Today we celebrate day 4 of Nelson Mandela Week. Curing Corruption. 7 things you can do to solve the real pandemic of our time.
Nelson Mandela was not only known for the suffering he endured to free his people but he was also respected and remembered for building bridges, healing division, forgiveness, honesty, truth, and integrity. He is remembered for his sense of humour, his laugh, his dance, and most of all for his love, especially for children.
Below you find a photo of the welcoming sign on the peer of Robbin Island, a place Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for almost 27 years. It says, ‘The world is truly round and seems to start and end with those we love.’
Madiba not only understood the power of love, but he also understood and valued the power of authenticity, truth, honesty, and integrity. To bring this value system to a country like South Africa, he instated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) under the leadership of Desmond Tutu. This also set the benchmark for the rest of the world in addressing conflict and chaos.
However, after all his efforts, Nelson Mandela could not curb or eradicate corruption from his political party, the ANC, South Africa as a country, and the global community, during his time as a leader. Unfortunately, the level of corruption has escalated.
Today we find a country like South Africa, once again, on the brink of implosion. To stop this downward spiral we need to ask, What is corruption and how can we stop the devastating effects?
Corruption vs authenticity
Corruption is the opposite of honesty, truth, integrity, and authenticity. This also depicts the two sides of self, the real authentic self, or the shadow ego-self. You either live one, or the other. You need to make a conscious mindful choice of what side you will support.
During the time spent researching authentic living and leading, it was important to write about corruption.
The reason is, people who have chosen to live, real, authentic lives, are also committed to curing corruption. Two books were published on this very important topic.
· Curing corruption. 7 Things you can do to heal the epidemic of our time.
· Curing Corruption. How YOU can solve the real pandemic of our time.
Free book. You can download your free copy of the book Curing Corruption, 7 Things you can do to solve the real pandemic of our time, HERE
The devastating effects of corruption
These books were published over the last few years. Statistics of the impact of corruption on the economies of various countries, at this time, was staggering.
A country like South Africa alone had lost more than ZAR700bn to corruption over the last two decades.[1]
This could have paid for:
· 13 000 0000 children clothed and fed for 3 years[2] - or –
· 15 000 000 children provided with 200 000 pre-schools/day-care centers with 2 000 000 qualified caregivers/teachers [3] including salaries –
· 7 000 000 primary school children free schooling[4] for seven years
· 5 000 000 university students completing a free three year Bachelor’s degree[5] – or –
· 4 000 new or upgrading of existing schools - plus
· 5 000 new clinics – plus
· 5 000 frail care centres for the elderly[6] - or –
· New houses for a whole squatter camp with 35 000 000 people – or –
· Creating 2 000 000 new jobs[7]
These statistics primarily reflect the cost of the corruption during the presidency of Jacob Zuma, who is currently in prison. Nothing has changed over the last five years. It is estimated that these numbers have escalated tenfold.
The failure of anti-corruption projects
Why haven’t all the anti-corruption projects succeeded in curbing and resolving this pandemic?
The answer is ignorance. You can’t solve something if you do not know what it really is. Superficial treatment of the symptoms is ineffective. You need to get to the root-cause and eradicate corruption at grass-root level.
The questions are, What is corruption? How do we eradicate this issue from our lives?
What is corruption?
The problem to start with is – there is no consensus on what corruption really means. We also find different views concerning the definition of corruption. This means we have to contend with confusion, misunderstanding, and uncertainty concerning the concept and root cause of corruption. This results in incorrect and ineffective methods of addressing corruption from the start. The first challenge is to understand corruption in its entirety.
There are currently many different definitions of corruption, including:
‘Corruption is dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.’
Or – ‘Corruption is dishonest action that destroys people's trust in the person or group, like the news of corruption in how your bank is run, that makes you close your account and invest your money somewhere else.’[8]
Or – ‘The process by which a word or expression is changed from its original state to one regarded as erroneous or debased.’
Or –'Corruption is dishonest behaviour by those in positions of power, such as managers or government officials.’[9]
Or-‘Corruption is the misuse of public office (by elected politicians or appointed civil servants) for private gain.’[10]
Or- ‘Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power (by virtue of heritage, education, marriage, election or appointment) for private gain.’[11]
These definitions suggest that many people view corruption as a product of big business and mismanaged governments. As such, there is an assumption that these sectors bear responsibility for corruption, and thus there is no call to take personal and/or social responsibility.
