anti-corruption course

Image via: GCIS

Government urged to enrol public servants for ‘anti-corruption’ courses

Minister Mchunu says the anti-corruption courses are designed to prevent, detect, combat and investigate corruption in the public service.

anti-corruption course

Image via: GCIS

The Minister for the Public Service and Administration Senzo Mchunu has urged government departments to enrol public servants to do a range of Anti-Corruption Courses offered by The National School of Government (NSG). The courses are designed to equip them to prevent, detect, combat and investigate corruption in the public service.

The NSG is currently offering a bouquet of integrity management courses to promote ethical behaviour in the public sector. 

MORE THAN 8 000 PUBLIC SERVANTS ENROL FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION COURSE

Mchunu said it is envisaged that through providing ethics training, it will give effect to the constitutional principle and thus enable the State to function more effectively. 

“There has been a dramatic increase in uptake since the Minister’s call last month for officials to enrol for the course. More than 8 866 public servants have enrolled for the course, with almost 4 360 successfully completing it,” said Mchunu. 

“Our number one priority as government is to promote honesty, ethics and integrity in the public service. Corrupt practices impact negatively on the poor and make them unable to enjoy the quality of public services that they are entitled to,” said Mchunu. 

OTHER COURSES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE 

The course named ‘Investigate Corrupt Activities and Related Offences’ is to build the capacity of internal investigation components within the public service. It is aimed at officials investigating alleged corrupt activities and related offences both in the public sector and private sector, particularly investigating officers or agents. 

The course will equip participants with the following skills upon completion:

  • Understanding what corruption and related offences are;
  • Develop the necessary knowledge and skills to execute powers within the limitations set by legislation and ethical code of practice;
  • Develop the necessary knowledge, skills, values and understanding how to investigate in a systematic manner;
  • Develop knowledge and skills to identify information sources and compilation of an individual or company profile;
  • Develop the necessary knowledge and skills to evaluate and analyse allegations in order to determine the charge, scope and investigation plan;
  • Develop the necessary skills and approach to identify, gather and present evidence;
  • Develop the knowledge and skills regarding the establishment of an internal investigation unit; and
  • Develop knowledge and skills to execute post investigation options.

The ‘Anti-Corruption Training for Practitioners’ programme is to build the capacity of anti-corruption practitioners within the public service. It is aimed at persons who take the overall responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the various elements of the anti-corruption programme strategy within departments and institutions.

The programme will equip anti-corruption practitioners with the following skills:

  • Critical thinking skills to customise an anti-corruption strategy at operational level for a public sector component;
  • Design and develop implementation plans; 
  • Monitor implementation of programme elements; 
  • Evaluate the impact of the proposed department/organisational component’s anti-corruption programme; and 
  • Analyse and interpret the current national anti-corruption regulatory framework and to contextualise these in a specific government component.

The ‘Ethics Management for Local Government’ course is aimed at officials and leaders in municipalities who play a role in ethics management, corruption prevention and ensuring high standards of professionalism within their organisations.

“These include Section 57 Managers, those that report to them and Councillors. The course provides a basic overview of ethics management within municipalities,” it said.