‘BREAD first, morals later’ is the name of the game for lower income groups.
According to the second SA Citizen Bribery Survey, conducted by The Ethics Institute, 48% of respondents in the study earning less than R100 000 (around R8 000 per month) said bribery, particularly to secure jobs, has become a necessity to navigate daily life.
Only 27% of higher income groups (R500 000 and more per annum) agreed.
‘Our survey respondents are typically from a wide socioeconomic range, so this year we decided to focus specifically on the difference between the experience of bribery of South Africans in higher versus lower income groups,’ said The Ethics Institute CEO Professor Deon Rossouw.
‘We found that South Africans with lower income find it significantly more difficult to get through everyday life without paying a bribe.
‘There is a certain injustice in the fact that those who have the least resources are most vulnerable to being targeted.
‘It is a reflection of the desperation of many in our society.’
The survey indicated the top five reasons for resorting to bribery are to avoid traffic fines (36%), secure a job (18%), obtain a driver’s licence (15%), to get a tender (7%) and to receive unauthorised discounts from businesses (4%).
KZN top culprit
Of the five provinces surveyed, 32% of respondents in KZN indicated that they knew someone who was approached for a bribe compared to 28% in Gauteng, 14% in the Free State, 14% in the Western Cape and 12% in Limpopo.
Results also show that lower income groups are 17% more vulnerable to paying bribes for jobs, while those with an income of more than R500 000 in turn experience 16% more tender bribery compared to the low income groups.
Bribery for driver’s licences was also 8% higher for the lower income respondents, which according to Rossouw, could reflect the value that a driver’s licence has in relation to securing a job at this income level.
‘It is interesting to note that bribes for discounts or free goods were more prominent among the lower income respondents and completely absent from the higher income respondents.’
Massmart Anti-Corruption Compliance Executive Johann Stander said business should play a broader anti-corruption role in society.
‘Bribery increases the cost of living for all of us and undermines the rule of law and the values of our democracy.
‘It is not good for social cohesion nor is it good for business, hence our sponsorship of the survey.’
The survey findings were based on interviews with more than 4 553 South Africans from urban areas in KZN, Gauteng, Limpopo, Free State and Western Cape.
In a box:
Key findings
• 33% of respondents know someone who was asked for a bribe in the past year
• The average bribe amount is R2200, up by R195 from last year
• 18% of bribes are to secure employment
• 51% of the bribes were for traffic related offences
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