Progressive Leader Magazine

As anticipated, 2012 has proved to be an action-packed year of much significance for the ANC, marking as it does its milestone centenary year. The vibrant centenary launch events in Manguang before and after 8 January 2012 caught the world’s attention and since then the pace has not slackened due to the varied and geographically spread celebratory events dynamically driven by our national chairperson Cde Baleke Mbete and her team.

On an intellectual level, the series of lectures on successive leaders has provided much food for thought and given stimulating perspectives regarding the road ahead. On a symbolic level, apart from many innovative local celebrations, the movements of the symbolic torch of freedom criss-crossing our country has been the focus, with the highlight being its visit to our beloved Madiba at his home in Qunu (see pg 32) reminding us all of his huge role in South Africa’s history.

In our PBF Update on page 14, readers of Progressive Leader will be struck by the success story that the Progressive Business Forum (PBF) has become.

That success is reflected in a number of different ways, and at its core is the empowerment of those who are participants in its unique Programme of Dialogue with ANC senior leaders, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and ANC public representatives from Parliament, provincial legislature and local government. The popularity of this activity of the PBF is clearly demonstrated by the high attendance of such events and the overwhelming support expressed by our participants in our recent feedback engagement by way of a comprehensive questionnaire on what we are offering, which was sent to all our participants. The message was clear; our participants want more of the same, and we will not disappoint them.

As readers page through this issue, the sixth since the launch of our flagship publication, they will be struck by the range and number of Progressive Business Forum (PBF) activities covered in a single issue of Progressive Leader, reflecting as it does, the steady increase of PBF activities. By design, every issue covers the full spectrum of PBF activities like gala dinners, ministerial networking events, overseas trade delegations, visits of delegations from many countries to South Africa, etc.

This is done in the first instance to ensure that PBF participating businesses are kept fully informed about what their business platform of choice is doing for them, thereby encouraging them to get involved. But to present Progressive Leader as a powerful instrument of internal communication is certainly not the full story.

In the first issue of Progressive Leader in 2008, we emphasised two important elements of our coverage. Firstly, we would promote mutual support; urging PBF members to support other members of the PBF, and through the pages of the Progressive Leader we would connect them to one another. Secondly, as part of the PBF’s mandate as a supportive arm of the movement, Progressive Leader would showcase the leadership, policies and activities of the African National Congress, as ruling party in South Africa.

Looking at the previous issues, and judging by the many positive responses we have received, nationally and  internationally, we are satisfied that the goals we set at the outset are being achieved.

Since the last issue of Progressive Leader much has happened on the political and economic landscape of South Africa, and South Africans are excitedly awaiting the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup in June 2010.

The Progressive Business Forum has fully supported this sporting extravaganza as was evident from the coverage of the event in the previous issues of Progressive Leader. We continue this tradition by dedicating this entire issue to the FIFA World Cup, with a special focus on the infrastructure projects undertaken for the tournament. We believe the infrastructural legacy of the event will be making a lasting contribution to our economy.

In this, the third edition of Progressive Leader, we celebrate our beloved icon, Nelson Mandela. We bring tribute to a man, larger than life, and do so because he exudes the progressive leadership that we need in this country of ours. A clear sense of direction, commanding respect with humility and fairness, are the attributes of a progressive leader; where it is not about self, but of those we lead and serve.

As the ANC Government drives home the message that the focus of our nation must be on service delivery, and that at the forefront of our effort we must place the citizens of our nation ahead of ourselves, we take our readers back to 1994 and the leadership of Nelson Mandela.