Jou nal o Social Sciences Vol. VIII, no. 2 (2025), pp. 155 - 170
Fascicle Social Science ISSN 2587-3490
Topic Sociology eISSN 2587-3504
Jou nal o Social Sciences June, 2025, Vol. 8
h ps://doi.o g/10.52326/jss.u m.2025.8(2).12
UDC 35.07:338.46(680)
GOOD GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN PUBLIC SERVICE
Shikha Vyas-Doo gape sad *, ORCID: 0000-0002-8146-344X
School o Public Managemen , Go e nance and Public Policy, College o Business and Economics, Uni e si y o
Johannesbu g, Sou h A ica
* Co esponding au ho : Shikha Vyas-Doo gape sad, s yas-doo gape [email protected]
Recei ed: 05.12.2025
Accep ed: 06.12.2025
Abs ac . The a icle examines he a ious causes o ine ec i e go e nance in Sou h A ican
public se ice: he lack o anspa ency, accoun abili y, e ec i eness and e iciency, e hical
no ms, and o he s. The main a ionale o he s udy is ha e en hough he coun y has an i-
co up ion legisla i e and ins i u ional amewo ks, implemen ing good go e nance
p inciples emains a challenge. The s udy used a quali a i e app oach o compile in o ma ion.
Li e a u e and documen e iews we e conside ed o ga he ele an in o ma ion ha was
hen assessed h ough concep ual and documen analysis. The indings show ha Sou h
A ica lacks adequa e esou ces and echnological skills o es ablish anspa ency, he lack o
digi alised pla o ms leads o poo ci izen pa icipa ion in he go e nance p ocesses, and
poli ical will is lacking o enhance openness in go e nmen s uc u es, p ocesses, and
decisions, o name a ew. The indings sugges ha main aining e hical s anda ds in public
adminis a ion necessi a es ha public o icials demons a e openness in ul illing public
esponsibili ies. T anspa ency cons i u es a undamen al p inciple o he success o any
public o ganisa ion. The s udy o e s policy ecommenda ions o imp o emen .
Keywo ds: good go e nance, public se ice, quali a i e, anspa ency, Sou h A ica.
Rezuma . A icolul examinează di e se cauze ale gu e nă ii ine icien e în se iciul public
sud-a ican: lipsa de anspa ență, esponsabili a e, e icaci a e și e iciență, no me e ice și
al ele. P incipala jus i ica e a s udiului es e că, deși ța a a e cad u legisla i și ins i uțional
an ico upție, implemen a ea p incipiilo bunei gu e nă i ămâne o p o oca e. S udiul a
u iliza o abo da e cali a i ă pen u compila ea in o mațiilo . Au os lua e în conside a e
ecenzii ale li e a u ii de speciali a e și ale documen elo pen u a colec a in o mații
ele an e, ca e au os apoi e alua e p in analiza concep uală și a documen elo . Cons a ă ile
a a ă, că A ica de Sud nu dispune de esu se adec a e și de compe ențe ehnologice pen u
a s abili anspa ența, lipsa pla o melo digi aliza e conduce la o pa icipa e slabă a
ce ățenilo la p ocesele de gu e na e, lipseș e oința poli ică pen u a spo i deschide ea
s uc u ilo , p oceselo și deciziilo gu e namen ale. Cons a ă ile suge ează că menține ea
s anda delo e ice în adminis ația publică necesi ă ca uncționa ii publici să demons eze
deschide e în îndeplini ea esponsabili ățilo publice. T anspa ența cons i uie un p incipiu
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undamen al pen u succesul o ică ei o ganizații publice. S udiul o e ă ecomandă i de
poli ici pen u îmbună ăți e.
Cu in e cheie: Bună gu e na e, se iciu public, cali a e, anspa ență, A ica de Sud.
