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…
The Elephant Everyone Sees but No One Names
In an environment of economic pressure, governance scrutiny, reputational risk, and growing workplace instability, workplaces are increasingly discovering that their greatest threats are not hidden misconduct, but visible dysfunctions…
Clean for the G20 Summit, dirty for the People? A test of our collective responsibility.
Across African countries, and maybe in other geographies I am less familiar with, in the lead-up to major international events, host cities are often subjected to a deep transformation process. Streets are cleaned, infrastructure is…
Young people are the real victims of corruption
Young people are paying the price for corruption in South Africa. The country’s recent events have been a clear depiction that young people can no longer deem the South African government as role models. Many would argue that this…
Mediocrity: the silent killer of society and organisations
Protests over water outages in Johannesburg and mounting political pressure on local government spotlight a nationwide crisis in basic service delivery, revealing how complacency, systemic neglect and weak accountability have normalised…
Protecting truth in the face of fear
Every act of whistleblowing begins with a choice. A choice to stay silent or a choice to speak up. That decision rests on whether employees believe their organisation will protect them and not punish them. Effective reporting systems are…
A Time for an Ethical Shift
The horizon of 2026 is pulling closer as 2025 slowly folds into memory. It feels like yesterday that we stepped into a new year with excitement, loud celebrations, and the hope that this time things might turn out better. That excitement…
Use of emojis in the workplace
The use of the emojis and WhatsApp messages in the workplace has taken centre stage in the sexual harassment hearing against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge. Closing arguments were presented before the tribunal on 21 October…
Is Workplace Psychological Safety a Buzzword or an Ethical Imperative?
Recent scandals involving Nestlé executive Laurent Freixe and AI startup Astronomer’s CEO Andy Byron, both of whom engaged in relationships with subordinates, highlight deeper ethical failures beyond personal misconduct. From South African…