruption is the number one crime in South Africa, but far too little has been done.00:20:17:08 - 00:20:43:22Gary Power:Again, I’m not discounting the amazing leaders and organisations already doing great work, but we need collective action from citizens, including prayer and faith-based leadership. We can’t do it all in our own strength.00:20:46:20 - 00:20:51:14Alec Hogg:So what does that collective action look like? Give us a roadmap.00:20:51:16 - 00:21:29:09Gary Power:It starts with us and our businesses implementing change now - not next week or next month. As leaders, we spend most of our time in business, and we need to take a hard stand there.00:21:29:10 - 00:21:54:17Gary Power:And when I say “leaders”, I don’t only mean CEOs or famous people. At Unashamedly Ethical, we believe anyone with influence over someone else is a leader - a teacher, a mother, a foreman, a child at school. We are all leaders.00:21:54:19 - 00:22:23:19Gary Power:It’s about taking a public stand - not just talking about ethics, but living it. If you constantly have to tell people you’re ethical, then perhaps it isn’t genuine. People should experience it. I really believe most South Africans are good people with good intentions. We are not inherently a corrupt country. Corrupt systems exist because people become corrupt.00:22:23:21 - 00:22:33:14Gary Power:If your question is whether we need another Global Day of Prayer or Angus Buchan event, I can’t answer that right now.00:22:33:16 - 00:22:37:20Alec Hogg:Well, when the time comes, I’m sure Angus will step up. What’s he up to these days?00:22:37:22 - 00:22:50:04Gary Power:I honestly haven’t spoken to him in a while. I do get his daily prayer reminders, but I haven’t connected with him personally for quite some time.00:22:50:04 - 00:22:54:05Alec Hogg:And what’s next for Gary Power and Unashamedly Ethical?00:22:54:06 - 00:23:18:00Gary Power:It’s really about advocating and sharing positive stories. We host quarterly coffee events, and it’s inspiring to hear from people doing amazing work in communities. We’re often so busy trying to do good that we overlook the positive stories happening around us.00:23:18:02 - 00:23:44:18Gary Power:It’s inspiring to take just two hours and hear from people across society - from small businesses to big businesses to civic organisations - who are doing incredible work and often taking responsibility for government failures.00:23:44:18 - 00:24:14:07Gary Power:We’re about connecting those leaders and saying, “We don’t have all the answers, but together we can make a difference.” We’re also engaging anti-corruption agencies and asking: what are your strategies, and how can we collaborate?00:24:14:07 - 00:24:40:01Gary Power:For years people have spoken about collaboration, but often with the expectation of getting something in return. Now people are seeing the desperate need to genuinely work together and localise solutions.00:24:40:03 - 00:25:08:08Gary Power:People often feel disconnected because corruption seems systemic and too big to influence. Some have asked us to come into government and Pretoria, but that’s not really our role. Our role is to raise up and connect good people and challenge unethical behaviour.00:25:08:12 - 00:25:31:00Gary Power:We also have partners in the US contacting us and saying they want to do business in South Africa and asking us to connect them with trustworthy people. The same happens internationally.00:25:31:00 - 00:26:02:13Gary Power:We’ve built networks with business leaders in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and across Africa. Africa is really our focus. We’re currently working with partners in Mozambique and Kenya.00:26:02:15 - 00:26:24:06Gary Power:We don’t like coming in with all the answers. Every community and every country has different problems. Corruption exists everywhere, but the solutions need to be contextual. So we do deep research and work with people in those countries rather than pretending we know everything.00:26:24:08 - 00:26:53:15Alec Hogg:A quiet revolution, in many ways - one that will definitely give hope to people who feel hopeless. But just as a final thought: South Africa has local elections coming up, and there will be around 250 mayors either newly elected or re-elected. As Helen Zille often says, politics is local.00:26:53:15 - 00:27:18:06Alec Hogg:What would your message be to those leaders who will have such an important impact on our lives after the elections? Is there one thing you’d want imprinted in their minds?00:27:18:08 - 00:27:42:09Gary Power:It comes down to personal agency again. Those 250 leaders need support, but they also need accountability. We’ve already had cities and provincial governments sign political commitment forms and go through some of our training.00:27:42:11 - 00:28:00:09Gary Power:More than 50 local councillors in Cape Town have gone through ethics training and signed the commitment form. So it’s about working collaboratively with leaders, while also holding them accountable.00:28:00:12 - 00:28:08:05Alec Hogg:An extraordinary story. Gary Power is the Chief Executive of Unashamedly Ethical. I’m Alec Hogg from BizNews.com.

Fighting to save South Africa’s moral compass: Unashamedly Ethical's Gary Power

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