Corruption a stumbling block to an improved public service - Michael Seloane

Service Commissioner Michael Seloane says that corruption still remains “widespread” in the public service. He was speaking at the release of the commission’s Quarterly Bulletin titled: The Pulse of the Public Service for the first quarter of the financial year. The commissioner said one of the biggest challenges breeding a culture of corruption in the public service is employees who conduct business with the state. “South Africa continues to face the challenge of widespread corruption within its public service. Corruption scandals are precipitated by shady, widespread public sector patronage, crony capitalism, abuse of power and abuse of authority, corruption and unprofessional behaviour in government. ublic servants who conduct business with the state…in many instances, service delivery is affected negatively because companies that are appointed to render services are not given on the basis of merit but are given to people that have close proximity to power,” he said. Seloane said while collecting data for the quarterly bulletin, the commission found that employees who were alleged to have been involved in irregularities or corrupt activities complained that they were pressured to do so through instructions from senior managers and executive authorities. “Employees are often too afraid to defy unlawful instructions and, in many cases, bear the brunt of unlawful conduct while the executive authorities and senior managers who issued the unlawful instructions claim ignorance and/or go scot free,” he said. The commissioner warned, however, that lower ranking public servants still have the responsibility to report any wrongdoing to law enforcement authorities. “There are several Acts and Laws applicable in the public service which place a duty on an employee to abide by the legislative framework and to report irregularities to a higher authority. Public servants are urged to ensure that irregularities and unlawful