Public Service Commission launches reports on anti-corruption

15 May 2002

The Public Service Commission is today launching, as part of its constitutional mandate to promote a high standard of professional ethics in the public service, seven reports that will clearly boost the fight against corruption. The reports include guidelines for the implementation of aspects of the National Anti-Corruption programme for the public service, and make proposals for advancing the fight against corruption.

The reports are a reflection of the PSC's constitutional mandate and its commitment to a corrupt-free public service. The following reports have been produced by the PSC and are unveiled to the media for the first time today:

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION REPORTS:

1. Blacklisting Report
   The report stems from the one of the resolutions taken at the National Anti-Corruption Summit in 1999, to publicise and support the blacklisting of businesses, organizations and individuals involved in corruption and unethical conduct. The research identified existing legislation that supports blacklisting and established gaps in the existing legislation, considered the creation of a computerized national data base of blacklisted companies that is easily accessible and looked at where such a data base could be appropriately housed. The report also included practical steps that can be taken in the short and medium term to address the issue of corrupt companies. The implementation of these recommendations would require boldness and persistence as it is a very ambitious undertaking.
    
2. Report on Effective Management of Hotlines
   Research was conducted during 2001 and 2002 on the existence, functioning and management of hotlines in the public service. The research drew on comparative experience to establish how hotlines can most effectively be managed. It also assessed whether hotlines are currently functioning effectively and deal with the question of anonymous whistle blowers. The research also explored the possibility of establishing a national hotline.
    
3. Risk Management: A Provincial Perspective
   During 2001, The PSC conducted risk management workshops in seven of the nine provinces. The report is a reflection of the status of risk management practices in these provinces and provincial departments.
   
   Recommendations on how to address the current weaknesses are also identified. The inclusion of risk management modules in all existing management training programmes, the possibility of making risk management a required competency in performance agreements of senior managers, the development of national guidelines and an integrated framework are recommended to address some of the weaknesses.
   
   These measures will address the current low levels of awareness an institutionalization of risk management within provinces.
    
4. National Audit of Anti-Corruption Agencies
   A national audit was completed during 2001 of 13 state institutions with aspects of the anti-corruption mandate. The project supports the development of the national anti-corruption strategy for the public service. The purpose of the audit was to investigate possibilities for improving the performance of and coordination between these agencies as agencies, which share certain aspects of the corruption agenda.
   
   This audit will be complemented by a further evaluation of the capacity of all national and provincial departmental units combating corruption within the public service.
   
   The audit indicates that a single anti-corruption agency is not appropriate to the South African context at present. It will add more costs to the tax-payer as well as another layer of bureaucracy.
    
5. National Ethics Survey
   The OPSC in conjunction with KPMG and Transparency South Africa undertook a national ethics survey, "Ethics in 2001, Ethics in practice". The purpose of the survey was to assess the ethical infrastructure in place in the public and private sector and in civil society. It was the first ever survey designed to provide a snapshot of current ethics practices in South Africa. The sample comprised of 166 respondents, representing the public sector (30 respondents), private sector (76 respondents) as well as civil society (60 respondents).
   
   The survey finds that although professional ethics is well understood at senior management level, many organizations in all sectors have not been able to integrate ethics practices into management processes.
   
   PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS:
    
6. Explanatory Manual on the Code of Conduct for the Public Service
   The intention with the explanatory manual is to enhance the understanding of the code and to ensure a greater level of institutionalization of the Code as part of the ethics infrastructure of government departments.
    
7. Whistle-Blowing Mechanisms
   During 2002, participatory and learning orientated workshops will be conducted in the provinces to familiarise public servants with the Protected Disclosures Act and to implement good management practices on whistle blowing mechanisms. Given the fact that some whistle blowers have had bad experiences, these workshops are timely and relevant.
   
   With this launch today we are confident that the PSC and indeed the entire public service are on the right track with regard to combating and preventing corruption.
   
   Issued by the Public Service Commission.
   Contact: Richard Levin, Deputy Director-General: Good Governance & Service Delivery,
   or Yvonne Mogadime (PSC Communications): (012) 352-1196/082-448-2385