OUR elders and parents of yesteryear might have been not educated in the narrow definition of the term, but they were very considerate and responsible. A good example, when a bereavement or funeral took place during the absence of an elder or parent, they would not rest before passing their condolences to the bereaved family.
Moses Mahlangu
It was an embarrassment to meet the bereaved in the street without having physically expressed their sympathies at the home of the bereaved. Do you call this illiteracy? I doubt it is.
Imagine a church member or member of any association losing a beloved one and other members do not bother to go to their house to pass their condolences.
To some, an announcement at church or elsewhere is adequate, they have heard and they don’t feel duty-bound to make an effort to visit the bereaved family or members.
Coming to the world of business, the attitude is the same. Clients or stakeholders make enquiries over certain issues and they are met with a deafening silence.
The enquirer or applicant is kept in the dark regarding their enquiry or application. The same applies with phone calls. After making a phone call, one expects a call back, if at the time of calling, the receiving person was busy. It also applies to giving feedback after a conversation over some subject.
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I, the author of this article, was privileged to have worked under the able administration of Michael Ndubiwa, the former and first black town clerk of Bulawayo. It was practice or instruction that whenever an application or enquiry was received, an acknowledgement card was timeously sent to the enquirer.
The acknowledgement receipt card simply confirmed receipt of correspondence. One needs to understand that dealing with a local authority and its committee system can be a laborious exercise. In the circumstance, the acknowledgement card informed the enquirer that his/her application was being attended to and that he/she would be kept informed of the stages of the said application.
Unfortunately, this practice is now non-existent in many organisations. In fact, it is now accepted as normal to keep enquirers or applicants guessing, as to the outcome of their enquiries. This attitude is not only irresponsible but unprofessional.
Bragging about being an educated nation is undermined by this uncaring and backward tendency or culture. If our so-called uneducated parents were so particular, not only about being responsible, but about being relational in all their transactions, indeed more is expected from the so-called learned society.
Being responsible and accountable was so central to our yester year elders. I am reminded of an old man, who once he gave you his word, be it a transaction or other, he would stand by it.
If you agreed on a price for a beast (before the purchase was concluded) he would not change his mind, even if someone brought a higher amount for the same beast.
It was a virtue, an attribute to be admired as a man of his word. Today’s generation views honesty and responsibility as outdated.
You hear people talking freely about being dishonest, being infidel. In a full bus, you hear somebody telling lies over a cellphone without being ashamed.
Has this to do with the prevailing value system? A story is told of a crab and its offspring. The mother crab chided its offspring for moving sideways. One day the offspring asked their mother to show them how to walk straight.
To their amazement, mother crab walked just like her offspring. The argument ended.
Food for thought. This prevailing irresponsibility, dishonesty and failure to account for our deeds, is it not a reflection of what our children observe in us? When God shall enquire:
“Where is the flock, that beautiful flock, that I gave to you?” what will your answer be?
It’s not too late yet, can amend provided everyone purposes in his/her heart to be responsible, honest and accountable over their deeds.
●Moses Tsimukeni Mahlangu writes in his own capacity and can be reached on [email protected] for comments
