ABSTRACT
This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of public sector anti-corruption reform efforts
in democratic South Africa. These reforms are contextualized within the international
theory, literature and policy debate that has emerged over the past decade on the
control of corruption within the context of democratic governance.
To evaluate the effectiveness of anti-corruption reforms the thesis first covers a
number of broad themes including: conceptions, causes and consequences of
corruption; main theoretical approaches underpinning anti-corruption reforms; and
methodologies to evaluate the effectiveness and seriousness of anti-corruption efforts.
Specifically focusing on South Africa, the thesis looks at the nature and extent of
corruption both pre and post 1994; recent legislative, institutional, and policy
interventions to control public sector corruption; and, as an illustrative case study of
grand corruption, an in-depth analysis of the government’s handling of allegations of
corruption in the Strategic Defense Procurement Package or “arms deal.”
The findings of the thesis are mixed: I argue that democracy is a necessary albeit
insufficient condition for effectively fighting corruption. Although South Africa has
an impressive array of institutions, laws and policies to counter public sector
corruption, the most important ingredient for successful reforms, namely an indication
of sustained political will, is not yet fully in evidence. The government’s mishandling
of allegations of corruption in the arms deal is a case in point, suggesting chronic
weaknesses on the part of institutions such as parliament to safeguard the public
interest. Lack of regulation in the funding of political parties remains the “Achilles
heel” of anti-corruption reform efforts. So far as concerns further theoretical framing
of corruption studies I conclude that a focus on social empowerment (Johnston) in the
context of democratic consolidation, including an active civil society and vigilant
media, is crucial for the effective fight against corruption in new democracies such as
South Africa.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/7032 |
| Date | 19 June 2009 |
| Creators | Camerer, Marianne Irene |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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