1. In oduc ion
Good go e nance in public se ice is impe a i e as i es ablishes he no ms and
p inciples o main ain a cul u e o e hics. I should be no ed ha good go e nance is abou
anspa ency (openness), solida i y, and democ acy [1, p. 64]. I has signi ican majo
cha ac e is ics: I is pa icipa o y, meaning public o icials mus include he public in making
decisions. I is equi ed o be consensus-o ien ed, meaning decisions mus be made wi h
consensus. I demands accoun abili y whe eby public se an s mus answe o e e y hing
hey do. I seeks anspa ency, so da a mus always be accessible o he public when needed.
I expec s esponsi eness, so he go e nmen mus eac o socie al demands. I demands
e ec i eness and e iciency, and ha se ices be p o ided economically. I is conce ned wi h
inclusion and equali y and expec s ha all membe s o he communi y be included and ea ed
ai ly, and i adhe es o he law, equi ing public se an s o beha e law ully in hei du ies [1,
p. 64; 2, p. 29]. When hese ules/guidelines a e adhe ed o, he concep o good, e hical and
no ma i e go e nance may e ol e.
Good go e nance has become he a ou ed pa adigm in he ield o public
managemen due o he new public managemen (NPM) alues no being upheld by he
neolibe al pa adigm shi , pu e ma ke place ideology, and p i a e sec o e iciency
app oaches [3, p. 3].
As go e nmen s inc easingly ecognise ha he li es o he majo i y, he egula
ci izens, canno be neglec ed in a ou o he ew, he weal hy, pa icula is ic eli es o in e es
g oups, i has p oduced an a mosphe e in which he undamen al conce ns o equi y, ai ness,
and ma ke ailu e a e esu acing [3, p. 3; 4, p. 3; 5, p. 80].
A us wo hy judicial sys em ha e icien ly p o ides public se ices h ough
accoun able adminis a ion is essen ial o good go e nance. Good go e nance equi es ha
public sec o managemen p io i ise imp o ing accoun ing, epo ing, and budge ing as well
as elimina ing ine iciencies in public en e p ises, enhancing accoun abili y in public se ices,
and encompassing decen alisa ion, e icien accoun ing, and audi ing in addi ion o holding
public employees esponsible o hei ac ions and inc easing hei socie al esponsi eness
[6; 7, p. 12; 8, pp. 32–33].
Good go e nance equi es a sound legal sys em wi h well-de ined egula ions, an
independen and eliable judicia y, and e ec i e law en o cemen , and i expec s ha
co up ion can be educed h ough anspa ency and in o ma ion sha ing o imp o e policy
analyses and encou age public discou se [6; 7, p. 12; 8, pp. 32–33].
Fo good go e nance o be ealised, i is expec ed ha cu en and u u e
o ganisa ional leade s abide by i s ene s.
Howe e , i is necessa y o measu e wo accomplishmen s o assess he quali y o
go e nance, ha is, imp o emen s in public policy ou comes and imp o emen s in adhe ence
o go e nance p inciples [8, pp. 32–33; 9, p. 2]. The a icle ocuses on he challenges o
anspa ency in Sou h A ican public se ice. The o he aspec s o good go e nance will be
explo ed in u u e publica ions.
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2. Challenges Rela ed o T anspa ency in he Sou h A ican Public Se ice
The concep o anspa ency has e ol ed om an ideology ad oca ed by g ass oo s
mo emen s a ound he globe o a undamen al no m o con empo a y go e nance, openly
suppo ed by he majo i y o he wo ld's go e nmen s and p omo ed by mul ila e al
o ganisa ions [10, p. 1094]. Open go e nmen has gained ac ion in adminis a ion
discussions in p ospe ous and eme ging economies in he pas ew decades. T anspa ency
In e na ional p omo es anspa ency o enhance go e nmen e ec i eness wi h i s
wo ldwide assessmen o na ional go e nmen s based on hei le el o openness [11, p. 565].
