Received:
2026-05-10 | Accepted:
2026-09-11 | Published:
2026-09-30
Title
Externalised constraints encountered by the Public Protector's Office in enforcing ethical accountability in South Africa
Abstract
This study examines the external challenges hindering ethical accountability within the Public Protector's Office in Polokwane, South Africa. The responsibility of public institutions is to ensure honesty, transparency, and accountability that goes beyond just following the law, which is called ethical accountability. Even though the Public Protector is tasked with investigating maladministration and taking the necessary steps to address these challenges, the Office still faces many external hindrances. The study used qualitative research methodology and conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 officials from the Office of the Public Protector in Polokwane. Purposive sampling was used to select the officials. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The results show that political interference, poor cooperation from government institutions, limited financial resources, legal limitations, and slow administrative processes are making the Office less effective and less efficient. Respondents also alluded that bypassing internal complaint steps and resistance to implementing remedial actions were major reasons for delays and slow resolution in cases. The study pronounces that ethical accountability is undermined by linked challenges in political, financial, legal, and systemic environments that the Public Protector does not control. These challenges reduce the ability to investigate, slow the process of securing justice, and erode confidence in institutions that are supposed to be watchdogs. The study recommends strengthening institutional independence, improving enforcement of remedial actions, fostering collaboration among governmental institutions, and raising public awareness of the Public Protector's mandate. The findings reveal a need for structural reforms to strengthen ethical accountability and make public sector management better in South Africa.
Keywords
Ethical Accountability, institutional theory, Public Protector, Political Interference, Resource Constraints
JEL classifications
H83
URI
http://jssidoi.org/ird/article/285
DOI
Pages
301-317
Funding
This is an open access issue and all published articles are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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