Maladministration remains the most reported form of corruption in South Africa, making up 34% of cases received by Corruption Watch in its 2024 annual report. It was followed by fraud, with employment irregularities, bribery or extortion, and procurement irregularities rounding out the top five.
These figures paint a picture of ongoing weaknesses in public sector governance – but according to Corruption Watch’s former executive director, Karam Singh, the deeper issue is the lack of accountability.
“Sustained success in the fight against corruption and organised crime remains elusive, and one of the reasons is that accountability for these illegal activities, especially corruption, is in short supply,” said Singh, who stepped down at the end of February but continues to support the organisation in a consulting role.
Corruption Watch was launched in 2012 in response to rising levels of corruption and operates as the South African chapter of Transparency International. Since its founding, the independent civil society organisation has received more than 46 000 allegations of corruption.
Singh said the failure to hold perpetrators to account remains one of the most disturbing legacies of South Africa’s democratic transition.
“Whether it be all the unfinished cases of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the lack of accountability from an establishment that was never prosecuted, or the long-awaited accountability for the Marikana massacre or for state capture, it’s a glaring deficit,” he said.
He pointed to the continued absence of prosecutions for those implicated in the Zondo Commission, including the Gupta brothers, former president Jacob Zuma, and their associates, as emblematic of broader systemic failings in the justice system.
The country’s inability to secure the extradition of the Guptas, Singh noted, highlights the limitations of international enforcement mechanisms.
“In some defence of our law enforcement agencies, there needs to be intentional capacitation of strategic fields, such as forensic investigations and other specialities. Without improving on such, they will remain underdogs to increasingly sophisticated criminal networks that have perfected the playbook on ducking accountability,” he said.
CPI shows stagnation, not progress
South Africa has also failed to improve its standing on the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), scoring just 41 out of 100 in 2024 – unchanged from its 2023 result, which marked its lowest score since 2012.
The CPI, published annually by Transparency International, scores 180 countries based on perceived levels of public sector corruption. A score below 50 is considered indicative of serious and persistent corruption.
Since 2012, South Africa’s score has ranged between 41 and 45, with little sign of meaningful progress. The global average in 2024 was 43, and more than two-thirds of countries scored below 50. In fact, 148 countries have stagnated or worsened since 2012, while only 32 have made significant improvements.
Denmark again topped the index, with a score of 90, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). At the bottom were South Sudan (8), Somalia (9), and Venezuela (10).
Among the countries making notable improvements were Moldova, the Dominican Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Estonia. In contrast, nations such as Lebanon, El Salvador, and eSwatini saw the sharpest declines.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the lowest-performing region globally, with an average score of 33. South Africa, scoring just above the regional average, has not ranked among the region’s top 10 performers since 2022. The top scorers in the region were Seychelles (72), Cabo Verde (62), and Botswana and Rwanda (57 each).
Corruption Watch saw fewer reports in 2024 – here’s why
Corruption Watch received 546 complaints of corruption in 2024, significantly down from 2 110 the previous year. However, this drop was because of a period of internal transition, the organisation explained.
“While not intentional, internal processes leading to a period of transition required a refocus of resources and a thorough review of our systems. Although this was a temporary measure that has since found resolution, it meant holding off on soliciting new complaints during that time, to restructure our systems,” it stated.
Despite the lower volume, the profile of reported cases remained consistent. Maladministration led at 34%, followed by fraud (21%), employment irregularities (16%), bribery/extortion (15%), and procurement irregularities (13%).
Policing was the most frequently cited sub-sector, accounting for 13% of reports, followed by the business sector (12%), basic education (11%), and state-owned entities (7%).
“These figures tell a story of government’s inadequacy in confronting challenges in policing, safety and security; access to education; and a range of rights and services intended to improve people’s lives. They also highlight the contribution of business to South Africa’s levels of corruption and the lack of appetite to address its impact,” the report noted.
Corruption in local government remains a key concern. The metropolitan municipalities of Johannesburg, Tshwane, Cape Town, eThekwini, and Ekurhuleni collectively accounted for 51% of local government corruption cases.
On a provincial level, Gauteng led with 45% of complaints, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (11%), Western Cape (9%), and Eastern Cape (8%).
Lack of accountability fuelling public disillusionment
As public frustration with corruption deepens, Singh warned that South Africa risks normalising graft as a fixture of its democracy unless it urgently invests in institutional reform and enforcement capacity.
“Without decisive institutional reform and greater investment in investigative and prosecutorial capacity, South Africa risks further entrenching corruption as a permanent feature of its democratic landscape.”
He highlights a troubling lack of consensus among senior state actors on whether to stem the drift towards kleptocracy or to build a resilient, accountable state.
“The lack of focused dedication means the process of reversing state capture, including fixing the criminal justice system, remains partial. We have made some progress on transparency, but more is needed,” he says.
Singh argues that deeper transparency in public procurement is essential and calls for the implementation of long-promised accountability mechanisms, such as mandatory lifestyle audits for public officials. He also emphasises the importance of strengthening oversight bodies and following through on their findings.
He urges greater support for public accounts committees at all levels of government and underscores the need to implement recommendations from the Auditor-General and the Special Investigating Unit.
“Together, we all have a role to play in promoting accountability in the fight against corruption – but also accountability in how we conduct ourselves, build our communities, raise our children, and treat others in our workplaces,” Singh says.
