Anti-corruption Agencies in South Africa and Brazil : trends and challenges

Abstract

Corruption at all levels has become an everyday reality in South Africa and Brazil with dire consequences for both countries, leading to perpetration of social inequality. In both countries, the existing legislation and anti-corruption agencies have been unable to curb the phenomenon efficiently. One of the key reasons for this failure has been the modus operandi of the anti-corruption agencies, which throughout the years have faced serious changes (political, legal, administrative and organisational) in their fight against a multi-facet, complicated, and multi-layered reality. In both countries, the state bureaucracy apparatus, has over the years, faced both grand and petty corruption in both the public and private sector domains, whereby the competition for irregular thirst for wealth accumulation has reached unprecedented levels. The anti-corruption agencies then have to deal with a multiplicity of corruption diversions and dimensions in their efforts to detect, dissect, investigate and prosecute. There are a number of differences in the legislative frameworks determining the structure, functions and operations of such organisations in these countries. This article, based on an empirical paradigm rooted on interpretative qualitative methodology, will analyse and dissect the similarities, differences, achievements, failures and challenges in terms of mandates, efficiency efficacy, and resources allocation. This comparison will be located within the ‘multiple versus single agency’ debate.