Gendered effects of corruption: the South African state capture experience

Corruption, a profound ethical failure, disproportionately affects women and girls, exacerbating existing inequalities and leading to gender-specific repercussions, such as increased vulnerability to gender-based violence, disruptions in essential services, and deepened levels of poverty and unemployment. Recognising the moral imperative to address this injustice, this paper examines the case of state capture in South Africa to explore the gendered impact of corruption on women and girls. Drawing on evidence from the Zondo Commission Report, and other archival data, and employing Tamale’s Afro-feminism as a philosophical framework, alongside Ubuntu and the Ethics of Care as guiding ethical frameworks, this article provides critical insights and offers actionable recommendations for stakeholders dedicated to promoting the well-being and flourishing of women and girls. This article is published in the thematic collection ‘Decolonising Gender Knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa: Empirical Insights and Theoretical Innovations from Early Career Researchers’, edited by Alicia Bowman, Evelyn Garwe and Juliet Thondhlana.