40 of 46 African countries checked show a serious corruption problem - Index

Transparency International’s (TI) 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index‚ released today‚ shows that more countries improved their scores in the 2015 edition of the index‚ than declined. However‚ 40 of the 46 African countries reviewed showed a serious corruption problem‚ and Nigeria’s and South Africa’s scores remained the same.

Indicators for rule of law and justice scored particularly badly – but TI noted some reason for hope.

“We can see particular improvement around transparency in financial management – good news for the companies operating in the region‚” said Chantal Uwimana‚ TI’s director for sub-Saharan Africa. “Overall a number of countries have improved in recent years‚ notably Senegal‚ which has risen significantly since the government introduced a series of anti-corruption measures. Regional high-performer Botswana scores 63 out of 100 in the index.”

While South Africa’s score remained the same as last year at 44‚ its ranking improved marginally‚ rising to 61 from 67 in 2014.

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A country’s score refers to the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100‚ where 0 means that it’s perceived as highly corrupt and 100 that it’s perceived as very clean. A country’s rank indicates its position relative to the other countries included in the index – 168 in 2015.

This lack of movement‚ said Corruption Watch – TI’s local affiliate – is an indication that perceptions around the extent of corruption in South Africa are stabilising somewhat.

David Lewis‚ the organisation’s executive director‚ commented: “The good news is that for the second year in succession‚ our score‚ as measured by the Index‚ has remained the same and our ranking has improved slightly. The bad news is that we are still ranked amongst those countries perceived to have a serious corruption problem‚ with our ranking perilously close to those countries suffering from endemic corruption.”

“We cannot afford to fall any further. For example‚ Brazil has fallen significantly in score and ranking‚ a fall accompanied by deep economic recession and social turmoil‚” Lewis said.

The average score in sub-Saharan Africa was 33 – as in previous years‚ Botswana was the top scorer at 63‚ while Somalia took the last position‚ scoring just eight. The north-east African country‚ with North Korea‚ achieved the overall lowest score on this year’s index.

South Africa scraped into the top ten regionally and in terms of score‚ is on par with Lesotho and Senegal. The country is part of both the Brics economic group‚ and the G20. Neither group shone – 53% of G20 countries scored below 50‚ while 100% of Brics countries achieved the embarrassing result. In the latter group‚ South Africa’s score was the highest.

More countries perceived to be corrupt than not

Overall‚ two-thirds of the 168 countries on the 2015 index scored below 50. This means that more than six-billion people live somewhere where there is a serious corruption problem‚ said TI.

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In such places – for example in Guatemala and Ghana – citizen activists in groups and on their own worked hard to drive out the corrupt‚ sending a strong message that should encourage others to take decisive action this year. “2015 was a year when people again took to the streets to protest corruption. People across the globe sent a strong signal to those in power: it is time to tackle grand corruption‚” said José Ugaz‚ chairperson of Transparency International.

South Africa was no exception – at the end of September thousands of protesters marched against corruption in a legal and peaceful show of solidarity and outrage. Demonstrations took place in Johannesburg‚ Durban and Cape Town.

Corruption Watch believes that the way forward is clear‚ although challenging: it is necessary to demonstrate that no-one is above the law. But as long as people with wealth and political power are perceived to be above the law‚ our public and private sectors – as well as our political institutions – will be seen to be riddled with corruption.

“The good work of those serious about combating corruption is overshadowed by those who continue to behave with impunity‚” said Lewis.