Xolela Mangcu is right to direct the succession debate towards values, but did liberalism, nationalism and socialism fail us or have we failed them, SA needs leaders with ideas that lie beyond the tired old binaries (February 1)?

Do directors really need a new vision to know that exploiting minority shareholders, monopolies, price collusion, deceiving customers with scams and raping them with ripoffs, bribing officials, paying unfair wages and shrinking employment is wrong — and dangerous?

Do politicians really need a new vision to know that centralism, floor-crossing, party listing, monopolising committees, a lapdog Parliament, nepotism, patronage, taking bribes, abusing office, appointing incompetents and raping taxpayers is wrong — and dangerous? No.

Did the African National Congress and the National Party know that self-interested policies of person, party and race are wrong for the national interest when both put “national” into their names? Yes.

Avoiding market failure takes directors living up to liberal values. Avoiding state failure takes politicians living up to democratic-socialist values. Serving society takes both living up to national values. Before we add new commandments, let’s practise keeping the old ones.