Section 195(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 provides that, in public administration, a high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained. The South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Code of Conduct (1997) provides that “the police service should work actively towards preventing any form of corruption and bringing those guilty of unethical conduct to justice”. The Service Integrity Framework of the SAPS Strategic Plan Document (2002/5) provides that “police officers should be encouraged to resist and expose any form of unethical conduct and to improve management and supervision thereof”. This means that the individual police officer should display a high level of professional ethics in the provision of safety and security to members of the public. However, according to the Independent Complaints Directorate’s (ICD) Annual Report (2003/4:8) “there is a rising level of unethical conduct amongst individual police officers nationally”. This dissertation aims to analyse the implementation of an ethical framework in the SAPS with specific reference to the Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) of the Johannesburg Central Police Station (JCPS). In this dissertation, both ethics and ethos are conceptualised as cornerstones of effective service delivery. The dissertation analyses the environmental conditions that affect the conduct and behaviour of individual police officers. It focuses on the impact of both internal and external environmental conditions on police officers during their provision of safety and security. The dissertation analyses the causes of negative work ethics and ethos among individual police officers. The dissertation analyses the manifestations of these negative work ethics and ethos in order to suggest effective comprehensive remedial strategies. This dissertation identifies instruments for the effective implementation of an ethical framework on the CPU of the JCPS and further assesses the efficacy of the existing constitutional institutions towards the effective implementation of an ethical framework in the CPU. Furthermore, this dissertation presents recommendations for the CPU of the JCPS to effectively implement its ethical framework. The enhancement of positive work ethics and ethos is critical for an effective service delivery. / Dissertation (MAdmin (Public Administration))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / MAdmin / unrestricted

Introdução: A negligência é um fenômeno de incidência crescente na enfermagem contemporânea, uma omissão frente ao cuidado bastante naturalizada no cotidiano profissional, mas que constitui infração ética grave, pois viola os preceitos éticos e a própria essência da profissão. Este estudo abordou a negligência cometida pelos profissionais de enfermagem no exercício da função nos processos éticos julgados pelo COREN-SP entre 2001 e 2010 e nas falas dos profissionais condenados nos processos éticos de negligência com criança. Contemplou-se a negligência nas dimensões conceitual, semântica, jurídica e ético-profissional, com o intuito de elucidar seus contornos, distingui-la das infrações éticas análogas imperícia e imprudência e dimensionar a responsabilidade do profissional condenado por conduta negligente. Objetivos: Identificar e classificar os casos de negligência profissional julgados pelo COREN-SP no período de 2001 a 2010; analisar as justificativas presentes nos depoimentos dos profissionais condenados nos processos éticos de negligência com criança e reconstituir o sentido do ato negligente nos depoimentos desses profissionais. Métodos: Delineou-se como percurso metodológico a pesquisa bibliográfica exploratória da literatura especializada, realizada em duas etapas, e a pesquisa documental dos processos éticos nas abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa. A primeira etapa da pesquisa bibliográfica concentrou-se em publicações nacionais que abordaram a negligência sem definição de recorte temporal. Localizou-se um número reduzido de 13 estudos e constatou-se a inexistência de um conceito de negligência no campo da enfermagem, pressuposto do estudo. Na segunda etapa, ampliou-se a revisão das publicações nacionais para 19 estudos e procedeu-se a revisão dos 11 estudos internacionais encontrados, realizada subsequentemente à leitura dos processos. Utilizou-se como referencial teórico-filosófico as concepções de ética, deliberação e responsabilidade de Aristóteles e de Hans Jonas. Resultados: O estudo quantitativo abrangeu 482 processos éticos e forneceu dados para a composição de um primeiro retrato da negligência na enfermagem. Identificou-se 68 processos de negligência e 20 processos de negligência com criança, dos quais selecionou-se sete para o estudo qualitativo, realizado mediante a análise de conteúdo dos depoimentos, na modalidade de análise temática. Tal abordagem propiciou uma definição mais específica de ato negligente e subsidiou a formulação de seis categorias analíticas. Observou-se, nos depoimentos, a mesma naturalização da negligência presenciada no cotidiano profissional, dado que os profissionais não se referiram à conduta negligente como negativa em suas falas mesmo quando esta resultou em consequências fatais, tampouco expressaram qualquer manifestação de pesar pelo efeito lesivo do ato praticado, buscando sempre atenuá-lo por meio de estratégias discursivas. