Comparing anti-corruption strategies in South Africa's Western and Eastern Cape Provinces

Abstract

In its new democracy, South Africa is busy making endeavours to transform and correct the wrongs and problems of the past. In the process it is vital that obstacles to development such as corruption in the public sector should be uprooted as they inhibit quality service delivery and further damage the name of the public service.This study compares anti-corruption strategies in South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape provinces, in particular by looking at both the achievements and limitations that have been experienced. The focus area is the provincial administrations in both provinces. In order to contextualise the evaluation of the anti-corruption strategies pursued by the two provincial administrations, the study also includes an examination of the role of provinces in general in combating corruption.The research methods employed include a detailed survey of documentation published by the provincial governments’ anti-corruption agencies, as well as reports by civil society organizations focusing on corruption in the public sector. The study also draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with key stakeholders in the two provinces.The study concludes by summarizing the successes and limitations of the two provincial administrations in dealing with corruption. A number of practical recommendations are provided to strengthen the future design and implementation of anti-corruption strategies.The empirical research for this research report was carried out in 2003 before the national and provincial elections of 2004.