Moses Tembe and I first met each other many years ago. At our initial meeting we instantly formed a bond of interest, cooperation, and respect. I saw clearly at the time, and today continue to see Moses as a highly capable and competent business leader, driven by purpose and integrity.
Our recent reconnection and fine dining experience at the Tembe home in Umdloti was magnificent in many ways. Above all, the food was exceptional, and the conversation riveting. We quickly learned that our paths had in fact crossed many years prior to the point we had considered was our initial meeting. At that time, we were both in our mid to late 20s, and Moses had facilitated a loan from his position in the KwaZulu-Natal Finance and Investment Corporation (KFC) to Shell SA, where I was a staff member supporting setting up Umnini Ultra City on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. We knew the same people who owned and managed the Shell Ultra City business, and this recognition and common linkage instantly created a warm foundation for openness and sharing of challenges, expectations and opportunities in our paths.
Moses is a highly experienced, resourceful, connected, and business minded KwaZulu-Natal industrialist. He has a long and successful track record in business, and is regarded by his peers in commerce, and the business community at large, as a smart, ethical, and effective leader. Moses is a true to life example of someone authentic, and able to give confidence to us that good and clean business principles and best business practices are both profitable and contain that critical aspect of sustainability, which attracts ongoing interest and new opportunity.
Interestingly, Moses’s business mindedness came from his parents who were pastors in the community. Moses’s parents taught their children, family and greater community that the Life within each of us is more real than our physical presence indicates. And if we follow the true voice within, waiting patiently to express itself from within our hearts outwardly, through our thoughts, words, and actions, we create a sustainable environment around us, with health in each of the areas in our lives where we have needs and interests.
It is interesting that Moses’s path to business and financial success was through the Life lessons taught to him and his siblings by his pastor parents. Normally we would consider that commercial success comes from experience, networks, influence, and applying business minded principles in the marketplace. Moses clarified that yes indeed understanding how business works and is sustained is important in ensuring ongoing success. However, norms and values are critical in reasoning right from wrong, and ensuring that we act with integrity, and transmute negative emotions, images, thoughts and beliefs into constructive channels. So, they are not able to adversely flavour the space we hold in regard to our intentions and desired outcomes.
Moses continued by sharing that it is easy for people to feel doubt and fear that our work and purpose will return little value, but if our minds remain free and do not become clogged by materially minded disturbances, they are left open to focus on receiving inspiration and uncovering advantages to ensure ongoing success and sustainability. Moses said, “It is reasoning that gives us the ability to consider alternatives to better define our brand’s unique offer and best step forward.” I was delighted to listen to these wise words Moses was sharing and felt honoured I was able to gain so much understanding about Life and creativity in the short period of time. I considered too that certainly I was also receiving the wisdom that Moses’s parents had taught him as a child and young man living in the townships of Lamontville and Umlazi.
Many spiritual truths are difficult to convey accurately in words, and Moses knew this well. We soon started speaking about considerations in driving a Ferrari, where the engine and steering wheel are essential components to move the car forward, but the driver must reason the appropriate speed and direction to be taken. The driver can be influenced by ego to drive faster, take sharper corners, and risk not reaching the destination successfully. Imagine also, a Ferrari engine without adequate and controlled steering. This can be likened to our emotions not being guided by the power of our ability to reason, resulting in a potluck outcome. A reasoning mind overcomes all situations and gives us the ability to grow confidence in that voice within us being able and ready to guide and encourage positive and appropriate creations through our thoughts, words and actions.
Business is just the same. If we do not reason through our intellect (and that clear voice within), our actions which should lead to greater value to self and community, will be influenced by the emotion of arrogance and foolishness of ignorance. We will create conditions where it becomes unlikely for us to reach our desired objectives.
Another amazing simile we discussed was that water within a bottle remains the same colour no matter whether the colour of bottle is green or brown. This example feeds the soul, especially in a South African context, where we as citizens need to note and feel that common unity that binds us internally, and from this point create a society where all feel happy and harmonious and share the same values and attraction to our country, homes, and individual purpose. Much unnecessary pain is inflicted by us onto our brothers and sisters. This uncomfortable existence for many can be healed instantly through reasoning what is right and wrong, and applying our God given ability to love and care for each other.
Moses, through his confidence in sharing his message, helped to make this normally complex discussion simple, and I left our lunch meeting feeling both satisfied mentally and filled with new hope and expectation. For days after our lunch my mind kept going back to our discussion, and Moses’s voice saying, “David, it is simple. It is our heart consciousness, that true voice within, that is continually encouraging us to move forward in our decision making. With love for our father God and neighbours guiding our minds to create actions and habits in doing things for one another, as caring, sharing, and encouraging brothers and sisters of the one creator”.
The words “caring, sharing and encouraging” for one another now mean much more to me than before. Caring, sharing and encouraging provides all the direction and guidance we need to consider in defining our life’s purpose and ensuring our successful and fulfilling living in South Africa. It draws us close to reasoning what are right and wrong thoughts, decisions, and actions, and to better hear the guiding voice within our heart consciousness. I will not forget this wonderful lunch and afternoon with Moses, and our incredibly deep and simple conversations. Thank you, Moses, for your caring, sharing, and encouraging. This knowledge you have gained through your parents and life experiences is as valuable to everyone as it is to you and me.
We have heard it before, and know well that ethics, effective leadership and an engaged organisational culture are the single most important aspects in creating an organisational foundation from which we can build successful and sustainable businesses, and to ensure an exceptional personal existence for ourselves and the communities around us.
DRG, and DRG Siyaya
Contact David White,
T: +27 (0)31 767 0625
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