Ethical paradoxes in South Africa’s governance: The burden of integrity on a weakened public service

POST-APARTHEID South Africa inherited both a promise and a paradox.

- NKOSANA THOBELA

The democratic transition of 1994 envisioned a capable developmental state rooted in accountability, transparency, and social justice.

Yet, three decades later, the state apparatus is increasingly characterized by ethical decay, administrative inefficiency, and institutional capture. Ironically, while political and executive leadership often operate amid corruption and mismanagement, they continue to demand ethical conduct and heightened performance from a public service that is underpaid, under-resourced, and frequently marginalised in decision-making.

This contradiction demands urgent scrutiny. The burden of integrity has been unfairly shifted onto a weakened public service, while those at the apex of power evade accountability. Without ethical leadership at the top, calls for bureaucratic integrity become hollow and reinforce the hypocrisy of South Africa’s political elite.

Ethical Collapse at the Apex

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture (Zondo Commission) laid bare the extent of institutional manipulation by private interests and political actors. High-profile cases involving Eskom, Transnet, South African Airways, and Denel revealed how senior government officials facilitated the diversion of billions in public funds to politically connected networks. These acts of corruption not only undermined service delivery but also hollowed out institutional capacity, leaving critical agencies incapacitated and demoralised.

The Zondo Commission's Final Report concluded that “the corruption, mismanagement, and state capture that took place under the executive watch represent a fundamental betrayal of constitutional governance.”

This ethical collapse contrasts sharply with the government’s ongoing rhetoric of “clean governance” and “service excellence.”