Why then is a lack of accountability so prevalent and widely tolerated?

Accountability for many people only becomes real if the ‘personal loss’ threat is real. If the mayor of the big city is summarily fired, the estate agent and the speeding MEC jailed and the mining company and its directors’ assets confiscated and sold to raise funds to combat the pollution, then accountability becomes real. If, however the sanction, linked to a lack of accountability is easily circumvented, legally or in a corrupt manner, is affordable or brings positive compensation, when personal loss is not a reality or the will to apply sanction, does not exist, then a lack of accountability prevails and can even be re-enforced. The mayor circumvents his accountability for the dysfunctional billing system by blaming the system and inferring deliberate sabotage of the system by opposition parties (blame game).

Completely oblivious of the fact that as political head of the City Council he is ultimately accountable, he truly believes that by simply pointing fingers, he becomes a victim and is absolved from being accountable.

The estate agent claims victim status because according to her, fiddling with trust accounts is common in the property industry and singling her out to be accountable is unfair and unjustified. ‘Others’ are to blame for her state of affairs and by pointing them out, must surely let her off the hook?

The speeding MEC is absolved from serving a jail sentence because of the failing judicial system. All he is required to do is to pay a fine (accountability is affordable) and seal it with an apology. After all he was the victim of ‘circumstances’ that compelled him to break the law. His lack of accountability is further rewarded when the Minister to whom he reports publicly laments “How many times must he still apologise!”

The mining company simply thumbs its nose at those who demand accountability for its polluting activities. It can do so because the authorities’ who have the responsibility to exact accountability lacks the will to demand accountability and to institute drastic sanctions to re enforce them. What priority should accountability be given in an organisation?

Accountability for performance is considered to be amongst the top concerns of senior executives in those organisations that distinguish themselves in their industries.