In line wi h his, i can be a gued ha p omo ing openness and anspa ency immedia ely
imp o es public o ice bea e s' esponsibili y o ci izens, as i allows hem o acqui e accu a e
da a abou go e nmen ope a ions [12, p. 3]. This concep 's undamen al ene is ensu ing
ha ci izens ha e access o all in o ma ion held by he go e nmen and p i a e pa ies
necessa y o exe cise o de end hei igh s [12, p. 3]. Many s a u o y ools ha e been
es ablished o encou age anspa ency in he public sec o , and he Sou h A ican
Go e nmen has no been immune o calls o open go e nance.
E idence poin s o he coun y ha ing made some gian s ides in e ms o openness
o go e nmen ope a ions since he dawn o a new democ a ic e a. In line wi h his, i can be
ou lined ha e en hough Sou h A ica's Open Budge Su ey sco e declined om 92 in 2012
o 86 in 2021 (and p edic ed o be 86 in 2023), he na ional go e nmen s ill adhe ed o he
p inciple o ull disclosu e in i s budge ing and spending. I should be men ioned ha he
P omo ion o Access o In o ma ion Ac , No. 2 o 2000 (PAIA), was passed o pu his essen ial
capabili y in o p ac ice and c ea e an a mosphe e ha encou ages anspa ency in bo h
public and p i a e o ganisa ions [12, p. 4]. To p omo e anspa ency, he P omo ion o
Adminis a i e Jus ice Ac , No. 3 o 2000 (PAJA), which manda es he explana ion o
adminis a i e decisions, is a supplemen o PAIA [12, p. 4]. Howe e , nume ous esea ch
in es iga ions ha e ound ha he ac ual empi ical impac caused by openness on
go e nance is no easy o unde s and, and enhanced openness does no necessa ily yield he
expec ed bene i s. No wi hs anding an upsu ge o in o ma ion, he inc easing numbe o
conspi acies pu po ing o e eal he concealed unc ioning o au ho i y implies ha ci izens
a e becoming inc easingly scep ical o hose in posi ions o powe [11, p. 566]. Despi e
ad ancemen s in go e nmen anspa ency, many people see hei espec i e go e nmen s
as mys e ious and belie e ha hei in e nal ope a ions a e obscu e and sinis e .
The Na ional De elopmen Plan (NDP) desc ibes Sou h A ica's p ospec i e g ow h
ision, including impo an goals and me hods [13, p. 23]. The NDP encou ages he
in ol emen o ci izens, as well as openness and esponsibili y in adminis a ion. Despi e
adop ing he NDP, Sou h A ica has had obs acles in implemen ing anspa ency in
go e nmen ac ions, as de ailed below.
2.1 Resou ce Cons ain s
E idence poin s o he eali y ha many go e nmen depa men s in Sou h A ica lack
he esou ces and echnological expe ise o e icien ly handle open in o ma ion and e o s
[14, p. 56]. Su icien da a ga he ing and managemen unding mus be a ailable o
implemen such e o s success ully. Financial esou ces a e needed o s o e and main ain
impo an da a in o ma s sui able o open da a and anspa ency p ojec s [15, p. 258]. In
line wi h his, i can be a gued ha insu icien mone a y esou ces and expe ience can
impede he go e nmen 's abili y o execu e anspa ency policies success ully. The
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go e nmen 's capaci y o p ese e adequa e, us wo hy eco ds and espond o and handle
eques s o such in o ma ion on ime becomes ele an [16, p. 142]. Simila ly, i can be
conside ed ha i any o hese aspec s a e missing, he oppo uni y o anspa ency is
diminished [12, p. 4].
