The Strengthening Ethics and Integrity Project (SEIP) is implemented by Cowater International and funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to support the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), through its Public Administration Ethics, Integrity, and Disciplinary Technical Assistance (PAEIDTAU) and Transformation and Employee Health and Wellness (TEWU) Units. The SEIP team includes experts from South Africa, Canada, Botswana, and Italy.

The SEIP (operational from 2018 to 2025) contributes to increasing the South African public sector’s ability to fight corruption by enhancing responsibility, effectiveness, and transparency in public administration.  The SEIP is therefore aligned to South African government priorities. As Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi emphasised during the launch of the 2024 Ethics Week, “The fight against corruption is not just the government’s responsibility but a collective effort. Together, we can foster a culture of public integrity, ensuring a better future for all.”

The SEIP contributed to the establishment and operation of the PAEIDTAU created under the Public Administration Management Act (PAMA) section 15 (4) and provided technical assistance in critical areas:

  • Lifestyle Audits: SEIP was instrumental in standardising and professionalising the government’s approach to lifestyle audits, a key tool for combating corruption. The project supports the development of strategies, procedures, and training programmes related to three underpinning activities, notably lifestyle reviews, investigations, and evaluation & quantification. These efforts aim to embed lifestyle audits as a robust mechanism for corruption prevention and detection across government. A survey was conducted among Lifestyle Investigators to determine their challenges and to inform methods to better support them.
  • Ethics Management: SEIP builds capacity in ethics management through training, and by developing norms and standards such as The Guide on Preventing and Managing Conflicts of Interest and a Directive on the Institutionalisation of the Ethics Officer Function. These documents enhance ethical practices in the public service. Finally, Ethics Officers were surveyed to assess their challenges and to develop evidence-based responses to better support them.
  • Discipline Management: The SEIP team is working with PAEIDTAU to capacitate hundreds of Labour Relations Officers to streamline disciplinary and suspension processes. This will assist the Discipline Management directorate to reduce the costs associated with suspensions, and address case backlogs timeously. This includes a training project dedicated to chairpersons and initiators. As a result, efficiency in handling disciplinary matters across government departments has improved.
  • Harassment: The project supported the development of the newly approved Policy on Preventing and Eliminating Harassment in the Public Service. The Policy includes formal procedures to standardise and professionalise policy operationalisation. The project also supports the development and rollout of training on the policy and procedures. This builds the capacity of departments to prevent and manage harassment cases, thereby fostering a safe work environment.
  • Other initiatives include the Reporting Mechanism and Ethics and Integrity Risk Management tool, which seeks to strengthen oversight.

SEIP’s work contributes significantly to South Africa’s fight against corruption, which focuses on prevention, detection, monitoring, and response strategies. The project is aligned to Chapter 2 (22) of the Public Service Regulations (2016), which mandates each department to develop strategies to deter unethical conduct and corruption. The project responds to the findings of the State Capture Commission, which highlighted the damaging impact of corruption on service delivery. The DPSA, through PAEIDTAU and with SEIP’s assistance, has focused on simplifying policies, processes: effective implementation; enhancing monitoring; and ensuring swift response measures. These efforts aim to restore trust in, and professionalise, the public service to, inter alia, improve service delivery to citizens; ensure that public funds are utilised effectively; produce aligned, and gender-responsive policies; and increase investment in energy and climate projects.

The project has successfully mainstreamed gender into the processes and policies described. Project policies, procedures, and training are inclusive and protective. By fostering accountability and supporting the fight against corruption, SEIP’s collaboration with PAEIDTAU is aligned with South Africa’s priorities to “build an ethical, capable state “, as articulated by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his 2021 State of the Nation Address.

*Mr Eric-Christopher Desnoyers is the Public Sector Ethics and Investigation Specialist for the Strengthening Ethics and Integrity Project (SEIP) and is working in collaboration with the DPSA in the professionalisation of the Public Service through ethical management initiatives.