MASHUDU SADIKE
BRIBERY topped the list as the most common form of corruption across the country, according to non-governmental organisation (NGO), Corruption Watch.
In its third annual edition of the sectoral report that focused on unpacking corruption trends within local municipalities, it found that second on the list after bribery was procurement, followed by employment irregularities, abuse of power and embezzlement.
The report said in part: “The most common forms of corruption at a local level are bribery (28%), procurement irregularities (24%), employment irregularities (11%), abuse of power (9%), and embezzlement of funds (8%).
“According to whistle-blowers, most corruption occurs within the office of the municipal manager (34%), or relates to local/metro police (30%), housing and human settlements (10%), transport (5%), and the office of the executive (5%).”
In 2020, Corruption Watch received a record number of 857 whistle-blower allegations relating to corruption within local government.
“We also saw a 50% increase in cases stemming from the Eastern Cape, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, compared to the previous year.
Over 5 000 whistle-blowers have approached the NGO to report cases of corruption within local government since its inception in 2012.
The report further reads: “Between 2012 and 2020, Corruption Watch received 32 998 whistle-blower reports, of which 16% contain allegations of corruption within the local spheres of government.
“The majority of complaints stem from Gauteng (41%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (11%), with 8% of reports each coming from Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the North West.
“The municipalities most implicated by whistle-blowers are the City of Johannesburg (700 reports), Ekurhuleni (354 reports), City of Tshwane (325 reports), eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (166 reports), and the City of Cape Town (125 reports).”