2.2 Flawed Ci izen Pa icipa ion Mechanisms
Limi ed consciousness, minimal le el o digi al li e acy, and he digi al di ide hinde
he success ul implemen a ion o open da a and anspa ency e o s in Sou h A ica, leading
o weak ci izen engagemen by go e nmen employees [16, p. 162]. Addi ionally, i is
impo an o conside ha he public's usage o open da a and anspa ency in ini ia i es in
Sou h A ica has been hampe ed by a lack o educa ional unde s anding ega ding hei
bene i s [14, p. 56]. Poo knowledge o digi al echnologies and in e ne access ha e hinde ed
public pa icipa ion in open da a and anspa ency e o s, pa icula ly in u al and in o mal
se lemen s. Displaying impo an da a on open da a pla o ms impac s public unde s anding
[17, p. 69]. Impo an da a should be p esen ed in simple, s aigh o wa d e ms o enhance
i s accessibili y and comp ehension. Ci izen engagemen has become limi ed due o he lack
o public pa icipa ion in go e nmen al ope a ions and decision-making p ocesses h ough
open da a and anspa ency e o s [14,18]. In his ega d, public eedback on go e nmen
p ocedu es and decision-making mechanisms is limi ed o nonexis en . Such limi ed
in e ac ion be ween o ice-bea e s and he public educes openness and accoun abili y o
public leade s.
2.3 Lack o poli ical s abili y and will
Poli ical s abili y is equi ed o ensu e ha go e nance is e ec i e. Typically, a lack
o poli ical s abili y leads o p o es s, chaos, and he dis up ion o go e nmen p ocesses
and se ice deli e y; see Figu e 1.
Figu e 1. Poli ical s abili y and absence o iolence o e o ism index in
Sou h A ica om 2015 o 2022 [19].
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Jou nal o Social Sciences June, 2025, Vol. 8
Sou h A ica’s poli ical s abili y a ing, based on he isk o e o ism o iolence, wen
down 0.72 poin s in 2022. P o es s b oke in KwaZulu-Na al P o ince in 2021 ollowing he
imp isonmen o o me p esiden Jacob Zuma o con emp o cou . As people impac ed by
he economic dispa i y, made wo se by he COVID-19 ou b eak, joined in, his se o a wa e
o social uphea al ha e en ually s e ched o he Gau eng P o ince. These iolen io s we e
he wo s he na ion had wi nessed since he end o apa heid, in ol ing he des uc ion and
loo ing o businesses, shopping cen es, and p ope y [20].
The Sou h A ican poli ical, social and economic landscape has also demons a ed a
lack o poli ical will o implemen public anspa ency ini ia i es. The absence o poli ical
suppo hinde s he success ul enac men and en o cemen o open da a and anspa ency
laws and egula ions. In his line o hough , i can be no ed ha public au ho i ies and
legisla o s ha e accomplished li le o ad oca e o and commi su icien unding o open
da a and anspa ency p ojec s. As a esul , e o s owa ds implemen ing and sus aining
anspa ency and accoun abili y a e signi ican ly challenged. I is sugges ed ha a lack o
poli ical will o in es in open da a and anspa ency e o s could be due o a ious ac o s:
The concep o go e nmen openness may equi e he e ela ion o con iden ial poli ics-
ela ed in o ma ion ha could p o e de imen al o some public igu es. This may esul in
limi ed dissemina ion and/o he dis ibu ion o inadequa e and e oneous in o ma ion o he
gene al popula ion [21, p. 5]. The u ge o wi hhold in o ma ion is wo sened by an absence o
a poli ical will, a ec ing anspa ency among go e nmen al ins i u ions, legisla o s, and
go e nmen employees [21, p. 17]. Co up ion con ibu es signi ican ly o poli icians' and
elec ed o icials' dea h o poli ical will.
2.4 Co up ion
T anspa ency in public se ice is also hinde ed by co up ion. Co up go e nmen
employees may delibe a ely e eal o gi e misleading da a o p o ec hei misconduc . This
comp omises he p ecision and au hen ici y o open da a and anspa ency by dissemina ing
alse and misleading in o ma ion o he public. I is a gued ha while misconduc in he
go e nmen domain is no an en i ely no el phenomenon, he o m and scope o misconduc ,
which mani es s p edominan ly h ough illegal con ac s o p ocu emen , we e no
comple ely unde s ood un il ecen ly. This phenomenon is p ima ily he esul o public
se an s p io i ising hei p i a e in e es s o e he needs o ci izens and hei igh s
ensh ined in he Cons i u ion. Conside ing he olume o e idence p esen ed a he Zondo
Commission, i is clea ha openness has diminished [12, p. 9]. The T anspa ency
In e na ional Co up ion Pe cep ion ankings a e used as a p oxy o judging he ex en o
s a e co up ion in each economy, wi h ‘0’ ep esen ing ex eme misconduc and 100
indica ing no pe cep ion o go e nmen misconduc [22]. Sou h A ica has a sco e o 41,
anking i 82 ou o 180 coun ies [22], see Figu e 2.
