Developing an ethics strategy for the National Department of Human Settlements

Abstract

The study on ethics and/or integrity management seeks to develop an ethics strategy for the National Department of Human Settlements. In recent reports by the Auditor General South Africa (2024), "there were 266 material irregularities on non-compliance and suspected fraud. This had resulted in 240 material financial losses amounting to R14.34 billion; 09 nine instances of misuse of a material public resource, 03 causing substantial harm to the general public, and 14 causing substantial harm to public sector institutions. So far, 79 of the material irregularities have been resolved. 75 appropriate actions had been taken, and 32 appropriate actions had not been taken. There were 23 recommendations included in the audit report, with eight referrals to other investigating bodies." The report to the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements "highlighted a call to action, which was the accountability ecosystem for role players and human settlement." (AGSA report to the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements: 2024) Therefore, the main objective of the study is to develop an ethics strategy for the National Department of Human Settlements (NDHS). The study has identified three ethics and/or integrity management strategies developed and implemented by the National Department of Corporative Governance, the Department of Public Works and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. The ethics strategies of the three Departments are analysed by utilising the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ethics Management framework. A comparative analysis assesses the existence of the instruments and processes such as the internal policies, rules, code of conduct and training as an ethics management instrument, and the integration of ethics in respect of the Departments and management processes covers the assessment of the institutionalisation and the integration of ethics management in the culture of the organisation. Furthermore, in relation to the structures, the study assesses the presence of designated internal structure, personnel or committees, such as the Ethics or Integrity Management Committee, Audit Committee, Risk Management Committee, amongst the others responsible for ethics management. Overall, the study proposes an ethics strategy for the National Department of Human Settlements.