Corruption is a constant global phenomenon, which is becoming more complex and intense as competition for resources
increases. It is even more so amongst those living in developing countries, particularly emerging economies such as South
Africa. Acts of corruption directly contest the basic principles of South Africa’s Constitution, which aims at establishing
freedom and security for everyone and a democracy ‘for the people, by the people’. The aim of this article is to determine
whether South African public education is safe from the corruption ‘bogey’, where reflection is made on professional
public school management, which is the responsibility of school principals. Our objectives include designing an education-
specific definition of corruption to advance accountable and transparent leadership; establishing the degree to which
corruption has infiltrated the public education sphere; and making recommendations to fight corruption in public schools at
professional public school management level. Among other findings, we found that even though some principals actively
advocate upholding high morals, their conduct proves differently.

doi: 10.15700/201503070020