Participating in Toyota's State of the Motor Industry (SoMI) event in Sandton two weeks ago was a real privilege. It is always fascinating experiencing new vehicle launches. Each new model reminds me of the speed of technology change that is occurring in the automotive industry. The steady release of Hybrids, Plug in Hybrids and Battery Electric Vehicles makes it clear that the South African automotive market is going to look very different in a decade.

A trickle will become a stream, until the volume builds and a torrent of change follows. I sense we are presently moving from the trickle to the stream in South Africa, with the torrent not too far off. At TWIMS we are interested in understanding what this means for South Africa's manufacturing sector. Will the shift to New Energy Vehicles create new industrialisation opportunities, or will it limit or even reverse the decades of progress we have made in building a formidable domestic automotive manufacturing industry? If we are going to benefit from the shift to NEVs, what is required from government, OEMs, component manufacturers and organised labour in South Africa to ensure we do so? What policies need to be adjusted? What new regulatory frameworks need to be established? And what skills and infrastructure do we need to develop? I am looking forward to grappling with these questions at TWIMS over the next couple of years as there is certainly a lot of complexity to navigate, and associated opportunities and challenges to explore.

Michael Balle’s recent seminar held at TWIMS on Ubuntu and Lean Leadership got me thinking deeply about the blindspots we have in relating to one another. Using Ubuntu’s “I am because you are” philosophy, Balle urges leaders to design learning ecosystems that help people and organisations thrive together, moving from rule-driven, target chasing work to shared purpose, engagement and problem solving.

A major obstacle in this relational approach is power – both formal and informal. Even well-intentioned leaders who aim to create psychological safety, invite feedback and encourage learning still face intangible power barriers. These dynamics exist in every facet of society as well as organisations: between leaders and teams, lead firms and suppliers and within communities of stakeholders. Layers of rank and influence can erode Ubuntu’s recognition of equal humanity, silencing marginal voices and allowing privileged perspectives to go unchallenged.

The key is not to deny power but to see and manage it. Leaders must become more astute at recognising where power prevents authentic participation and where it can be skillfully dismantled in interactions. Sometimes leaders fail because they don’t “feel” powerful relative to others; other times they remain unconsciously perched on a power pedestal while believing they are relational.

Practical change begins with awareness: noticing who speaks, who is interrupted, whose ideas stick, and whose are ignored. It requires deliberate leadership practices like active listening, creating the space for others to speak, responding with curiosity to dissent and sharing vulnerability. By acknowledging power and intentionally shifting it, leaders can create the conditions for true Ubuntu: collective learning, mutual respect and shared problem solving.

The South African manufacturing sector enters 2026 in trouble. This is reflected in the sentiment of manufacturing executives and data which shows the sector continued to struggle through 2025. However, it is important to emphasise that South Africa remains Africa's most industrialised economy, and despite negative headwinds, remains well positioned for growth.

As an example, the African automotive market has the potential to consume 3.5 million new vehicles by 2035, versus only 1.2 million units in 2024. This would be a game changer for the 600,00-vehicle domestic automotive industry and its 115,000 employees, especially as it presently only ships about 30,000 vehicles a year to the rest of the continent.

Taking advantage of these opportunities is not straightforward. On the part of government, it requires the development of sound policies and the building of appropriate physical and digital infrastructure that links us more effectively to the continent. And on the part of the private sector, it requires positive intent, clear strategies, and the development of robust regional business models attuned to African market dynamics.

TWIMS is therefore looking forward to 2026. We look forward to making a positive contribution to South Africa's manufacturing economy through our various academic and executive programmes, and to supporting the development of Africa's abundant industrial potential.

In a world increasingly bombarded by AI productivity tools, many professionals face an existential crisis regarding their relationship with technology. While it is easy to be seduced by the speed and "perfection" AI provides, these outputs often deliver only algorithmic satisfaction rather than true depth. As leaders ignoring AI risks our redundancy, but increasingly we must ask what makes us uniquely humanly gifted? Our humanness is rooted in nurturing and valuing our imperfection.

AI-generated content, though polished, can feel vanilla at best or fake at worst, lacking authentic human connection. The Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi offers a significant contrast by revering imperfection as a process for moral and emotional growth. This is exemplified by Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken china with gold to make it more beautiful and exceptional precisely because of its fractures.

In an era of artificial perfection, these human imperfections represent our human gold. This gold includes original and contradictory thought, vulnerability, and authenticity in leadership. These "fractured forms" are what ultimately drive us to connect, heal, and create - the essence of all productive human endeavours. Embracing our imperfections will increasingly become the gold standard of humanity, serving as a rare and valuable commodity in an AI-driven world. By reframing leadership through this metaphor of "golden repair" we move toward a more inclusive and authentic way of leading.

Note: this was not written by AI but it was inspired by a journal article: April, K., Bourne, D., Dharani, B. (2025). Reframing leadership through imperfection: A golden repair leadership model for inclusive and authentic leadership in the Global South. Effective Executive, April, Pp34-50. DOI:10.71329