Authors:

Abstract

TThis study explored how ukubuyisana – an isiZulu concept of relational repair and reconciliation - can serve as a culturally grounded framework for leadership development among principals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Paired with the Japanese Kintsugi philosophy of highlighting rather than hiding cracks, the study reimagines fractured school systems not as broken beyond repair, but as sites for transformation, where damage becomes part of a more meaningful and equitable whole. Using a participatory action research approach and photovoice methodology, school principals captured and discussed photographs taken on mobile devices that reflected the “cracks” in their educational environments - such as resource inequality, emotional exhaustion, and structural neglect. The visual method enabled accessible and multilingual expression, supporting engagement across economic and linguistic barriers. Findings show that integrating ukubuyisana and Kintsugi fosters reflective, restorative leadership practices. Principals moved from managerial problem-solving to relational accountability, drawing on community knowledge and shared vulnerability as sources of strength. Rather than simply repairing the old, participants began to reimagine new leadership possibilities rooted in dignity, equity, and care. This study contributes to decolonial scholarship in education by offering a hybrid, praxis-oriented model for leadership development. It suggests that celebrating what remains - rather than fixing what is missing - can be a powerful act of epistemic and institutional repair in contexts of historical and ongoing educational injustice.

Keywords

decoloniality; leadership; photovoice; South Africa education; ukubuyisana