Figu e 2. Co up ion Pe cep ion Index [22].
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In cases o misconduc , go e nmen employees may in en ionally conceal ac s, he eby
ende ing i impossible o ci izens and communi y g oups o ob ain impo an de ails abou
go e nmen - ela ed ma e s and he way decisions a e made [23, p. 58].
2.5 Poo da a quali y
Accu a e and comple e in o ma ion is essen ial o anspa ency ini ia i es o be
eliable and e icien . Insu icien , inco ec , o obsole e in o ma ion can signi ican ly impac
go e nmen al ope a ions and decision-making p ocesses. I is no ed ha gaps in open da a
and anspa ency ini ia i es can limi public pa icipa ion in go e nmen decisions [24, p. 3].
Inaccu a e o obsole e da a may con ibu e o misconcep ions and judgmen s, hinde ing he
public's comp ehension o Sou h A ican e en s [25, p. 75]. Insu icien quali y o in o ma ion
may esul in bias whene e pa icula iewpoin s a e o e emphasised o unde ep esen ed,
esul ing in dis o ed esul s [26, p. 8]. I is impo an o iden i y da a bias as pe pe ua ing
cu en inequi ies and disin o ma ion ha ha m o he s [26, p. 9]. Compiling in o ma ion om
mul iple sou ces can be challenging, pa icula ly when i is no s uc u ed e ec i ely and
app op ia ely, esul ing in poo -quali y/inaccu a e in o ma ion being dissemina ed o he
public [15, p. 263]. Da a p oduce s and use s mus comp ehend he signi icance o he
accu acy o in o ma ion and i s in luence on making in o med decisions. Go e nmen
agencies should dis ibu e cu en da a and in e ac e ec i ely o imp o e da a in eg a ion
and s anda disa ion [14, p. 56].
2.6 Da a P i acy and Secu i y Conce ns
T anspa ency p ojec s can be exploi ed by indi iduals who u ilise p i a e in o ma ion
o illegal ac i i ies like money launde ing, manipula ing ma ke s, inancing e o is s, and
business aud [15, p. 268]. The da a shows yea ly ends in inciden ypes, 2010–2020, as
shown in Figu e 3.
Figu e 3. Yea ly ends in inciden ypes, 2010–2020.
Sou ce: [27]
Good go e nance challenges in he Sou h A ican public se ice 161
Jou nal o Social Sciences June, 2025, Vol. 8
Open da a and anspa ency e o s should be ca e ully managed and moni o ed o
add ess po en ial p i acy and secu i y conce ns. Iden i y in o ma ion mus be anonymous o
p e en owne s om being iden i ied in open da a and anspa ency ini ia i es. Be o e
publishing pe sonal in o ma ion o open da a and anspa ency, legi ima e au ho isa ion
mus be ob ained om all indi iduals in ol ed [25, p. 387].
3. Resea ch me hods
The s udy used a quali a i e app oach, which desc ibes any esea ch ha yields
conclusions ha a e no suppo ed by s a is ical analysis o o he quan i a i e echniques [8,
p. 10; 28, p. 600] bu ins ead explains he en i onmen s in which he phenomenon o in e es
na u ally occu s [8, p. 10; 29, p. 39]. The abili y o he quali a i e esea ch me hodology o
suppo lexible, less sys ema ic esea ch ha maximises he cap u e o subjec i e knowledge
and mul iple eali ies can, howe e , occasionally be seen as a d awback [30, p. 37; 31, p. 9].
