What It Means To Be Crowned ‘Integrity Icon’

Get to know South Africa’s Integrity Icons. These are our public servants who go beyond their call of duty to do what’s right even when no one is watching. The Accountability Lab, a civil society organisation that promotes accountability and transparency, and its partners launched the Integrity Icon campaign in March. The organisations asked South Africans to nominate public servants who work with integrity and five incredible finalists were chosen. The Accountability Lab put together gorgeous short films to introduce the Icons to the public. We asked the Integrity Icons to tell us what their nomination means. 

Moshalagae Malatji

Head of library and information services division at the Limpopo department of education, Limpopo

Being an Integrity Icon means that I must uphold the key values that will improve the lives of the people I serve through maximising service delivery. This, I achieve through driving and spreading a sense of accountability to individuals, professionals and communities I work with on a daily basis. I believe that in all spheres of our lives where there is integrity amongst us, there will be progress. We must do everything in our power as individuals, educators and professionals to act with integrity for the sake of humanity.

Gugu Mlotshwa
Community health facilitator, KwaZulu Natal

To me, being an Integrity Icon means to be loyal, devoted and be honest to those that I serve, especially needy communities. As I am working with the community in deep rural areas and in most deprived areas, I work unsupervised but I make sure I come back with positive outcomes. That’s why being honest and loyal is very important to me. 

Helimamy Moeng

Manager of pharmaceutical services at the Southern Western Substructure in the Western Cape

I am humbled to be nominated as I know many public servants carry on fulfilling their duties with integrity and without the drum roll. Somehow, being an Integrity Icon will act as a yardstick to measure up to for some future decisions I will need to make in my work and how I conduct myself, especially in the work setting.

Sakhile Nkosi

Clinical audiologist, Mpumalanga

Being an Integrity Icon, to me, means I’m one of the individuals who are active contributors to a more responsible and sustainable society. I feel so humbled and overwhelmed by this nomination. This nomination validates my good work and actions and it also makes me want to do more and be better at what I’m doing for the society.

Clinton Odayar 

Umhlali police officer, KwaZulu Natal

Being an Integrity Icon has been such an amazing journey so far. It has revived my faith in being a public servant by the recognition I’ve been given for my dedication and passion to duty as a police officer. I am pleased to now be a person of positive influence in my work environment and my community. The feeling of being labeled as an Integrity Icon is absolutely phenomenal, more especially on a National Level. It is by God’s grace and favor that I have been elevated to gain such status.

Vote for your favourite Integrity Icon via SMS, Whatsapp and online. The campaign will host the Integrity Summit to award the winners on 10 October. After the awards, the Accountability Lab will continue to support the Icons, by helping them build networks of people who can support their work.

Read all about how the Icons were nominated here

Featured image via Accountability Lab