Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between morals, ethics, public administration and corruption. The argument advanced is that morals and ethics are antidotes for bureaucratic corruption in public service and administration. Currently there seems to be low ethics and morality in public service and administration in South Africa. The discussions in this paper consider the obligations under the South African National Development plan 2030, African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, the African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration, and the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local Development for a corruption free and ethical public service and administration.
Highlights
1.1 Scope of the paperThis paper is about enhancing normative and institutional strategies to combat corruption, with emphasis on requiring moral values and principles, and ethical leadership and conduct as invaluable in combating corruption in the public service and administration
Whitton (2001) once observed that “[e]thical conduct and corruption in the public sector are the two sides of the one coin”, in particular stating that “[t[o the extent that an organisation succeeds in enhancing its own ethical climate internally, and that which it operates in externally, it reduces the acceptability of corruption
In the Netherlands, for example, integrity is taken to be more than anticorruption principles and values, and broadly refers to “promoting an ethical climate marked by features including openness, safety, respect, trust, leadership, and justice” Hoekstra and Zweegers (2016:54)
Summary
This paper is about enhancing normative and institutional strategies to combat corruption, with emphasis on requiring moral values and principles, and ethical leadership and conduct as invaluable in combating corruption in the public service and administration. The argument advanced by the researchers is that morals and ethics are antidotes for bureaucratic corruption in public service and administration. The discourse of public administration morality and ethical leadership are omnipotence in public administration, considering the current corruption and maladministration involving public offices is endemic, pervasive and chronic in South Africa. The view by the researchers is that moral values and ethics are antidotes for corruption in public service and administration in Africa. There seem to be low levels of ethics and morality in public service and administration Under enquiries such as the Zondo Commissions of State Capture and the VSB Scandal are demonstrative of public administration lacking in accountability and transparency. Africa needs ethical and servant leaders who have the political will to combat corruption
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