Corporate Social Responsibility in the South African Public Sector: A Focus on Ethical Responsibility

Abstract

There is a greater understanding of the significance of moral leadership in governance and accountability and transparency in public service. The emergence of a consensus that competent public administration and good governance are the cornerstone of long-term growth supports such realisation. The effects of unethical and unlawful behaviour in the public sector are considered unsustainable for a country’s development because they could erode public confidence in government institutions and the rule of law itself. Furthermore, the South African public has been increasingly outspoken and demanding of public sector officials, showing less tolerance for their shortcomings, shortfalls, and systematic issues. As a result, corporate social responsibility has become a demand due to growing stakeholder demands, the inability of government and civil society to address complex societal issues, as well as the realisation by most businesses that their long-term success depends on their capacity to address localised sustainable development challenges. According to the King Committee on Corporate Governance, a well-managed organisation will be conscious of social issues and respond to them, giving ethical standards a high priority. This paper explores the South African public sector’s ethical responsibility with regard to society’s interests, as demonstrated by accepting responsibility for the impact of its activities on key constituencies, such as customers, employees, shareholders, and communities. The paper employs the secondary sources analysis method for data collection. It is concluded that moral leadership can effect change, modify how public institutions fulfil their legal obligations, and give those who rely on government services high-quality, essential services. In addition, transparent, measurable programmes and outcomes should be the byproduct of responsible corporate citizenship. This paper has three proposals for the public sector, which will mitigate unethical and prohibited conduct in the public sector, and which is considered to be unsustainable for a nation’s development.