The White Feather Award to SA Corporate Leaders – a poem by Rob Hersov

CEO, Chairmen, Execs, and the Board,

You know to whom I refer,

All corporate chieftains striding the land,

But so quiet on what we all fear.

The ANC is destroying our land,

And you don’t tell the truth, not at all.

The man in the street will lose everything soon,

But you hide, just too scared to stand tall.

While civil society fights tooth and nail, and a rare individual too.

There’s Neal and Tony, there’s Gareth and Alan, and occasionally someone quite small.

But you and the others – corporate cowards and more –

will not make any effort at all.

When Johann stood up and lead from the front,

Not one of you came to his side.

He was lambasted, slammed, called white monopoly cap,

At least, with great courage, he tried.

Our lawyers, BizNews, Afriforum and more,

Every day are fighting the fight,

Whistleblowers fall foul of the ANC knives,

And Paul O cannot make this all right.

You say, “biz and politics never should mix”,

But that lie holds no power or thrall.

Even Zondo is horrified that you lack spine,

To stand up and be brave for us all.

Excuses are many, and you find ways to dive,

And duck behind grand flags and posts.

There BUSA, a joke, and Kingston a fraud,

And BLSA acting like ghosts.

With Marts Business for SA – such bull and such shite,

The “working with government” farce.

And you line up behind these nonsensical games,

Thinking we cannot and will not see past.

But history is beckoning, and the time is so near,

Where we’ll bring in a leadership new.

And when history is written of who were the brave,

On the wrong side of history is – YOU.

So, we give an award, that has stains from the past,

But you get it and others will too,

The white feather for cowardice, collusion and more,

And that legacy really is true.

Stop being afraid, you have only one chance,

Before May ‘24 to take sides,

To call out the ANC as gangsters and thieves,

And join the rest of us risking our lives.