The South African Government in 2002 accepted the Public Service Anti-Corruption Strategy
(PSACS) with the objective to reduce the manifestation of malfeasance in the public service. The
PSACS identified various goals and objectives to be achieved at both the systemic and
departmental levels. At the departmental level, the PSACS set out to increase the institutional
capacity of departmental institutions, and encourage the management of risk and of discipline in
the public service. Departments are required to establish the necessary capacity to formulate
fraud prevention and anti-corruption policies, receive and manage allegations of corruption, and
investigate allegations of corruption and detected risks at a preliminary level. To manage ethics
departments should inter alia identify early signs of a lack of discipline, improve the
accountability and capacity of managers to manage discipline, and encourage managers to act
against transgressions. However, various authors have been critical of the formulation of policies
and the establishment of structures as a policy response to public service corruption. In their
view, such an approach often leads to a reduction in the efficiency and effectiveness of public
programmes, and even creates opportunities for corruption. In response to such deficiencies,
some argue that a compliance-based approach to public service malfeasance should be
supplemented by a value-based approach with an emphasis on the development of internal selfcontrol
of individuals, the promotion of trust among employees, and the promotion of a culture
of responsibility. In this context, this researcher proposes that the promotion of an ethical culture
could enhance the implementation of the PSACS. In this dissertation, this researcher set out to
evaluate, among others, the ethical culture of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). It
was decided that a survey would be the most appropriate data collection method. A questionnaire
was administered and the data was captured, analysed and interpreted. Various statistical tests
were performed and the findings suggest inter alia that the promotion of an ethical culture
coincides with lower levels of observed malfeasance. Consequently, when greater clarity of
operational and ethics policies is obtained, an increase occurs in both the severity and frequency
of penalties for malfeasance, and officials gain greater access to resources and time to execute
their responsibilities, the level of observed malfeasance is likely to be reduced. The promotion of
an ethical culture could significantly enhance the implementation of the PSACS. / Public Administration / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:umkn-dsp01.int.unisa.ac.za:10500/4241 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Webb, Werner Nicholaas |
| Contributors | Wessels, J. S., Pauw, J. C. (Jacobus Cornelis), 1947- |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xvii, 441 leaves : ill.) |
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