However, these definitions are wrong and only refer to the many faces of corruption. This is the reason that corruption has not yet been adequately addressed and resolved because – very few people have got to the root cause of corruption. Only when corruption is addressed at a fundamental level – can it be eradicated.
So, the questions still remain, What is corruption? What is the root cause of corruption? How do we solve the issue?
The meaning of ‘corruption’
The word ‘corruption’[12] comes from the Latin word corruptus made up of two parts, namely, cor meaning ‘completely’ and rumpere, meaning ‘to break’. Corruption means to ‘completely break’ or ‘break to pieces’; ‘destroy’ and ‘ruin’. Corruption is the result of breaking the universal law of the 'right use of power'. In religious terms, this is defined as ‘sin’.
See what Gandhi had to say about this.
The opposite to corruption is authenticity, the mindful commitment to the 'right use of power'. This is the commitment to protect the integrity of self, others, and life itself. This is also the antidote to corruption. (more about this later).
Understanding corruption as a mental health issue.
Corruption is dishonesty – the opposite of truth, honesty, and integrity. Corruption is the lie – the Big Lie. Corruption is the result of being educated in lies and deceits, misinformation, and untruths about what success is and how to live a quality life.
We can compare the Big Lie to the Covid-19 virus that in essence is a corrupt RNA microchip that disables our physical functioning at a DNA level. People get sick and can even die. Vaccination protects a person against the adherence of the corrupt Covid-19 virus, by blocking the corrupt information from adhering to our DNA’. Vaccination protects us from the ‘lie’ in the form of a virus.
In like manner, corruption is the result of a faulty mindset, with corrupt mental and moral programming, that renders a person dysfunctional. The inner GPS and moral compass become disengaged, and people get lost. Corrupt people are lost, sick people, and need help. Only a small number of the healthy solution seekers, path-finders, and mapmakers who have chosen to be part of the solution, can solve the challenge of corruption.
Healing corruption
In essence, corruption is a mental health issue that needs healing, not condemnation. A corrupt person, leader, government, and/or society is a mentally ill person, leader, government, and/or society. These people, all people, need haling.
Corruption needs to be treated in the same manner as the Covid-19 pandemic by administering a ‘vaccine’ against lies, untruths, and misinformation. This can only be achieved by introducing people to honesty truth, and integrity. Solving corruption is therefore not only a mental health issue but also a challenge to education on all levels.
People need to be re-educated on what is right and wrong. People need to be taught the right use of power from an early age. Preventing corruption starts within each person and in our homes, schools, churches, and communities. Corruption is the result of the lack of love, compassion, honesty, truth, and integrity.
Corruption - the abuse of power.
The universal we law all need to live by is the law of the right use of life force – the – right use of power. We can align and sync with this universal power when we align with honesty, truth, and integrity and connect to our real, authentic self s our DNA success blueprint. You have to mindfully choose and consciously set your inner GPS to maintain this level of functioning.
Corruption is the mindless use or abuse (absence-of- use) of power, in all its forms. This not only includes the abuse of power in our governments, but we also find the abuse of power within relationships, families, communities, our religions, businesses, communities, and society, as a whole. This means that corruption is rampant everywhere and we all need to address this issue, not only in ourselves but also where we are.
Stop blaming others for the corruption - start doing
So, the challenge is to stop blaming and shaming others, especially governments, and start taking responsibility for the quality of your life, the quality of choices you make, just where you are.
Constantly ask yourself the question, Am I coming from my real authentic self, or, am I coming from my shadow ego-self? The one side is real and authentic- the other side is corrupted and will take you down a dark and destructive path.
Corruption is therefore within and not without. We all have a disconnected, dark part o self. However, most people chose not to express this part of the self. Corruption also has many faces.
Faces of corruption
Although there are no 'good' synonyms for corruption, it can include concepts and faces like dishonesty, deceit, deception, fraud, lying, cheating, infidelity, waste in all its forms, misconduct, duplicity, double-dealing, law-breaking, crime, criminality, or delinquency.
