Gentle Reader,

I spent the past week on a sojourn into Mozambique; Santa Maria is situate on the isthmus to the south of Maputo Bay, directly below Inhaca Island. You can reach this by sea from Maputo or by road from the Kosi Bay Border via the Elephant Park.

The area is within sight of Maputo but wonderfully remote. There is both no-one and quite substantial investment in terms of very luxurious beach houses (think $6m). The bush at the tip of the peninsula is part of a reserve and is incredibly dense. The bird and the butterfly populations are something to be seen. The drive is daunting as maps and, indeed GPS routes, have very little to do with reality and it is a long haul – some hundred and 20 km but at quite a slow pace.. Furthermore it is lonely – if you do get stuck (4x4 with a high clearance is a must) or break down, both of which are more than usually possible, you might stay there for some time.

If this interests you, I can let you have my GPS track which will take you there and back on rquest.

Blockchain may be described as a programming language that allows users to write encrypted sets of contacts which are permissionless. The Bitcoin revolution is built on this system. Barclays Africa has teamed up with other banks with the intent of developing a financial system which will enable them to the eliminate a separately maintained data base across various banks. As each block stands on its own, such a transaction cannot be altered or reversed and attempts to temper with a block can easily be detected.

Leadership.

Our firm has embarked upon navelgazing of sorts. This prompted me to take a look at some thoughts surrounding leadership.

It would be safe to say that most of us are under-led and over-managed.

Much of our practice in business is still governed by an Industrial Age application of values which sees employees used as a resource rather than the current knowledge-based take. We still follow the Great Jackass Method i.e. the carrot and the stick/if one employee leaves there is ten to replace him/her.

To attempt to capture the essence of leadership is well-nigh impossible, but the following are interesting definitions:

Leadership is communicating to people there with and potential so clearly that they come to see in themselves. Covey
Leadership is creating an environment in which people want to be part of the organisation and not just work for the organisation. Leadership creates an environment that makes people want to, rather than have to. Schulze, CEO of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel company
I believe that the rendering of useful service is the common duty of mankind and that only in the purifying fire of sacrifice is that dross of selfishness consumed and the greatness of the human soul set free. Rockefeller

I believe that no leader, worth his salt, should not have a read at least a decent portion of the current series on leadership.

Cases

I have not kept up with cases in the past week but, clearly a defining judgement was given by the Constitutional Court in the case Land Access Movement versus the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces. In this case the extension of the period within which land claims could be lodged, i.e. the end of 1998, was declared unconstitutional. The reason for this decision boils down to an unreasonably truncated timeline for public participation in the formulation and consideration of the legislation.

It should be noted that this judgement invalidates the process which led to the enactment referred to. Our government may well seek to re-implement the Act. Noteworthy in this is our court's take that legislation cannot be rushed through Parliament on the back of a majority. One has to properly follow all prescribed steps.

http://www.saflii.org.za/za/cases/ZACC/2016/22.html