Corruption Watch (CW) today releases its 13th annual corruption report, titled Accountable Together, as the country navigates a major political shift represented by the government of national unity (GNU), in place since the May elections last year. It now falls to the entire country to seize this opportunity to work together so that all can thrive.
Never has it been more important than now for all of us to show up for each other without expectation of reward or gratuity, but because we are motivated by the change we helped engineer in the last year. It is on us to do our best to counter the decline in our moral standards.
It has also never been more important for every single one of us to demand accountability not only from the GNU on all levels of government, but also from each other for our own stances in combating corruption, and for our efforts to counter the moral, economic, and physical decline evident across the country.
Thus, the theme of this report demonstrates CW’s ongoing advocacy for accountability, as one of the cornerstones of democracy. Accountability must begin with us as individuals and extend to every level of society, business, and government. Our freedom, so clearly articulated in the bill of rights, comes with the responsibility to be accountable and to accept the consequences of our actions.
“This year, CW encourages all its supporters, partners, donors, and funders to be Accountable Together in the interest of bringing South Africa back to the pedestal it once enjoyed as an inspiration for many other nations on the continent and abroad,” says CW chairperson, Prof Themba Maseko.
Former executive director of CW, Karam Singh, echoes this sentiment. “We are all accountable, and we must recognise and promote this value in all the circumstances of our lives. In so doing, we can begin to change the narrative around what we expect from the state and society,” he notes.
Accountability for CW means that the rule of law should be respected and proper processes followed, so that those who are found guilty of wrongdoing receive a just sanction, justly arrived at.
It also means that the whistle-blowers who continue to come to us will feel that their concerns have been heard, as they remain a focal point of our work. We support them according to our resources and capacity, in whatever way will be most impactful, and we owe it to them to do our utmost to restore the rule of law.
CW 2024 data
Thirteen years since its inception in 2012, CW has received over 46 000 alleged corruption complaints, which have provided valuable insight and have given rise to many of the organisation’s interventions and activities. These reports have enabled CW to expose and understand corruption’s damaging impact on people’s lives.
In 2024 the organisation received 546 corruption complaints – substantially less than the previous year’s 2 110. 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.
Maladministration – a persistent area of concern accounting for 34% of reports – topped the types of corruption featuring in 2024, followed by fraud (21%), employment irregularities (16%), bribery or extortion (15%), and procurement irregularities (13%).
Issues of corruption in the policing sector (13%) constituted the highest number of reports received by sub-sector, with the second highest number of complaints received from the business sector, at 12%, followed by basic education at 11%, and state-owned entities at 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.
Unsurprisingly, corruption in local government level emerged again as a key trend. The metropolitan municipalities of Johannesburg, Tshwane, Cape Town, eThekwini, and Ekurhuleni reflected the highest number of corruption reports in this category, collectively accounting for 51% of all corruption incidents reported.
Gauteng once again is responsible for the highest number of reports across provinces, with 45% of complaints, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 11%, Western Cape with 9%, and Eastern Cape with 8%.
Highlights in 2024
CW’s work encompasses a wide range of initiatives informed by a multi-faceted approach to fighting corruption. This work includes contributing to and pushing for change in legislation and policy development, community engagements, youth workshops, sector-focused webinars, and regular opportunities to make inputs on stakeholder platforms in the anti-corruption space. Some of CW’s anti-corruption initiatives have taken us out of the country, where we have developed various partnerships and participated in global anti-corruption initiatives that secure our place in the sector globally.
CW made its mark in several such initiatives in 2024, from the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Lithuania in June, to the lead-up conference to the IACC for the African region in Lusaka, Zambia, in March, and the annual Pan African Conference on Illicit Financial Flows in Tunis, Tunisia, in July. On a more ambitious scale, the team participated in high-level activities in respect of channelling a clear anti-corruption discourse in the lead-up to the G20 summit in South Africa later this year.
The focus areas of our work include pressing challenges such as climate governance, an increasingly critical global issue, and the theme of TI’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Disappointingly, South Africa maintained its lowest score on the CPI since 2012, remaining at 41, the same as last year. Another key strand of CW’s interventions is advocating for more transparent and robust processes for the vetting of candidates and decision-making around the leadership of key institutions in our country. One such area where CW has been advocating for adequate public participation in such processes is the appointment of commissioners to the Commission for Gender Equality, our legal challenge to which made it all the way to the Constitution Court in 2025. These are just a few areas where CW continues to raise its voice and make its mark.
“Exposing corruption should never be in vain. Ensuring accountability can revive the democratic journey and kick-start a new era based on fulfilling democratic values and building better lives,” concludes Singh.
Download Corruption Watch’s 2024 annual report.
For media enquiries contact:
Oteng Makgotlwe
Cell: 076 473 8336 — E-mail: OtengM@corruptionwatch.org.za
