It is entirely rational – SA is progressing despite modern day Hitlers

By Alec Hogg

Few things are more interesting than chatting off-the-record with business leaders engaged in a turnaround. Not only because one learns more from mistakes than successes. But because anyone prepared to tackle that challenge must, by definition, have both courage and enthusiasm. Attributes that make them far more engaging than one of those worn-out mediocrities going through the motions because “marketing” instructed them to.

Reflecting on our couple hours together left me with believing that despite the negative noise, there is much good happening in this country. Which, once you think it through, is an entirely rational conclusion. South Africa is transforming. And in any process of change, those affected (in this case all SAs) have to work through each quadrant: rejection, resistance, acceptance and only then do we arrive at commitment.

As this young democracy matures, large chunks of society will never progress past the first three stages. But every day a few more citizens make the mindset shift into commitment and become actively engaged in the stage where contribution begins. Often that requires sidestepping obstacles raised by well-meaning but misguided social engineers. People who are unwittingly following the example of one Adolf Hitler whose dream ended with his suicide and defeat exactly 70 years ago today. Hopefully that provides his modern day successors pause for thought.