South Africa scored 41/100 in Transparency International’s  2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, our lowest score ever. This is one point lower than the last index in 2022. 😱 Seychelles and Cabo Verde have the highest scores in Africa, with 71 and 64, respectively. On the other hand, Equatorial Guinea (17), South Sudan (13), and Somalia (11) have the lowest scores, all below 20.

The index scores 180 countries and territories worldwide based on perceptions of public sector corruption, using data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, think tanks and others. South Africa is currently ranked 83rd.

This isn’t surprising: South Africa has had a monumental and ongoing battle with corruption. During a period known as state capture, corruption reached its peak. This significantly impacted criminal justice, service provision, economic opportunities, social cohesion, and political integrity.

Despite South Africa’s robust anti-corruption framework, law enforcement still needs to be improved, especially in sectors like healthcare.

An anti-corruption operation in November 2020 led to the arrest of over 100 South African officials from various sectors, but convictions are still low. 

While the index reported stagnation or decline in efforts to fight corruption in every region, Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest overall scores, with an average of 33, showing that democracy and the rule of law are under pressure. 

Chair of Transparency International, François Valérian, called on world leaders to invest in and guarantee the independence of institutions that uphold the law. “Corruption will continue to thrive until justice systems can punish wrongdoing and keep governments in check. When justice is bought or politically interfered with, it is the people that suffer,” said  Valérian.

What this means: South Africa’s recent rating drop in the index indicates a need for active participation from citizens and institutions in combating corruption. Organisations like Corruption Watch and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) play a vital role in exposing corruption. Both organisations can help ordinary South Africans report corruption anonymously.

Attribution: Focal Foto, Flickr

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