I don’t understand how it is that evil deeds can be sustained for years without legal institutions or leaders able to undo its proliferation in a short time. How could an evil system of apartheid go on for centuries without a critical mass of former leaders revolting against it? Likewise, on private and public-sector corruption, how could it be that so many good people seem to have been a drop in the ocean to counter the activities of those pursuing graft?

Thanks to John Stuart Mill, said to have originally coined the saying in 1867 that: “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” Paraphrased to its common phrase used today and as attributed to John F Kennedy’s speech among others, it is said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

How are perpetrators of evil able to proliferate their evil unabated for so long? Could it be that there are many in powerful positions agreeing with them, that evil is sustained? Or could it be that many are benefitting directly out of fear of loss of being expelled for standing out against evil, that they choose to turn a blind eye against evil? For the latter, we need a safety net to ensure good guys are protected and their losses minimised. We need a system that ensures promoters of good are protected and more rewarded than perpetrators of evil. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 30 June 2018.

Many fear losing opportunities for standing out against evil perpetrators. It’s one thing fearing the loss of life comforts or promotion prospects while continuing being employed, it’s another facing expulsion with a large settlement payout. It can be a matter of life and death losing a job, having little payout and still facing little prospects of gaining immediate reemployment. Setback of losing comforts while still earning or having a large settlement can be mitigated as one doesn’t risk losing possessions from such setbacks. But it can be devastating where one loses a job with a small settlement and having low prospects of being reempolyed.

Good guys, especially those likely to be “impoverished” from such setbacks, need more protection to embolden them to remain resolute in pursuing good against evil.

Graft is entrenched when institutions tasked with law enforcement and promotion of justice delay in completing their work. Delays increase the perception that crime pays and discourages those intent on exposing evil from doing, as they may question the value of fighting against evil when their welfare is threatened. Besides, it is easier to destroy than build. We also know that evil spreads faster with less effort than goodness. The whole of nature somehow attests to evil being default orientation of life.

In this light, we should appreciate those taking a stance and working against evil, for their efforts often come at a great (personal) cost to them. Some losses can be tolerated for awhile, but others are too taxing. For example, losing promotion, though serious and could mean incurring financial opportunity cost, at least enables the victim to continue working and earning some income to sustain their life. Terminating employment after a significantly generous severance package, though also not ideal, could enable the victim to use financial resources to cushion their setback while pursuing other choices.

Losing a job with little financial settlement could mean the victim risks not only struggling to find new employment, but lose possessions and resources for other necessities of life such as having medical insurance among others.

Such setbacks need to be counteracted by setting up some protection as fallback plan for good doers. Non-Profit-Organisations (NPOs) are renowned for making such avenues available to people, but many NPOs have limited financial resources and cannot provide much-needed assistance. Magda Wierzycka, CEO of FinTech Asset Management firm Signia, showed by her example, how leaders in organisations of influence can provide protection to people ostracised by their organisations for opposing wrongdoing in those companies. She offered Bianca Goodson, the former CEO of Trillian Management Consulting – a company accused and implicated in alleged wrongdoing in many of South African government’s State-Owned Enterprises, a job after she resigned following her strong stance she took in becoming a whistle-blower against Trillian’s alleged acts of graft. Though the merits of the alleged corruption are still to be tested in a formal legal structure, it can be said Wierzycka’s gesture and generous offer made life more bearable for Goodson.

We need many other organisations and leaders in society practicing and adhering to good governance to offer similar opportunities to good doers to enable them remain resolute in their stance against wrongdoing. But with many companies eager to increase sales and profits amid the economic downturn, companies fear losing deals for taking a stance against those accussed of wrongdoing. This results in wrongdoing being overlooked. Such “apathy” extends further and permeates society resulting in the impression that doing good has less reward than turning a blind eye to evil.

Considering the devastative effect of graft on everyone, as we have seen in our country and continue to witness its harsh effects, we should be intolerant about wrongdoing whenever we see its occurrence. The difficulties in recovering quickly from such devastation should scare us to take a strong stance against wrongdoing. If laws and justice were seen to be promoted and served swiftly, it would not be burdensome to establish mechanisms to offer some financial protection to those grossly disadvantaged by their stance against wrongdoing.

Thus, with the recent ruling in the Constitutional Court that party funding be disclosed, those that funded parties should continue doing so in the interest of promoting good governance and democracy for everyone’s welfare. By promoting good governance and democracy, good doers will be seen to be outnumbering wrongdoers. And that’s one other way that good doers can be given some protection for their deeds.

Our political climate is presently highly charged. And any step a company may take funding one political party could be misconstrued and inadvertently result in its products and services boycotted. As companies serve diverse communities, it may be best they take a more inclusive approach to funding to ensure the core of communities they serve do not feel left out.

We already know of the devastation prejudice causes to human development. Prejudice, whether overtly or subtly, on any other basis such as race, class, or gender among other forms, erodes the effectiveness of safeguards put in place for good doers. It causes disunity resulting in people having misaligned expectations and priorities, while apathy increases.

Ultimately, ordinary citizens make a significant difference in promoting good governance, neighbourliness and democracy. In our multitudes, we need to remain relentless and not apathetic in pursuing goodness so our efforts can overcome those of wrong and evildoers.