In its broadest sense, the fundamental meaning of corruption is, 'breaking the law of truth, honesty, and integrity'.
With this little background, we can now ask, How can you and I contribute to healing the corruption. As a mental and oral health issue? How can we make a difference?
Healing corruption with Epigenetics
Epigenetics means that our DNA blueprint can be changed by changing our mental, emotional, and spiritual programming. Once we change our own programming, it spills over to others as well. At the same time, as we join a new group of committed solution-seekers, problem-solvers, path-finders, and mapmakers, the new vibe rubs off and we change as well.
We can use school f fish as an example of Epigenetics.
A school of fish functions as one unity, although it consists of thousands of individual fish. Communication takes as electromagnetic impulses on a genetic level. If one fish changes for the better, it will reverberate through the whole school of fish, and the who school changes. This applies to human beings as well. You can change the whole of humanity, by just changing yourself for the better, just where you are and in what you are doing.
7 Things you can do to heal the corruption pandemic just where you are.
Here are 7 things you can do to solve the real pandemic of our time[13]
1. Understand that corruption is a mental health issue and moral dilemma and must be treated as such
2. Choose to heal corruption, just where you are with truth, honesty, integrity, and authenticity by changing yourself.
3. Change the way people think and do, by changing your own mental and emotional patterns and value system
4. Lead by example. Show people the way of authentic living and quality life. Be that one fish the influences the whole school of fish.
5. Bring love and compassion to the people around you Just like the corruption mind-virus is contagious, so is love and compassion.
6. Re-educate yourself and the people around you. This includes our youth
7. Identify and support real, authentic leaders that are committed to honesty, truth, and integrity. Become a real, authentic leader.
Like Nelson Mandela, be that one person that changes the course of history.
Become the solution
Start here:
· Start with this mini-course. Ten Lessons from Nelson Mandela in a time of chaos
· Get your free book. Curring corruption. 7 things you can do to solve the epidemic of our time.
· Get your Daily Power Tools for Power People HERE. Power Tools are delivered to your inbox daily and remind you of the constant choice you need to make between your real-me authentic self and your shadow ego-self. Once you have mastered this part of yourself, you can help others to do the same
· Read, new inspiring books on authentic living and leading
· Enroll in the 14-day course. 10 Lessons from Nelson Mandela that elevate you to happiness.
Most people want to remember the suffering Madiba endured. However, after everything he went through, Madiba died a happy man. In a 14-day course, we can once again learn from Madiba that the end can be better than the beginning. With the right choices- your end can be better than anything you are experiencing now.
Not only does Nelson Mandela provide us with solutions, but he also shows us the path to health, wealth, and happiness. Here is a 14-day course that will blow your mind:
Till next time
Stay safe – stay connected.
Brenda Hattingh
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· Book Dr. Brenda as a speaker for your next event. Send an email to infor@powerintelligence.net
· For more info, see Website
- References [1] See http://www.fin24.com/Economy/R700bn-lost-to-corruption-in-20-years-20150128: Statistics released by The Institute of Internal Auditors on Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015, 10:46 [2] Calculated average: ZAR 50/child per day [3] Calculated average: Pre-schools/daycare centers @ ZAR2 million each plus training/salaries. [4] Calculated average: ZAR 15 000/year per child [5] Calculated average: ZAR 40 000/year per student ( R 120 000 / degree) [6] Calculated average: ZAR 50mil/unit [7] Calculated average: New jobs created at +/-ZAR 350 000/job See: http://www.moneyweb.co.za/archive/why-does-it-cost-the-idc-so-much-to-create-one-job/ [8] See website: www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/corruption [9] See website: www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corruption.asp [10] See website: http://www.corruptie.org/en/corruption/what-is-corruption/ [11] See website: http://www.corruptie.org/en/corruption/what-is-corruption/ [12] The Heritage Illustrated Dictionary of the English Language. International Edition. Morris, William (Ed). American Heritage Publishing Co.Inc: New York. [13] Hattingh, Brenda. (2016). Curing Corruption. 7 Things you can do to solve the epidemic of our time. Currency Communications Pty. Ltd.: Johannesburg.
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