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The civil society group Corruption Watch has released its latest corruption trends report based on the accounts it has received from the beginning of the year to the end of June.
Most of these cases, nearly 55%, were collected after a national state of disaster was declared in mid-March to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in South Africa.
Whistleblower reports of corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS), municipal offices, schools, traffic and licensing centers, and the health sector, account for approximately one third of corruption reports.
In all reports received, Corruption Watch said that the trending forms of corruption during this six-month period are:
- Maladministration – mismanagement and deliberate delay and backlog of legal and official government processes. This form represents 19% of corruption cases;
- Embezzlement of means – theft, misuse, abuse and waste of vehicles, equipment, time and state funds. These corruption cases represent 14% of the complaints received and;
- Obtaining irregularities – Typically related to non-compliance with the award of tenders and related processes, these represent 14% of corruption cases.
Speaking about the general level of corruption and its impact on the country, the group compared it to the ‘Third World War’.
“The destruction is silent and people watch with morbid fascination as the pockets of kleptocrats are full of ill-gotten gains and consequently the healthcare system is strained, schools are empty, and police protection is given to the highest bidders. while the poorest in society are brutalized and left for dead in misery, ”he said.
The SAPS
Corruption Watch said that several reports of corruption focused on the same institution charged with protecting the rights of all South Africans: the police service.
For the second year in a row, this focus area, at 13%, leads in terms of complaints received, the group said.
“The complainants express their dismay and dismay with the police service in a variety of complaints, which mainly highlight the brutality, inconsideration and inhumanity towards the public and the lack of respect for law and order shown by officials and agents.”
Corruption Watch said bribery allegations account for 31% of police corruption cases, as officers solicit bribes from crime suspects and victims alike, and sometimes small businesses, as well as ordinary members of the public.
These demands for bribes are to allow suspected criminals, generally drug traffickers, to act with impunity or “make the files disappear,” he said.
The group said that small businesses, mostly informal traders, have their assets confiscated only to be returned if the owners are willing to pay the amount of money asked of them.
In other cases, if a member of the public wishes to remain undisturbed and hassle-free, officers allude to the fact that they have the power and wherewithal to make a person’s life ‘very difficult’ in case they are unwilling. to cooperate, that is, to part with your money.
Such cases were common during the lockdown period, Corruption Watch said.
During this time, in some incidents of SAPS corruption cases received, it was alleged that agents would conduct random searches and raids in which compliant individuals were told they had to pay a fee to ensure the security of your belongings and avoid arrest.
This type of behavior was also manifested in 29% of the complaints related to abuse of power. In these cases, where bribery was not obvious, the information Corruption Watch received pointed to officers who subjected members of the public to vicious beatings.
“We are informed that such sporadic acts of violence occurred when officers accused people of not complying with lockdown rules and regulations. Ironically, other abuses of power that the police are said to have committed involve the sale of prohibited products, mainly alcohol and cigarettes, and allowing unauthorized businesses to trade during the same period, ”he said.
Municipalities
Corruption Watch said municipal corruption accounts for 5% of all reports received from January 2020 to the end of June.
“In municipal offices, the most prevalent form of corruption is misappropriation of resources, which represents 35% of these corruption cases,” he said.
“We have learned from the complainants that municipal officials and employees have misappropriated and mismanaged funds intended for the provision of services and development in the communities.”
In some cases, tens of millions of rand are reported to go unaccounted for and these funds were allocated to the construction of sports facilities, roads and housing.
Hand in hand with the misappropriation of resources is 19% of corruption cases that detail corruption in acquisitions.
“Journalists claim that companies, sometimes organized in cartel-like groupings, pay bribes to advisers who, in turn, ensure that bidding projects are awarded exclusively to them.
“The practice is so ingrained and common that some municipalities have abandoned long-term community projects without giving any explanation to residents. In addition, these companies repeatedly receive tenders. “
Corruption Watch said it has also received 67 reports of corruption related to the supply of food packages:
Traffic
Regarding reports of corruption in traffic and licensing centers, the most widespread form of corruption is bribery, which accounts for 63% of these corruption cases. With regard to traffic incidents, motorists claim that agents solicit bribes at roadblocks.
If a motorist is unwilling to pay a bribe or claims to have no money, their vehicles and / or other belongings are impounded on the basis of a false offense.
Meanwhile, at licensing centers, prospective drivers still allege that officials are refusing to issue licenses without an accompanying brown envelope worth thousands of rand.
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