Reputational Damage and Stigmatisation of South African Government Departments, State-Owned Enterprises and NPOs: Are Corrective Measures Going to Help?

Over the past two decades, South Africa has experienced pervasive fraud and corruption on an unprecedented scale. The reputational damage and organisational stigmatisation arising from large-scale corruption within government departments, state-owned enterprises, and non-profit organisations have prompted the establishment of several presidential commissions of inquiry aimed at uncovering and investigating these criminal activities. The findings of these commissions have revealed deeply troubling and systemic practices. Consequently, a significant challenge facing many public institutions and non-profit organisations is whether they possess the capacity to address the extent of the criminal conduct, implement meaningful institutional reforms, and ultimately restore public trust and legitimacy.