Anti-corruption initiatives in South Africa since 1994: a critical evaluation

Magister Legum - LLMThe legacy of apartheid may be likened to a Hydra. This mythical beast was rumoured to be large in stature, with poisonous breath. However, the trait it was better known for was that it possessed many heads and for every one head that was cut off, two would grow in its place. The elimination of the apartheid system effectively cut off the head of this hydra, severely wounding the beast but giving birth to various other terrors. Public sector corruption is one of those terrors. As an individual who was too young to be a part of the battle against apartheid, I have recognised that there is still a battle that needs to be won. As corruption continually thwarts the efforts of those who died for the liberation of South Africa and hinders the upliftment and development of the State, it becomes necessary to combat this scourge. However, before going into battle one must first understand the battle arena. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation is to gain understanding as to how the South African Government has attempted to combat corruption by means of policy and legislation. The information gained during this process may be used to identify areas of weakness, which may be considered in restrategising anti-corruption efforts. This battle against corruption needs to include all South Africans as public sector corruption has a negative impact on all who find themselves within our boarders. Thus, we cannot call ourselves truly liberated before this enemy of good governance is defeated