The Cost of Corruption: A Scholar’s Ethical Inquiry into State Capture

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Understanding how state capture reshaped South Africa’s institutions requires more than political analysis - it demands ethical reflection.

This formed the focus of Ms Lusanda Mngadi’s Master of Arts research in Ethics, supervised by Professor Beatrice Okyere-Manu, which explored how governance failures affected public trust, accountability, and social development.

Mngadi’s interest in the topic developed from observing the widespread impact of corruption and institutional decline across the country.

“I was motivated by the significant impact that state capture has had in South Africa,” Mngadi said. “I was particularly interested in its ethical dimensions and how corruption directly affects the daily lives of South African citizens.”

Rather than focusing only on political or economic explanations, her research examined the moral responsibilities of leadership and the consequences of decisions that placed private interests ahead of the public good.

“My motivation stems from witnessing how poor government decisions have eroded opportunities, undermined public trust, and generated widespread disappointment among South Africans who rely on these institutions for development and progress,” Mngadi explained.

Her study identified several key ethical concerns that emerged strongly from the state capture period. These included the abuse of power, failures of accountability, and the misuse of public resources in ways that weakened service delivery and increased inequality.

“Public officials often used their positions for personal gain, undermining their duty to serve citizens,” she said. “This reflects a serious failure of ethical responsibility with widespread consequences for society.”

Mngadi’s research emphasises that ethical reflection plays an essential role in understanding governance failures. While corruption is often analysed through legal or administrative frameworks, she argues that ethical analysis provides a deeper evaluation of the consequences of leadership decisions.

“Ethical reflection is important because it goes beyond simply describing cases of corruption,” she said. “It allows for a critical evaluation of whether such decisions were morally justifiable and an assessment of their consequences.”

Using consequentialist ethical theory as a guiding framework, her work examined how decisions taken during the state capture period affected society more broadly. In doing so, it highlighted the importance of ethical leadership as a foundation for rebuilding trust in public institutions.

“My research contributes by showing that accountability is not only legal or institutional, but also ethical,” she explained. “It strengthens the argument for ethical and responsible leadership.”

Working on a topic of this scale presented several challenges. State capture involved complex relationships between institutions, individuals, and systems, requiring careful analysis of large volumes of material while maintaining objectivity.

“It was challenging to maintain objectivity and avoid bias when analysing a politically sensitive issue,” she said. “Managing the volume of information from different sources was also difficult.”

She credits the guidance of her supervisor with helping her strengthen the structure and clarity of her work.

“My supervisor played an important role in guiding the study and keeping it focused,” she said. “The feedback helped me improve the structure of the research and strengthen the clarity of my analysis.”

Mngadi hopes to continue building on her research through further academic study and engagement with questions of ethical leadership and accountability.

“I am interested in contributing to teaching and research and continuing to engage with issues of ethical leadership and good governance,” she said. “I would like to build on my current work and continue exploring corruption and accountability in South Africa.”

Her research highlights the role that ethical scholarship can play in strengthening conversations about governance, responsibility, and public trust in contemporary South Africa.

Words: Lee Rondganger

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini