Thinking about moral responsibility (literally)
“Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter everywhere. If babies are not starving someplace, they are starving somewhere else.” – Jack Gilbert, A Brief for the Defense My son says I am not allowed to read the news anymore. It makes me depressed.…
When the government cannot protect you – should it prevent you from protecting yourself?
By Dantia Richards, The Ethics Institute There is something deeply troubling about a government proposing that self-defence should no longer be a sufficient reason to own a firearm. Not because every South African should own one, not…
When ethics exists on paper but not in practice
What the Madlanga Commission reveals about the gap between what organisations say they value and how they actually behave. As South Africa follows the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, one question should unsettle organisations everywhere:…
The real test in 2026 is not only who governs but how
South Africans head to the polls on 4 November 2026 for what the IEC has called the toughest pre-electoral climate in three decades. Trust in local government has collapsed from 55% in 2004 to just 18% today. Only one in six citizens…
Corruption starts long before money changes hands
By Fatima Rawat, The Ethics Institute Corruption starts long before money changes hands. By the time a bribe is paid, a contract is manipulated or public money disappears, the real damage has often already been done. It begins much…
Boards have a new governance risk. Most are not ready for it.
By Dr Liezl Groenewald, The Ethics Institute Artificial intelligence has transformed misinformation from a communications challenge into a governance risk. Deepfake videos, fabricated documents, and cloned voices can now be produced in…
Feroz Khan Was Shot Before He Could Testify. What Happens to the Truth Now?
By Dr Paul Vorster, The Ethics Institute The shooting of Major-General Feroz Khan before his appearance before the Madlanga Commission raises a fundamental question: can South Africa expect people to tell the truth if it cannot keep them…
When a LEGO scandal exposes big cracks in trust
By Dr Paul Vorster, The Ethics Institute There is something strangely powerful about a scandal involving LEGO. On the surface, it sounds almost harmless: colourful plastic bricks, Star Wars sets, collectors, franchise stores and YouTube…
Why South Africans are losing faith in the ballot
By Dr Lincoln Cave, The Ethics Institute As the 4 November 2026 local government elections approach, South Africans face more than competing promises of service delivery. Rather, they confront a growing sense of distrust. Cases of…
The real lesson of the Madlanga Commission
By Jovita Matos Fazenda, The Ethics Institute The revelations emerging from the Madlanga Commission have once again shaken public confidence in South Africa's justice and policing institutions. Allegations of misconduct, corruption, abuse…