The Ethics Institute; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ

Corruption is a problem that impacts negatively on people’s lives. It undermines the rule of law, ethical principles and sustainable economic growth. In South Africa, everyone agrees that a ‘whole of society’ approach is needed to meaningfully combat corruption. This means that all of society should commit to not engaging in corruption, and all of society should hold each other accountable.

This guide was developed to build the knowledge and confidence of communities and to give them tools to help them:

1. Better understand corruption and how it works.
2. Hold their municipalities to account.

Aimed at civil society organisations and activist networks, the guide is intended to empower people to play their part in reducing corruption. It mainly focuses on corruption in the public sector.

Part 1 – Understanding corruption and public accountability – explains what corruption is, and the various ways that it happens.

Part 2 – Civil society tools for countering corruption – provides practical guidance on laws and tools for participating in municipal decision-making, exercising the right to transparent information, holding municipalities to account, reporting corruption, starting a social movement and engaging with parliamentarians.

Authors: Kris Dobie, Fatima Rawat and Lindo Sibiya (The Ethics Institute)

This guide was conceptualised by The Ethics Institute and the Transparency, Integrity and Accountability Programme in South Africa (TIP), based on an understanding of the needs of individuals in Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). TIP is a partnership programme agreed to between the governments of Germany and South Africa.