'Turn corruption around or face recession'

Unless corruption in
South Africa’s public
sector is turned
around, it could drive
the country into economic
recession, according to anticorruption
watchdogs.
David Lewis, executive
director of Corruption
Watch – Transparency
International’s (TI) affiliate
in SA – points to Brazil whose
increased corruption has
been accompanied by a deep
economic recession and social
turmoil.
Last week, TI’s Corruption
Perceptions Index (CPI)
for 2015 showed that while
South Africa’s score remained
unchanged at 44, its ranking
improved, jumping 6 points
to 61 out of a total of 168
countries, with Denmark
taking the top spot and
Somalia the bottom.
However, TI’s African
edition of the Global
Corruption Barometer (GCB),
launched in December last
year, showed that more than
four out of five South African
citizens (83%) believed that
corruption was on the rise.
This indicates a disconnect
in the perception of corruption
in South Africa between
opinion makers and shapers
and the country’s ‘ordinary’
citizens – based on the results
of the two global corruption
surveys released over the past
two months.
“The individuals surveyed
for the CPI are largely public
and private sector leaders and
academics who see evidence
that key pockets of government
are deeply concerned about
corruption,” says Lewis, adding
that this is particularly true of
“important industry-shapers
such as the National Treasury”.
He told FTW that this
was in sync with the anticorruption
organisation’s own
experience with government
agencies. “There are clear
indications that many
government agencies want
to root out corruption. But
unfortunately the good work
of those serious about it is
overshadowed by those who
continue to behave with
impunity,” comments Lewis.
The man-in-the-street
therefore sees prominent
leaders – from the political,
public and private sectors
– continuing to loot their
towns, provinces and national
government on a grand scale,
and getting away with it.
“The way forward, although
challenging, is clear. It is
necessary for the public
sector to demonstrate that
no-one is above the law. This
means renewed focus on our
criminal justice authorities,
the police and the judiciary,”
says Lewis, cautioning that
as long as those with wealth
and political power are seen
as operating as a law unto
themselves, South Africa will
be perceived to be riddled
with corruption.
INSERT & CAPTION
There are clear
indications that many
government agencies
want to root out
corruption.
– David Lewis