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que o ato negligente comporta sempre um componente de deliberação e de responsabilidade pessoal, o que permitiu definir negligência como o descumprimento deliberado do dever de atender a necessidade do cuidado e confirmar que, na qualidade de conduta antiética, a negligência efetivamente afronta a responsabilidade profissional que decorre do compromisso ético inerente à profissão / Introduction: Neglect is a phenomenon of growing incidence in contemporary nursing, comprising an omission regarding care, which is quite naturalized in professional daily life, but which constitutes a serious ethical breach, as it violates ethical precepts and the very essence of the profession. This study addressed neglect committed by nursing professionals in the exercise of their function in the ethical proceedings judged by COREN-SP between 2001 and 2010 and in the statements of professionals convicted in ethical proceedings of child neglect. Neglect in the conceptual, semantic, juridical and ethical-professional dimensions was contemplated, with the aim of elucidating its contours, distinguish it from analogous ethical infractions, malice and imprudence, and dimension the responsibility of professionals convicted for negligent conduct. Purpose: To identify and classify the cases of professional neglect judged by COREN-SP in the period from 2001 to 2010; analyze the justifications present in the testimonies of convicted professionals in the ethical proceedings of child neglect; and reconstitute the meaning of the negligent act in the testimonies of these professionals. Methods: The exploratory bibliographic research of the specialized literature, carried out in two stages, as well as the documentary research of the ethical proceedings in the quantitative and qualitative approaches were delineated as a methodological course. The first stage of the bibliographical research focused on Brazilian publications that addressed neglect without a definition of timeframes. A small number of 13 studies were located, and there was no concept of neglect in the field of nursing, which was the studys assumption. In the second stage, the review of the Brazilian publications for 19 studies was expanded, and the 11 international studies were reviewed following the reading of the proceedings. The conceptions of ethics, deliberation and responsibility of Aristotle and Hans Jonas were used as theoretical-philosophical references. Results: The quantitative study covered 482 ethical proceedings and provided data for the composition of an initial image of nursing neglect. A total of 68 neglect cases and 20 child neglect cases were identified, of which seven were selected for the qualitative study, based on the analysis of the content of the testimonies, in the thematic analysis mode. This approach provided a more specific definition of a negligent act and subsidized the formulation of six analytical categories. The testimonies showed the same naturalization of the neglect observed in the professional daily life, as the professionals did not refer to the negligent conduct as negative in their statements, even when this resulted in fatal consequences, nor did they express any manifestation of regret by the injurious effect of the act, always seeking to alleviate it through discursive strategies. Conclusion: It was concluded that the negligent act always involves a component of deliberation and personal responsibility, which enabled a definition of neglect as the deliberate failure to comply with the duty to provide the care needed and to confirm that, as an unethical conduct, neglect is an effective violation of professional responsibility, arising from the ethical commitment inherent in the profession.

Introdução: A negligência é um fenômeno de incidência crescente na enfermagem contemporânea, uma omissão frente ao cuidado bastante naturalizada no cotidiano profissional, mas que constitui infração ética grave, pois viola os preceitos éticos e a própria essência da profissão. Este estudo abordou a negligência cometida pelos profissionais de enfermagem no exercício da função nos processos éticos julgados pelo COREN-SP entre 2001 e 2010 e nas falas dos profissionais condenados nos processos éticos de negligência com criança. Contemplou-se a negligência nas dimensões conceitual, semântica, jurídica e ético-profissional, com o intuito de elucidar seus contornos, distingui-la das infrações éticas análogas imperícia e imprudência e dimensionar a responsabilidade do profissional condenado por conduta negligente. Objetivos: Identificar e classificar os casos de negligência profissional julgados pelo COREN-SP no período de 2001 a 2010; analisar as justificativas presentes nos depoimentos dos profissionais condenados nos processos éticos de negligência com criança e reconstituir o sentido do ato negligente nos depoimentos desses profissionais. Métodos: Delineou-se como percurso metodológico a pesquisa bibliográfica exploratória da literatura especializada, realizada em duas etapas, e a pesquisa documental dos processos éticos nas abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa. A primeira etapa da pesquisa bibliográfica concentrou-se em publicações nacionais que abordaram a negligência sem definição de recorte temporal. Localizou-se um número reduzido de 13 estudos e constatou-se a inexistência de um conceito de negligência no campo da enfermagem, pressuposto do estudo. Na segunda etapa, ampliou-se a revisão das publicações nacionais para 19 estudos e procedeu-se a revisão dos 11 estudos internacionais encontrados, realizada subsequentemente à leitura dos processos. Utilizou-se como referencial teórico-filosófico as concepções de ética, deliberação e responsabilidade de Aristóteles e de Hans Jonas. Resultados: O estudo quantitativo abrangeu 482 processos éticos e forneceu dados para a composição de um primeiro retrato da negligência na enfermagem. Identificou-se 68 processos de negligência e 20 processos de negligência com criança, dos quais selecionou-se sete para o estudo qualitativo, realizado mediante a análise de conteúdo dos depoimentos, na modalidade de análise temática. Tal abordagem propiciou uma definição mais específica de ato negligente e subsidiou a formulação de seis categorias analíticas. Observou-se, nos depoimentos, a mesma naturalização da negligência presenciada no cotidiano profissional, dado que os profissionais não se referiram à conduta negligente como negativa em suas falas mesmo quando esta resultou em consequências fatais, tampouco expressaram qualquer manifestação de pesar pelo efeito lesivo do ato praticado, buscando sempre atenuá-lo por meio de estratégias discursivas. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que o ato negligente comporta sempre um componente de deliberação e de responsabilidade pessoal, o que permitiu definir negligência como o descumprimento deliberado do dever de atender a necessidade do cuidado e confirmar que, na qualidade de conduta antiética, a negligência efetivamente afronta a responsabilidade profissional que decorre do compromisso ético inerente à profissão / Introduction: Neglect is a phenomenon of growing incidence in contemporary nursing, comprising an omission regarding care, which is quite naturalized in professional daily life, but which constitutes a serious ethical breach, as it violates ethical precepts and the very essence of the profession. This study addressed neglect committed by nursing professionals in the exercise of their function in the ethical proceedings judged by COREN-SP between 2001 and 2010 and in the statements of professionals convicted in ethical proceedings of child neglect. Neglect in the conceptual, semantic, juridical and ethical-professional dimensions was contemplated, with the aim of elucidating its contours, distinguish it from analogous ethical infractions, malice and imprudence, and dimension the responsibility of professionals convicted for negligent conduct. Purpose: To identify and classify the cases of professional neglect judged by COREN-SP in the period from 2001 to 2010; analyze the justifications present in the testimonies of convicted professionals in the ethical proceedings of child neglect; and reconstitute the meaning of the negligent act in the testimonies of these professionals. Methods: The exploratory bibliographic research of the specialized literature, carried out in two stages, as well as the documentary research of the ethical proceedings in the quantitative and qualitative approaches were delineated as a methodological course. The first stage of the bibliographical research focused on Brazilian publications that addressed neglect without a definition of timeframes. A small number of 13 studies were located, and there was no concept of neglect in the field of nursing, which was the studys assumption. In the second stage, the review of the Brazilian publications for 19 studies was expanded, and the 11 international studies were reviewed following the reading of the proceedings. The conceptions of ethics, deliberation and responsibility of Aristotle and Hans Jonas were used as theoretical-philosophical references. Results: The quantitative study covered 482 ethical proceedings and provided data for the composition of an initial image of nursing neglect. A total of 68 neglect cases and 20 child neglect cases were identified, of which seven were selected for the qualitative study, based on the analysis of the content of the testimonies, in the thematic analysis mode. This approach provided a more specific definition of a negligent act and subsidized the formulation of six analytical categories. The testimonies showed the same naturalization of the neglect observed in the professional daily life, as the professionals did not refer to the negligent conduct as negative in their statements, even when this resulted in fatal consequences, nor did they express any manifestation of regret by the injurious effect of the act, always seeking to alleviate it through discursive strategies. Conclusion: It was concluded that the negligent act always involves a component of deliberation and personal responsibility, which enabled a definition of neglect as the deliberate failure to comply with the duty to provide the care needed and to confirm that, as an unethical conduct, neglect is an effective violation of professional responsibility, arising from the ethical commitment inherent in the profession.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education has become like a problem child in the Republic of South Africa. It is a cause for concern to both the provincial and national government. This is a department where service delivery is problematic. Schools are not built or renovated and children are taught in dilapidated structures or sometimes under trees. Hardly a week passes without the department making the headlines in the media for the wrong reasons. It is widely accepted that the department is dysfunctional and education is in a crisis. The department has emerged as the number one culprit of engaging in corrupt activities in the province. Public officials in the department have been identified as being at the helm of these corrupt activities. In the 200/10 financial year, the Auditor General issued a disclaimer to the department and highlighted a lack of direction, accountability and a total breakdown of internal control systems and supply chain management within the department. Numerous fraud risk indicators were identified during the audit and underlined by findings that are indicative of fraud and corruption within the department. This unfortunate state of affairs is contrary to the requirements of section 195(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which provides for the democratic values and principles governing public administration including inter alia, that: A high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained. Efficient, economic and effective use of resources must be promoted. Public administration must be accountable. This raises several questions about the ethical fitness of public officials in the department as the custodians of the public resources and trust. Though several reasons abound for this unfavourable state of affairs in the department, the researcher has singled out unethical conduct by public officials in the department and its impact on service delivery. The approach followed in this research was to analyse the 2009/10 Department of Education Annual Report and the 2009/10 Auditor General’s Report to the Eastern Cape Department of Education. The analysis confirmed the existence and occurrence of multiple cases of unethical conduct in the department. At the end scientific recommendations are proposed to alleviate this ill.