Report hails SA whistleblowers for blocking corruption

A landmark 25% increase in reporting corruption in 2017 alone is a direct indication of a vocal public that has had enough of being exploited.

According to Corruption Watch’s 2017 corruption report released yesterday, it has been revealed that it received over 5 000 corruption complaints in 2017. Corruption Watch says this “documents the extent to which growing public pressure on corrupt people and systems has contributed to the significant changes in South Africa”.

The report, titled The Time is Now, paints a picture of a more emboldened and vocal public and the range of interventions undertaken by the Corruption Watch team, the organisation said.

“It is also evident in the timeline that highlights the key political and economic events that took place in 2017.”

According to executive director David Lewis, 2017 was a landmark year – “but it was only reached with great effort on the part of civil society and the media and an independent judiciary”.

“Above all, it was achieved by an active and vigilant public. Corruption cannot be overcome without those who are willing to blow the whistle. They are the true heroes,” he said.

“We call on the public to continue reporting corruption to us. We owe our democracy to the vigilance and tenacity of our people. Increased vigilance is the duty we all continue to owe to our democracy.”

Since its launch in 2012, Corruption Watch has received more than 20 000 reports from the public citing corruption in various sectors, of which 5 334 were lodged during 2017.

“As in previous years, the majority of reports – 46% – originated from Gauteng, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 13% and the Western Cape coming in third with 8%.

“This is less a result of Gauteng being the most corrupt province, but rather due to its population – the largest in the country – and level of economic activity.

“Out of the total number of reports, 30% point to corruption at a provincial government level, while 29% allege corruption in national government, and 22% at the local government level.

“Of the remainder, 9% were complaints in the private sector, and 10% unspecified,” the report stated.

Most corruption tends to take place at the interface between the public and private sectors, and the most common form of corruption reported is bribery, which accounts for 27% of reports received in 2017.

Embezzlement of funds featured in 13% of reports, followed by procurement irregularities. Corruption in schools also remained one of the hotspots of 2017, cornering 15% of the total, followed by reports of corruption in the Saps with 6%, traffic and licensing with 5% and health and housing both at 4% of the total, it said.

– news@citizen.co.za

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