By Sello Hatang:
As I was preparing to speak to the CEO of Eskom, Mr Dan Marokane, I found myself reflecting on the meaning of power. For many of us, the word immediately brings to mind electricity: the power that lights our homes, keeps our hospitals functioning, allows businesses to operate, and enables modern life as we know it. We notice it most when it is absent. A power outage reminds us how dependent we are on energy and how much of our daily lives rely on something we often take for granted.
Yet power is far more than what flows through cables, transformers and power stations. There is another kind of power, one that cannot be measured in megawatts but can be felt in every community, every family and every nation. It is the power of character. The power of conviction. The power of resilience. The power of hope.
History teaches us that the greatest transformations in society have not always come from those who possessed wealth, authority or political office. They have often come from ordinary people who understood the power they carried within themselves. A teacher standing before a classroom has the power to shape a generation. A parent encouraging a child has the power to build confidence that lasts a lifetime. A community volunteer has the power to restore dignity. A nurse has the power to heal. A farmer has the power to feed a nation. A leader has the power to inspire trust or destroy it.
Power is not simply something we possess; it is something we exercise. Every day, through our choices, our words and our actions, we either contribute positively to the lives of others or diminish them. We either generate hope or spread despair. We either build bridges or erect barriers. We either create opportunities or close doors.
One of the lessons life has taught me is that true power is rarely loud. It does not always announce itself through titles, status or influence. Often, it reveals itself in quiet acts of courage and kindness. It is found in the person who refuses to give up despite adversity. It is found in the individual who chooses integrity when dishonesty appears easier. It is found in those who continue to serve even when nobody is watching.
Our country needs many forms of power. We need reliable electricity to drive economic growth and development. We need institutions that function effectively. We need businesses that create jobs and opportunities. But we also need something deeper. We need citizens who understand their own power to contribute positively to society. We need communities that recognise their collective power to solve problems. We need leaders who understand that power is not about control but about service.
Too often, we underestimate our own influence. We convince ourselves that the challenges facing our communities are too large and that our contribution is too small to matter. Yet every significant change begins with someone deciding to act. Every movement starts with a single voice. Every solution starts with one person choosing responsibility instead of indifference.
The power of hope is one of the most remarkable forces known to humanity. Hope has carried people through wars, poverty, oppression and personal tragedy. Hope gives us the courage to keep going when circumstances suggest we should surrender. Hope is not denial of reality; it is the belief that reality can be changed.
As a nation, we have faced many challenges. We continue to wrestle with unemployment, inequality, crime and social divisions. Yet we also possess extraordinary strengths. We are a people who know how to endure. We know how to rebuild. We know how to find one another in moments of difficulty. Time and again, South Africans have demonstrated an incredible capacity to rise above adversity and create possibilities where others see only obstacles.
This week, I encourage you to reflect on the power you carry. Not the power that comes from position or authority, but the power that comes from your humanity. The power to encourage. The power to forgive. The power to serve. The power to listen. The power to lead by example.
May we become people who generate more solutions than complaints, more unity than division, and more hope than fear. May we use our influence, however great or small, to leave those around us better than we found them. May we recognise that every act of kindness, every word of encouragement and every effort to build rather than destroy contributes to the kind of society we all wish to see.
Remember, the greatest power is not what flows through a grid. It is what flows through a human heart determined to make a difference. Use your power wisely. Use it generously. Use it to uplift others.
This week, be the difference and make a difference in someone’s life.
#ReHataMmoho
#SH
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