An evaluation of the practice of good governance in the public service of Botswana

Abstract

There has been a growing demand for the public service to adopt governance practices to ensure effectivity and efficiency within institutions. Good governance is perceived as fundamental as it compels the institution to be more responsive to the needs of the public, ensure transparency, accountability and create a corruption free environment. The Botswana public service is hailed for being transparent, accountable and able to manage and control corruption. The international organisations such as the World Bank and the United Nations considers Botswana to have been positively progressive in terms of good governance practices. Furthermore, institutions which assess governance, namely: Mo Ibrahim African Governance Index and Transparency International Corruption Perception have rated the Botswana public service top in Africa in ensuring accountability and transparency and curbing corruption. However, there are a growing number of reports on bureaucratic corruption in the public service. The public is demanding a transparent and accountable government to address bureaucratic corruption. The study was prompted by reports of a lack of transparency and accountability in the public service which has led to an escalation in bureaucratic corruption. The study was designed to propose a classification model to enhance good governance in the Botswana public service. The study interrogated the three elements of good governance: transparency, accountability and corruption. The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research approach which utilises triangulation to reject and accept the literature and empirical findings. The primary data collection methodology included a questionnaire and review of relevant documents. The key findings revealed the lack of transparency and accountability including legislation for the declaration of assets, limited access to information and management not being held accountable. Furthermore, nepotism which is facilitated by recruiting and promoting public officials based on ties with family and friendship and the lack of efficient reporting mechanisms have accelerated bureaucratic corruption in the public service. The thesis advocated a consultative based good governance model to enhance the Botswana public service.