JOHANNESBURG - A lack of political will and party politics is preventing the country from making strides in tackling corruption.
This is according to Corruption Watch after South Africa scored 41 out of 100 in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), for the second consecutive year.
Corruption Watch says while there has been a lot of talk in fighting corruption, it has not been matched with action.
“Since the Zondo Commission, we have not seen any movement in making sure that those who were implicated are brought to book,” said the non-profit organisation's Executive Director, Lebogang Ramafoko.
“That creates a pervasive social norm that says no matter how small or big your corruption is, you can get away with it. There is talk, but it has not been followed by action.”
The CPI measures perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of 1 to 100.
South Africa scored below the new global average, which has also declined to 42. This year’s results show that most countries are failing to keep corruption under control.
A total of 122 countries out of 180 scored under 50. The number of countries scoring above 80 decreased from 12 a decade ago to just five in 2025.
Ramafoko says more transparency is needed in the appointments of key positions to strengthen the fight against corruption.
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“We need to beef up institutions like the NPA that are supposed to prosecute some of these cases. You cannot use 20th-century resources to investigate 21st-century crimes.”
She says the biggest obstacle for South Africa’s fight against corruption remains a lack of political will and party politics.
“When the president decides Mchunu [suspended Police Minister] is my cross to bear, I’m not going to touch him, it tells you everything you need to know about whether there are untouchables. And whether we have a president who abides by the findings of the Commission, that he himself has set up.”
Ramafoko urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to strengthen the protection of whistleblowers.
“Some of them have paid with their lives. Some of them are paying by being removed from jobs. There are men and women who want to govern properly, who are competent and who do not want corruption where they work,” she added.