The disease called corruption

Abstract

This article, dealing with corruption during the first decade of democracy in South Africa (1994-2004), will focus on the presence of corruption in central government as pertaining to the abuse of either an office or position of authority, resulting in improper enrichment to oneself and for others. Corruption is derived from the Latin word "corruptus", which means corrupt, involving images of evil. Corruption has been and is still prevalent in the public sector of South Africa. The mismanagement of state money or the money of the taxpayer is a serious crime against the commu-nity in a democratic state and it is well known what the devastating implications of a corrupt government can have on the inhabitants of a state. Corruption appears to be the name of the game in South Africa. According to President Mbeki, "(c)orrup-tion is rooted in our apartheid past but it is also a problem of the present. Many of those who are new in government are as corrupt as those before them. Corruption affects all areas of society" (as quoted in Time 1999:44). This article will provide various meanings of what is meant by the term 'corruption' as well as the various causes of corruption that are applicable to the South African situation. This is then followed with a detailed exposition of the most recognized forms of official corruption with applicable examples of such transgressions in post-1994 South Africa. The article is concluded with a case study of corruption in the Department of Welfare and Population Development at a national level from 1994-2000.