Financial disclosure requirements in South Africa 2004-2008
By: Collette Schulz-Herzenberg and Rosemary Vickerman
Contributors: Institute for Security Studies (South Africa)
Series: ISS paper -- 192; ISS papers -- no. 192.
Publisher: Institute for Security Studies
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Pretoria
Language: eng
Number of pages: 34
Description: To control potential conflicts of interest and ensure greater accountability many democracies, like South Africa, have introduced financial disclosure regulations, which set obligations on elected public officials to publicly declare their personal financial and non-financial interests. By making this information publicly available the conduct of public officials is made more transparent, thereby allowing democratic institutions and citizens to hold politicians accountable. Drawing strongly on empirical data, the paper examines and evaluates the various aspects of the implementation process of financial disclosure for South Africa's elected officials. These include the scope and content of disclosure requirements, compliance by elected officials, institutional support and capacity for disclosure, monitoring and oversight mechanisms and public access to information. The paper is a product of a three-year research project undertaken by the ISS Corruption and Governance Programme.
Notes: Caption title.

"August 2009."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-34).

Available also online in PDF format from Institute for Security Studies (ISS) web site. Adobe Acrobat Reader required.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Conflicts of interest in public life; title: Financial disclosure regulations; title: South Africa's regulatory system; title: National Parliament and provincial legislatures; title: National executive and provincial executive councils; title: Local government; title: What South African politicians disclose; title: National and provincial legislatures; title: National and provincial executives; title: Local councillors; title: The financial interests of elected politicians in South Africa; title: National MPs; title: Provincial MPLs; title: Local councillors; title: Critique and analysis; title: Compliance Levels among elected officials; title: Timing of submissions; title: National level compliance; title: Provincial and local compliance; title: Incomplete disclosure records; title: National parliament; title: Case studies in national parliament; title: Standardisation; title: National executive; title: Local level; title: Institutional support and capacity; title: Knowledge of the disclosure process; title: Junior status of staff; title: Monitoring and oversight; title: Monitoring  and review procedures; title: National parliament; title: The presidency and executive members; title: Provincial legislatures; title: Case study : Western Cape legislature; title: Metros; title: Enforcement and penalties; title: National parliament; title: National executive; title: Provincial and local levels; title: Access to information; title: Balancing transparency and privacy; title: Testing the right to access information; title: National parliament; title: Provincial legislatures; title: The case of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro; title: The metro councils; title: The presidency; title: Provincial executive councils; title: Revisiting ethics in public life: building a culture of accountability; title: Compliance versus values-based approach; title: Closing the loopholes; title: Setting a precedent: S'bu Ndebele and the Mercedes Benz s500; title: Findings and recommendations.