The code of conduct of the South African public service compared with international guidelines

Abstract

The overall aim of this research was to understand the essential elements/factors that contribute to the effectiveness of the content of codes of conduct in the public service in addressing corruption. The ultimate objective was to compare the South African public service code of conduct with practical guidelines to determine whether it complies with international practice. The international guidelines used in this research were that of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on codes of conduct, the Technical Guide to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the United Nation’s International Code of Conduct for public officials and the Council of Europe’s Model Code of Conduct for public officials. The findings of this research confirmed that the South African public service code of conduct is deficient in some areas and it is recommended that these deficiencies be addressed, having regard to the provisions of the International Guidelines.