Despi e hese d awbacks, quali a i e esea ch was he bes me hod o achie ing he s udy’s
goal, especially when conside ing explo a o y and desc ip i e esea ch knowledge equi es
con ex ual dep h [30, p. 37; 31, p. 9].
The ma e ial was ga he ed h ough a li e a u e e iew. Finding expe s in a pa icula
ield is one o he bene i s o conduc ing a li e a u e e iew. This is because nume ous ela ed
a icles will su ace as he e iew p og esses [32, p. 458; 33, p. 10]. A li e a u e e iew also
p o ides impo an ques ions ega ding which subjec s and pe spec i es equi e addi ional
in es iga ion and iden i ies he p e ious app oaches employed [33, p. 10; 34, p. 1].
In o ma ion was also ga he ed by e iewing documen s, ha is, a documen e iew. Using
documen a y me hods in ol es examining documen s ha p o ide de ails abou he
phenomenon a esea che wan s o in es iga e [35, p. 221; 36, p. 17]. Addi ionally, i can be
u he s a ed ha documen s can include all w i en ex s. Indi iduals and g oups c ea e
documen s o mee hei immedia e p ac ical needs du ing daily ac i i ies. Du ing a documen
analysis, he esea che mus be comple ely awa e o he documen s' o iginal audience,
pu pose, and o igins because hey we e w i en wi h a speci ic goal in mind, p edica ed on
speci ic assump ions, and p esen ed in a pa icula manne [35, p. 221; 36, p. 17].
Concep ual analysis was used o e alua e he s udy da a. Concep ual analysis is he
p ocess o c i ically examining he logical ela ionships be ween concep s, e ms, a iables,
cons uc s, de ini ions, s a emen s, hypo heses, and heo ies, as well as exposing
assump ions and consequences [8, p. 15; 37, p. 126]. Concep ual analysis, which encompasses
he sys ems o concep s, assump ions, expec a ions, belie s, and heo ies guiding esea ch, is
gene ally accep ed as an explana ion pu o h o imp o e unde s anding o he social eali y
o phenomenon unde in es iga ion [38, p. 33; 8, p. 15]. The da a was also p ocessed using
documen analysis. Da a selec ion is used in documen analysis a he han da a collec ion.
Documen analysis is con enien o quali a i e esea che s because documen s a e made
a ailable in he public domain, emo ing he need o ge pe mission om he au ho .
Addi ionally, documen analysis is less expensi e han o he esea ch echniques because he
da a has al eady been collec ed, and he esea che does no ha e o change he in o ma ion
p esen ed in he documen s, p o iding s abili y. Documen analysis also p o ides b oad
co e age, which means i co e s a wide ange o pe iods, e en s, and en i onmen s [33, pp.
10–11; 39, p. 3].
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4. Legisla i e amewo ks o es ablish good go e nance in sou h a ican public
se ice
The e a e a ious legisla i e amewo ks applicable in he Sou h A ican con ex . A
ew o hem a e b ie ly discussed nex .
Chap e 10, Sec ion 195 o he Cons i u ion o he Sou h A ican Republic (1996)
emphasises ha public adminis a ion mus be accoun able, and anspa ency mus be
os e ed by p o iding he public wi h imely, accessible, and accu a e in o ma ion [40].
The P o ec ed Disclosu e Ac o 2000 (PDA) [41], also known as he Whis leblowing
Ac , p o ec s employees who disclose in o ma ion abou unlaw ul o i egula conduc .
Acco dingly, whis leblowing is one way o coun e ac aud and co up ion in socie y [42, p.
145]. The impo ance o whis leblowe s in e ealing une hical beha iou has been
no ewo hy in bo h he p i a e and public sec o s in many na ions, including Sou h A ica [42,
p. 145]. Whis leblowing ensu es ha dishones and a a icious op poli icians and o icials
adequa ely sa egua d he o ganisa ion's asse s and epu a ion [43, p. 56]. The P o ec ed
Disclosu e Ac is an essen ial ool in he a senal o an i-co up ion ini ia i es o mo i a e
u h ul wo ke s o disclose inciden s o misconduc .
