ABSTRACT
Public service ethics are a prerequisite to, and underpin, public trust, and are a keystone of good governance. If public servants are to fulfill responsibilities entrusted to them they must have the 'right' value system. A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that all member countries give great importance to eight core values: Impartiality, Legality, Integrity, Transparency, Efficiency, Equality, Responsibility, and Justice. Ethics cannot be shaped and sustained in isolation; it requires a supportive environment both political and social. It is the primary responsibility of the State to promote an environment which supports high standard of conduct and moral values in society. In order to manage ethics in public services, simply drawing a code of conduct will not do. There is need for a proper ethics infrastructure. The public services must set the example of high standard of conduct and ethical behaviour if the country is to make progress and develop.
