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The South African Insurance Industry Survey 2016 | 153
Epilogue
A Zulu, a Tsonga, a white woman and an arts convert walk into a bar.
Well not exactly, but one rainy weekend in March 2016 we came
close. There are few places in South Africa where these people can
openly argue politics, religion and values until 04:30 in the morning. However, such experiences are limited in our segregated and unequal
Is your business one of them? However, there was so much more to
this than simply four people shouting the odds.
It started out with a group of eleven individuals. Eleven people from
disparate and diverse backgrounds. Eleven people from various parts
of South Africa and from across our borders. We had a Ghanaian, a
Tanzanian and a white Zimbabwean. We had a Christian, a Muslim and
a Hindu. Some people drank too much – others did not drink at all.
We operated by the motto, “anything goes as long as it respects the
individual.”
As the night wore on the athletes and parents went to bed. The
debate got heated. The merriment flowed. This was not a generic
media debate. This was not the simplistic polarised noise that is
sometimes called journalism. There was openness and honesty.
We learned about how one white girl walked to work in her small
town after coming home from university every day. We learnt about
how gogo’s only source of income is the monthly R500 government
grant she receives. We debated whether the role of the government
extends beyond upholding the law and protecting the people. I learnt
what Ubuntu really means!
National and cultural change are slow processes. We rely so much on
our experience to inform our worldviews. Without experiences such as
this our worldviews remain limited and uninformed.
The diversity at work empowers this change. This diversity allows us
to debate and experience different worldviews.
society. I found myself questioning how it is that we trusted one
another to communicate so openly and honestly. I believe a large
part comes down to leadership. Our leaders on the weekend shared
their own experiences. They encouraged lively debate. They were not
scared to have an opinion. By living with integrity, they created a safe
environment.
It starts earlier than this. It starts at induction when the leadership talk
the values. However, it is entrenched in the corridors. It is entrenched
through experience. It is entrenched when a trainee sees a white male
junior chatting comfortably with a black female boss. It is entrenched
when a new trainee says “I disagree” and is allowed a voice.
It requires a business unusual mind-set.
We sought the facts and provided insight. My theoretical education
from university was not sufficient to deal with the reality of my
colleagues’ experience. The simplicity of capitalism is eroded by the
complexity of poverty and history. I was empowered. I changed. I
am struck by a quote from Nelson Mandela, “if you want to make
peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he
becomes your partner.”
Most importantly, I am confident. I believe that with this kind of
business unusual experience my country can heal. I believe that
with these small pockets of tolerance, diversity and acceptance the
injustices of the past can be addressed.