The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2018, released by Transparency International (TI), the global coalition against corruption, is evidence of a world that has not come to grips with burgeoning corruption. This is true for South Africa, as it continues to languish with a score of 43, the same as the previous year, suggesting that perceptions of corruption remain high.

The index, considered to be the leading global indicator of public sector corruption, ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of corruption in the public sector according to experts and business people. It uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. South Africa, which remains in the group of countries falling below the 50 mark, clearly needs to intensify its efforts to make serious inroads against corruption.

The over-arching theme of the CPI this year is how corruption contributes to a global crisis of democracy. TI chairperson Delia Ferreira Rubio makes the link between a healthy democracy and successes in reducing public sector corruption.

Report by Transparency International