This ule should be p aised as an essen ial co po a e go e nance ins umen o
os e ing secu e, esponsible, and adap able wo k en i onmen s wi hin he public and
co po a e di isions [44, p. 3]. No e ha e en hough hese whis leblowe s ha e ecei ed
much p aise o hei ac ions, e alia ion is eg e ably equen . This esul s om he
ing ained belie ha hose who expose w ongdoing should be punished o hei disloyal y
[42, p. 145].
In ecen yea s, Sou h A ica's legal sys em has begun o examine he p ac ice o
whis leblowing. In he s uggle agains b ibe y, aud, and co up ion, he alue o
whis leblowe s is becoming mo e widely ecognised. Whis leblowing is a concep ha applies
o bo h he public and comme cial sec o s [43, p. 55]. The PDA has spa ked a ious poli ical,
economic, and social esponses since i was enac ed in 2000. On one side is he idea ha he
PDA has he capaci y o encou age he igh en i onmen o exp essing and add essing
conce ns a wo k. Howe e , he PDA does li le o p o ec employees who expose w ongdoing
om losing hei jobs [45, p. 4].
Sou h A ica also has implemen ed he Public Se ice Commission Ac (No. 46 o 1997).
Acco ding o Lindiwe Sisulu ( he p e ious Sou h A ican minis e o in e na ional ela ions
and coope a ion), in a speech a he cen ena y o he PSC, by ad ancing, moni o ing, and
e alua ing he cons i u ional ideals and public adminis a ion p inciples, he PSC con ibu es
signi ican ly o he s eng hening he coun y's democ acy. These alues and p inciples
ep esen how s a e ac i i y aims o p o ec and ad ance he socioeconomic igh s ensh ined
in Chap e 2 o he Cons i u ion [46].
In e ms o ins i u ional amewo ks, he e is he Financial In elligence Cen e (FIC)
Ac . Acco ding o he FIC Ac , he na ional cen e o ga he ing and e alua ing inancial
in o ma ion in Sou h A ica is he FIC. By con ibu ing o p ese ing he soundness o Sou h
A ica’s inancial sys em, he FIC also makes inancial in elligence p oduc s a ailable o
in es iga o s om law en o cemen , he Sou h A ican Re enue Se ices, in elligence
agencies, and o he au ho i ies [47].
The An i-Co up ion Task Team (ACTT) was launched in Oc obe 2010. This coali ion
o agencies aims o as - ack high-p io i y inqui ies and c iminal p oceedings o co up ion-
ela ed cha ges by u ilising a cohesi e and mul idisciplina y ope a ional app oach [48]. The
Good go e nance challenges in he Sou h A ican public se ice 163
Jou nal o Social Sciences June, 2025, Vol. 8
Jus ice C ime P e en ion and Secu i y (JCPS) is he subcommi ee o he ACTT. The Na ional
Di ec o o Public P osecu ion (NDPP) and he leade o he Di ec o a e o P io i y C ime and
In es iga ions co-chai he ACTT [48].
5. Findings Syn hesis
The p inciples and alues o public adminis a ion a e ensh ined in Sec ion 15 o he
Sou h A ican Cons i u ion. I can be s a ed ha hese p inciples and alues a e mean o
egula e he public sec o `s ope a ions o en o ce and p omo e an economically iable sys em
o go e nmen ha p io i ises esponsi e se ice deli e y [49, p. 242]. This is mean o
add ess Sou h A ica`s long his o y o inadequa e se ice deli e y, as demons a ed by se ice
deli e y demons a ions and p o es s ha ha e become he no m since he dawn o
democ acy [49, p. 242]. I is impossible o deny ha he ende ing o essen ial ameni ies
equi es a commi men om he go e nmen owa ds common will, empa hy, and ole ance.
