Global corruption watchdog Transparency International stated on Tuesday that South Africa’s corruption perception score has fallen to its lowest point in 12 years and is below the average for the entire world.
The NGO, which is the local branch of Transparency International, stated, “Since Corruption Watch… started tracking its progress on the index 12 years ago, South Africa has never scored as low as 41 -– until now.”
The nation in southern Africa is scheduled to have a general election this year, but its reputation has been damaged by accusations of cronyism and corruption, as well as by its dismal economic performance.
As the election gets closer, support for the African National Congress, the party in power since democratic rule began in 1994, has fallen below 50%.
According to the CW statement, “it is one of 23 countries that reached their lowest ever scores this year, stumbling into the category of flawed democracies.”
Eighty percent of people on Earth, according to the survey, reside in nations with scores lower than the 43 worldwide average.
180 nations and territories are ranked globally based on “perceived levels of public-sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople” by the Corruption Perception Index.
According to Karam Singh, executive director of CW, “it is frustrating that, in a country… where the corrupt have been exposed for everyone to see in such public processes as the Zondo Commission and robust media investigations, so few of the implicated parties have been brought to justice.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa received the last of several incriminating reports after a four-year probe into corruption during former leader Jacob Zuma’s nine-year administration in June 2022.
The prosecution of individuals involved has not made any notable headway thus far.
According to Singh, “the story of increasing inequality and injustice in South Africa over the 30 years since apartheid is rather appalling.”
On the global index, the nation is ranked alongside Burkina Faso, Vietnam, and Kosovo.
The apparent failure of governments everywhere to halt the development of corruption is concerning, according to the 2023 report, according to CW.