The University of Fort Hare and the SA Association of Public Administration and Management (Saapam) yesterday hosted academics from across Africa to discuss the future of South Africa’s public administration.
Saapam’s annual two-day conference is under way at the International Convention Centre in East London. This year’s theme is how to sustain the gains of good governance in the quest to eradicate poverty, inequality, unemployment and corruption.
Professor Edwin Ijeoma, from UFH’s School of Public Management and Development, said it was part of the university’s centenary celebrations’ agenda to open the debate by gathering public management professionals from across the continent to talk about how to sustain good governance practices.
“Academics in South Africa and in Africa are partly to blame for the corruption that is soaring in the country and the continent – they need to be more proactive in setting up policies aimed at sustaining the gains of good governance,” Ijeoma said.
Saapam president Kennedy Maimela said community leaders were vital in good governance, even though in South Africa community representation was based on political ambition instead of an individual’s community development capabilities or interests.
“If our councillors were elected because they are passionate about serving people instead of just adding to the line of corruption, the gains of good governance would be felt by people in rural areas,” Maimela said.
Professor Chika Oguonu from the University of Nigeria said lack of good governance and corruption in Africa hindered attempts to eradicate poverty.
“Our leaders are not committed to good governance and as a result they have lost the current plight of the African people, which is not about oppression but poverty,” said Oguonu.
African countries had the most unregulated borders in the world and they were exploited by drug smugglers, which led to corruption, she explained.
“If our governments continue being corrupt we must forget an African continent that is free of poverty,” she added.
Corruption ‘hinders all attempts to end poverty’
Saapam’s annual two-day conference is under way at the International Convention Centre in East London. This year’s theme is how to sustain the gains of good governance in the quest to eradicate poverty, inequality, unemployment and corruption.
Professor Edwin Ijeoma, from UFH’s School of Public Management and Development, said it was part of the university’s centenary celebrations’ agenda to open the debate by gathering public management professionals from across the continent to talk about how to sustain good governance practices.
“Academics in South Africa and in Africa are partly to blame for the corruption that is soaring in the country and the continent – they need to be more proactive in setting up policies aimed at sustaining the gains of good governance,” Ijeoma said.
Saapam president Kennedy Maimela said community leaders were vital in good governance, even though in South Africa community representation was based on political ambition instead of an individual’s community development capabilities or interests.
“If our councillors were elected because they are passionate about serving people instead of just adding to the line of corruption, the gains of good governance would be felt by people in rural areas,” Maimela said.
Professor Chika Oguonu from the University of Nigeria said lack of good governance and corruption in Africa hindered attempts to eradicate poverty.
“Our leaders are not committed to good governance and as a result they have lost the current plight of the African people, which is not about oppression but poverty,” said Oguonu.
African countries had the most unregulated borders in the world and they were exploited by drug smugglers, which led to corruption, she explained.
“If our governments continue being corrupt we must forget an African continent that is free of poverty,” she added.
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