The Influence of Perceived Ethical Leadership on Organisational Citizenship Behaviour: A Case Study of a Municipality in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

This paper aims to examine employees’ perceptions of ethical leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour within a selected municipality in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study adopts an exploratory research design underpinned by a quantitative methodological approach. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires distributed to a randomly selected sample of 107 employees. The responses were analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30.0, employing descriptive statistical techniques to identify patterns and relationships between the variables of interest. The findings indicate that ethical leadership exerts a significant positive influence on organisational citizenship behaviour. Specifically, employees perceive their willingness to go beyond formal job expectations as closely linked to their leaders’ ethical conduct. When employees identify their superiors as ethical demonstrating integrity, fairness, transparency, and respect they tend to display greater organisational loyalty, enhanced teamwork, and proactive engagement in activities that benefit the organisation beyond their prescribed duties. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on leadership and behavioural dynamics within public sector institutions. By highlighting the importance of ethical leadership in fostering citizenship-oriented behaviours among municipal employees, the research provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to enhance employee commitment, collaboration, and service delivery in local government contexts.