Citizens have a right to know why certain decisions are made by those in power, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela told an anti-corruption summit on Friday.
"Transparency is extremely important. If people know what standards are required, they would know what's right," she told delegates in Johannesburg.
"People deserve to know why you made one decision instead of another. People should also know what influenced the decision."
Madonsela said maladministration created a breeding ground for corruption.
"Where there is abuse of power and abuse of state resources, corruption thrives."
Accountability and leadership were crucial in efforts to defeat corruption.
"Every citizen has a right to exact accountability... and access to justice is an important factor," she said.
"We need strong leaders for good governance and they must have consistency."
Weak systems also needed to be fixed. (Sapa)