Conside ing ha he gene al popula ion has an inhe en en i lemen o se ices based on he
p inciples o democ acy, he go e nmen is accoun able o ul illing hese commi men s [50].
Mul iple issues ela ed o e hics, including he assignmen o cad es, ha e ha med he
coun y`s public se ice go e nance [51]. Commissions like he Zondo and Mokgo o
Commissions ha e demons a ed ha he coun y`s sys em o go e nmen is expe iencing
u moil, pa ly because o a high le el o une hical and co up beha iou among public
se an s. This pandemic o co up ion impai s he capaci y o all go e nmen agencies and
bodies o p o ide essen ial se ices e ec i ely and e icien ly. The Sou h A ican Go e nmen
aces many challenges, including a lack o o e sigh , openness, and e ec i eness. In line wi h
his asse ion, i can be es ablished ha he go e nmen 's public p ocu emen p ocedu es
ha e become a sanc ua y o aud and poo managemen [52, p. 4].
A e y high s anda d o compe ence and mo ali y mus be c ea ed and main ained as
he co e democ a ic basis o go e nance in Sou h A ica. Gi en ha his is a cons i u ional
du y, i equi es ha na ional ins i u ions, municipal go e nmen s, public en e p ises, and
hose who in e ac wi h he go e ning body adhe e o a highe e hical and mo al s anda d
[49, p. 244]. E en i he Sou h A ican Go e nmen has made easonable a emp s o es ablish
an app op ia e amewo k whe eby i s employees a e ee o ope a e, public sec o
misconduc con inues unaba ed [53]. In e idence o his, a esea ch was conduc ed which
explo ed go e nmen depa men s ha epo ed 10 o mo e ac s o misconduc in he
2021/2022 inancial yea [12, p. 5]. The Depa men o Co ec ional Se ices and he Sou h
A ican Police Se ice eco ded o e 1,500 incidences o misbeha iou . Many o hese
inciden s in ol ed unlaw ul absence om wo k, abandonmen o du y, and legal
noncompliance, such as iola ing laws and legal equi emen s [12, p. 5]. Fo he 2021/22
iscal yea , na ional depa men s documen ed 6,069 misbeha iou inciden s. The Depa men
o Co ec ional Se ices eco ded mo e han 40% o hese inciden s, ollowed by he Sou h
A ican Police Se ice a 30% [12, p. 5].
Issues o misconduc and de ia ion om e hical alues ha e mani es ed h ough
inancial misconduc . The mone a y mal easance has esul ed in an eno mous ise in he
money in ol ed, om R585m in 2020/21 o R931m in he 2021/22 iscal yea . Addi ionally,
he amoun ha is being eclaimed is declining. Na ional depa men s epo ed ha 99.8%
o he inancial misconduc - ela ed unds had no been e u ned a he ime o epo ing o
he 2021/22 iscal yea , which is a cause o conce n. As a esul , he PSC belie es ha he
accoun ing o ice s culpable o he noncompliance should be held accoun able [12, p.7].
170 S. Vyas-Doo gape sad
Jou nal o Social Sciences June, 2025, Vol. 8
70. Jasha i. M.; Pepaj, I. The Role o he P inciple o T anspa ency and Accoun abili y in Public Adminis a ion.
Ac a uni e si a is danubius 2018, 10(1), pp. 155-170. h ps://co e.ac.uk/download/pd /229465497.pd
Ci a ion: Vyas-Doo gape sad, S. Good go e nance challenges in he Sou h A ican public se ice. Jou nal o Social
Sciences 2025, 8 (2), pp. 6-24. h ps://doi.o g/10.52326/jss.u m.2025.8(2).12.
Publishe ’s No e: JSS s ays neu al wi h ega d o ju isdic ional claims in published maps and
ins i u ional a ilia ions.
Copy igh :© 2025 by he au ho s. Submi ed o possible open access publica ion unde he e ms
and condi ions o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion (CC BY) license
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