Corruption perception index reflects stable but disturbing trend for South Africa
The 2013 global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) compiled by Transparency International reveals that South Africans' perceptions of the level of corruption have remained stable over the past two years (see here).
South Africa is ranked 72 out of 177 countries surveyed and scored 42 out of 100. In the 2012 CPI the country ranked 69 out of 176 countries, with a score of 43. The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) measures perceived levels of public sector corruption and ranks countries based on a scale of 0- 100 where zero means the country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 means the country is perceived as very clean (see map below).
"Our ranking and score are far from satisfactory but we take some comfort from the fact that our position seems to be stabilising. However, there is certainly no room for complacency. The TI survey is establishing, once again, that perceptions of corruption remain very strong," said the executive director of Corruption Watch, David Lewis.
The stable SA's index scores can be attributed to the level of outrage expressed by the public in the form of service delivery protests and eagerness to report corruption to independent civil society based organisations like Corruption Watch. The perceptions are also indicative of a public that has become intolerant of the abuse of public resources and is losing trust in political, public, and business leadership.
"The challenge is now to turn corruption around. There are some signs of determined action to combat corruption in the public sector. For example, the anticorruption measures that the Department of Public Service and Administration is attempting to put in place are commendable."
Lewis added that these actions were countered by the continuing impunity on the part of those who were politically and financially powerful: "The Gupta wedding saga and on-going fiasco surrounding the President's private Nkandla residence are indicators in the past year of impunity in operation."
Corruption Watch is of the view that perceptions of corruption will not change until political and business leaders are held accountable for their conduct.
Statement issued by David Lewis, Corruption Watch executive director, December 3 2013
Interactive map of Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index 2013:
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