South Africa's Corruption Index Hits Record Low Amidst Global Decline in Rule of Law

South Africa's battle against corruption has taken a severe hit as revealed by the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which has documented the nation's lowest score ever, placing it amongst countries heavily challenged by corruption within the public sector. With a disheartening score of 41 out of 100, the latest CPI figures indicate a two-point decline from the previous year, marking a significant setback for the country's integrity and governance.

Transparency International's CPI is an authoritative global measure, which assesses the perceived levels of public sector corruption and ranks 180 countries accordingly. Based on expert opinions and multiple data sources, CPI scores countries on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). South Africa's downward trajectory in these rankings paints a worrying picture of its democratic health.

This year, for the first time South Africa scored lower than 42, a previous record set in 2013, reflecting growing concerns about corruption and the effectiveness of the country's countermeasures. In addition to South Africa, the report notes that 22 other nations are at their lowest scores, with many slipping into the realm of 'flawed democracies', a category marked by weakening democratic institutions and rule of law.

The report is particularly troubling as it comes in the wake of the State Capture Commission, led by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, which provided a comprehensive set of recommendations for curtailing corruption. The report accentuates the critical need to strengthen the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and other justice mechanisms to avoid further regression and secure justice for corruption-related crimes.

South Africa's decline is reflective of a broader global pattern, with two-thirds of the countries scoring below the halfway mark of 50. Only 28 countries showed any improvement, and an astonishing 34 have witnessed significant deterioration.

For the continent, the situation is also dire as Sub-Saharan Africa pools as the lowest-scoring region worldwide, solidifying its position with an unaltered average score of 33 out of 100. Ninety percent of these countries scored below 50, underlining an endemic issue with corruption across the continent. This consistently poor performance is attributed to chronic underfunding of the public sector, accompanied by corruption and illicit financial outflows that deprive basic public services of essential resources.

The hardest hit by these persistent challenges are the most vulnerable populations, derailed from achieving global and regional developmental goals, and often left without effective means to combat the corruption affecting their daily lives. The CPI stresses that anti-corruption efforts are particularly needed within the justice network, where the impacts of corruption resonate deeply.

Corruption Watch's Karam Singh has voiced overwhelming frustration at the slow pace of bringing perpetrators to justice post-Zondo Commission. With upcoming elections, the call for leaders of integrity who are accountable to the public has never been more pressing. Corruption Watch urges the government, particularly in the upcoming State of the Nation Address and budget, to allocate sufficient resources to empower the NPA and other institutions to fight corruption.

Internationally acclaimed chairperson of Transparency International, François Valérian, has highlighted the insidious link between the decline of democracy, justice, and the surge in corruption. Remarkably, he points out that even democracies are suffering from weakened checks and balances, as governments, irrespective of political leaning, may employ non-democratic methods to tackle crises.

To effectively combat these trends, countries are encouraged to strengthen judicial independence, introduce monitoring mechanisms for accountability, and promote transparency and cooperation in the justice system.

Denmark leads the index as the least perceived corrupt nation, with a score of 90, while countries like Somalia and Venezuela reside at the opposite end of the spectrum with alarmingly low scores. In Africa, the Seychelles emerges as the beacon, followed by Cabo Verde and Botswana, all attaining relatively high scores given the regional context.

In conclusion, the report from Transparency International is a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against corruption and the imperative for South Africa, and many others, to commit to substantial and transformative anti-corruption efforts.