Nelson Mandela Foundation

EMBARGOED UNTIL 16 JANUARY 2018

On Tuesday, 16 January, the Accountability Lab and partners, including the Nelson Mandela Foundation, LifeCo UnLtd and Democracy Works Foundation will launch Integrity Idol South Africa, which aims to inspire a national movement to honour, encourage and connect honest civil servants. We want to move away from “naming and shaming” corrupt leaders and towards “naming and faming” those bureaucrats that are working with integrity and doing the right thing even when no-one is watching.

This project will draw upon the successful implementation of Integrity Idol since 2015 in NepalLiberiaMali and Pakistan - which garnered millions of viewers (read more about Integrity Idol in the GuardianBBC and Foreign Policy). The winning Idols have now gone on to lead important reform processes in their countries based on the trust and credibility generated through Integrity Idol; and the Accountability Lab is now working with them to expand their integrity networks to do everything from developing national policies to redesigning curricula for civil service training schools. 

Please join us for the Project Launch on Tuesday 16 January.

Time: 10.00 for 10.30am
Location: Womens Jail, Constitution Hill
Programme: Short discussion with lead partners followed by Q&A
RSVP: jean@accountabilitylab.org/faith@democracyworks.org.za

The Process

16 January– end February 2018
Using their phones South Africans nominate an Integrity Idol working for the government in Health, Education or Safety & Security.

March 2018
An expert panel of respected South Africans narrow the nominees to the top 10 candidates.

March - April 2018
Working with an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, young South African filmmakers develop short films of the finalists doing their jobs with integrity.

May 2018
Short films will be shown on TV and social media platforms, with audio on community radio stations. We will ask South Africa to vote for their “Integrity Idol” through SMS, social Media, Whatsapp and online.

20 May 2018
The Integrity Idols are crowned in a public ceremony during a special event with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and LifeCo UnLtd and BMW Foundation Herbert Quant

ENDS