IRMSA Risk Report 2025/2026: A Blueprint for Leadership

As Jeremy Maggs aptly put it during the opening; this is no ordinary report. “It is a blueprint document,” he said, “one that gives us clarity and courage.” And indeed, in a country grappling with complexity, volatility, and systemic challenges, clarity is in short supply. Courage, even more so. But this report provides both, grounded in evidence and charged with hope.

Prof Mervyn King’s remarks around mindful governance and effective leadership struck at the heart of our national dilemma. We do not merely need governance structures, we need integrated thinking. We need leaders who lead with wisdom, not ego.

Leaders who understand that decisions reverberate across systems, sectors, and society. The report, as King said, supports this necessary shift. It offers a mirror and a map, for boards, executives, and citizens alike.

IRMSA President Bheki Gutshwa reminded us that we live in “uncertain times,” but that “it is always darkest before dawn.” His call for shared responsibility in achieving collective success could not be more urgent or timely. South Africans are no strangers to adversity, but resilience is only sustainable if it is underpinned by solidarity, accountability, and action. The Risk Report is not a warning bell; it is a call to arms, grounded in evidence and driven by the belief that we can prevail but only if we do it together.

The keynote address by Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, author of From Baobab to Mosquito, infused the room with a powerful ethical charge. “We the people,” he reminded us, echoing the Constitution’s preamble, “have a role to play.”

Ethical risk governance is not just about high-level strategy; it is about everyday decisions, values, and behaviours. It is about Ubuntu leadership and recognising our interconnectedness and embracing the idea that no one is too small to make a difference. Even a mosquito, as Mpedi cleverly reminded us, can make its presence felt and disrupt.

Prof Tinyiko Maluleke deepened this reflection, arguing that in turbulent times, “leadership is not about command, it is about trust.” This represents a profound shift in how we perceive influence. In a fractured society, trust becomes the currency of change. And trust, unlike power, cannot be demanded. It must be earned.

Christelle and Vannessa then brought the heart of the report to life. They walked us through the methodology and demonstrated how to interpret the risk signals embedded in every section. This narrative of possibility serves as a framework for foresight. They reminded us that we need to radically think differently, not in small iterations, but in bold, transformative redesigns.

As a country, we must stop reverse engineering the future based on outdated models. Instead, we must redesign our inputs to address the root causes of our challenges: poverty, inequality, failing infrastructure, broken trust, and unemployment. Anticipatory thinking must replace reactionary responses. It's not about predicting the future; it's about preparing for it with intention and resilience.

The IRMSA Risk Report 2025/2026 is more than a report. It is a manifesto. A provocation. A promise. It calls on every leader, every organisation, and every citizen to participate in building a future worth inheriting.

We are a country defined not by the crises we face, but by the courage with which we confront them. The blueprint has been handed to us. Dawn is coming. But it is through everyday actions, from the boardroom to the classroom, from community leaders to public servants, that we will light the way forward.

As IRMSA and all its contributors remind us: the risks are real. But so is the potential. And so are “we the people”.

South Africa’s problems aren’t new. What matters is how we choose to face them. The tools are here. The risks are real. But so is the opportunity to act—with foresight, integrity, and collective purpose. Let’s stop waiting.