​Business leaders were challenged by USB Advisory Board and Woolworths chairman Simon Susman to stand their ground, become a voice, engage and help to solve the country's problems.

Keeping quiet, as some did during the politically turbulent 1980s, would be wrong.

Addressing attendees at a Director's Table event , hosted by the University of Stellenbosch Business School director Prof Piet Naudé on Tuesday, 10 May he said: "Values are missing in top government and it filters down into the whole of the leadership of the country. There are many honest people there, but they are surrounded by dishonest people."

Susman argues that what is also missing in government is a passion for values. He pointed to Woolworths' set of values to contextualise where he thinks government is found lacking. These values are: quality, service, value, integrity, energy, innovation and sustainability.

He asked: "Where is the passion for service? Where is the passion for integrity when everyone is trying to cover up something? Where is the passion for value and for our population? Where is the passion for quality?"

Susman referred to the December 2015 incident where President Jacob Zuma fired the then Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene. It created turmoil on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, hit the value of the rand hard and damaged South Africa's international reputation.

This incident, he believes, was an attempt to capture the state. "We are not yet out of the woods, but this was certainly a tipping point," he said.

According to Susman, who is also chairperson of the Virgin Active fitness group, the most important question is: "What do we do as business to stand our ground and become a voice, and how do we engage and become a help?"

He said in the 1980s business was silent on what was happening in government. "We were fearful and had a thousand reasons to condone and to be quiet. But we were wrong. The two worst things we can do now is to be silent and we can't afford to criticise only from the outside. We have to engage with as many people as possible to shift the thinking," he said.

Some of the business leaders who attended the event include Sanlam's non-executive chairman, Desmond Smith, and AHi (Afrikaans Handelsinstituut) CEO, Dr Ernest Messina. Smith said he found the event "stimulating" while Dr Messina welcomed the opportunity for business to engage with a provider of business education.