Corruption and Public Service Delivery: Enforcement of Ethics to Curb Transgression in the Public Sector

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate corrupt practices in South African public sector and to recognize the critical need for ethical control to promote good governance. Since the advent of democracy in 1994, there has been a myriad of incidents of corruption involving public servants in South Africa. Corruption is now recognized as one of the South African government’s greatest challenge with numerous consequences for public service delivery in that the resources that are meant to assist the poor are diverted to benefit few corrupt officials. Corruption undermines democracy and social justice, thus, deepening poverty, increasing organized crime and stunting efforts to stimulate human security. The incidents of corruption characterized by colossal theft, embezzlements and rampant bribery are the basis of knowledge around the ability of the African National Congress (ANC) led government to deal effectively with dishonesty. The paper will use literature review to argue and demonstrate that despite the devotion by the ANC-led government to combat unethical conduct of public servants by formulating various pieces of legislation and policies as an attempt to address the problem of unethical behaviour; the tribulations of corruption and problems of immoral conduct by public servants continue to escalate, thus, perpetuating poor provision of public service. The paper concludes that continued unethical practices by public servants cannot go unpunished; ethics must be enforced to enhance public service delivery.