An investigation into the effectiveness of leadership in the administration of HIV/AIDS
Abstract
The aim of the study is to analyse the role and the effectiveness of transformational leadership in the administration of HIVIAIDS in the African countries: Botswana, Uganda and South Africa. The effect of HIVIAIDS in society is as enormous as no cure exists to curb the phenomenal growth of confirmed carriers in order to halt the death toll. The impact of HIVIAIDS on society and the economy is so large that containment programmes and other programmes that aim to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the epidemic require effective and transformational leadership at the most senior levels of government to address the problem comprehensively and successfully. Transformational leadership is essential in achieving results through effective leadership when faced with values and behaviour that work against the achievement of expected results. The effective administration of HIVIAIDS was studied in a predetermined period within South Africa, Botswana and Uganda. The period 1 May 1999 to 30 August
2004 was demarcated because it deals with policy kom the start of the term of office of President Thabo Mbeki, as well as for comparison purposes. The period ends just after the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand in July 2004. Each of the three countries have been evaluated separately through the answers to a list of 14 questions, mostly derived from the address by the United Nations Secretary- General, Kofi Annan, to the XV International Conference on AIDS on 11 July 2004.
Mr Annan based his comments on the document Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS that was accepted at the United Nations General Assembly, Special Session on HIVIAIDS, 27 June 2001. The national prevalence rates of the infected number of people have stabilised in Botswana and are decreasing in Uganda. It was found that the leadership in Botswana and Uganda are effective in terms of delivering results. In South Afnca, however, the national prevalence rate of the infected number of people is increasing and the leadership has not been effective in terms of delivering results. It was found that under the leadership of President Festus Mogae in Botswana, and in Uganda under President Yoweri Museveni, both countries were committed and comprehensively addressing the HIVIAIDS phenomenon and have been successful with the transformation of society in effecting behaviour change. On the other hand, it was found that under the leadership of President Thabo Mbeki in South Africa, the government was not committed and comprehensively addressing the HIVIAIDS phenomenon and was not concerned with the transformation of society to effectbehaviour change.