UKZN Academics Contribute to Book on Poverty and Corruption

UKZN Academics Contribute to Book on Poverty and Corruption

Six UKZN academics and a doctoral graduate contributed to a new book titled: The Nexus Between Poverty and Corruption: Quo Vadis?

The book, published by Cambridge Scholar Publishers, was co-edited by Professors Purshottama Reddy of UKZN’s School of Management, Information Technology and Governance (SMIG); Pregala Pillay and Chris Jones, both of the University of Stellenbosch, and Dr Sakhile Zondi of SMIG. 

UKZN academics who contributed chapters to the book included Professor Darma Mahadea from the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Dr Syanda Mthuli from SMIG, Dr Cheryl Mohamed-Sayeed School of Social Sciences and Dr Nikita Singh from the Graduate School of Business and Leadership, Doctoral graduate in Public Administration Dr Vasantha Naidoo, who is attached to the Government Communication and Information System, was the co-author of two chapters. 

The book analyses and interrogates the complex, complicated, multifaceted and multilayered phenomena of corruption, of which one of the resultant effects is poverty. The publication concluded that the scourge of corruption undermines and has a corrosive effect on a country’s democracy and development; rule of law; reputation; trade and investment promotion; markets; performance of the economy, and the environment. Corruption also impacts negatively on a country’s present and future generations, especially the youth. 

All of these issues were demystified using country studies as well as local case studies.

Countries critiqued in the book included South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Nigeria. Several chapters critically reviewed and evaluated the South African experience post-1994. 

In his foreword to the book, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Stellenbosch Professor Deresh Ramjugernath pointed out that the book enabled the reader to gain a perspective that will hopefully assist in facilitating solutions to governance challenges being experienced in Africa. He added that it necessitated a radical change on the notions of public accountability, consequences management, good governance and responsible leadership in broad populist understandings of ethics, integrity morals and values. 

Words: NdabaOnline

Image: Supplied