Development and Trust in Ethical Leadership and the Fight Against Corruption: The Case of South Africa

The article is based on the belief that the existence, development and growth of ethical leadership within an organisation are based on the principle that ethics codes are fundamental in the fight against corruption. Although the quest for ethical behaviour amongst leaders is a worldwide phenomenon and is a key element in the fight against corruption, it has since the dawn of democracy in South Africa in 1994 become an almost completely theoretical issue. Ethical leadership is legislated in South Africa and it is expected that both public and private sector leaders are obligated to adhere to the code of good governance, sustain communication related to ethical issues, and honest behaviour as key elements of an ethical workforce. Despite the existence of a thorough and progressive legislative and regulatory framework, corruption has become almost endemic in the South African public sector. The article outlines the significance of empirical case studies in the South African public sector outlining the importance of a Code of Conduct, adherence to existing rules and regulations and ethics education and training. All these constitute integral components of a detection strategy within an organisation able to combat corruption.