Corruption complaints soar as whistle-blowers expose graft across SA
· Citizen
Corruption remains the dominant grievance confronting South Africa, with whistle‑blowers continuing to expose entrenched graft, despite threats to their safety.
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Corruption Watch’s 2025 annual report, Ke Nako: Mobilising for Justice, reveals that nine out of 10 complaints lodged last year pointed to corruption, highlighting the depth of the crisis across government, policing, education and business.
Corruption complaints alarmingly high
It reveals that of the 2 222 complaints received during the year, 91% related to corruption.
Maladministration topped the list of complaints at 408 cases, followed by fraud (330) and bribery or extortion (245).
Other forms included procurement irregularities (235), dereliction of duty (214), misappropriation of resources (209), and abuse of power (197).
On a sectoral level, policing was the most cited, with 300 reports, followed by basic education (221), business (219), state-owned enterprises (141), legal and financial services (101), construction (92), and traffic and licensing (82).
The South African Police Service emerged as the single most reported entity, followed by departments of education, justice, home affairs and health.
Local government accounted for 400 complaints, national government 133, and SOEs 116.
Gauteng remains corruption hotspot
Gauteng remained the epicentre with 993 cases, representing 45% of all reports.
KwaZulu-Natal followed with 249, Limpopo 182, Eastern Cape 174 and Western Cape 173.
Corruption Watch board chair Themba Maseko said the findings highlighted the need for decisive action.
“We want a move in the right direction, a move that shifts the dial even in global indicators like the corruption perceptions index,” he said.
Executive director Lebogang Ramafoko praised whistleblowers for their courage.
“Their reports have played a critical role in exposing how corruption occurs and impacts the lives of ordinary people,” she said.
Ramafoko warned “we cannot leave it to law enforcement to fight corruption, as this sector is itself compromised”.
“We are all affected by corruption and we have a responsibility to turn the tide against it,” she said.
“Corruption Watch aims to develop its Vision 2030, which will outline priorities for the next few years. We will build on our legacy.”
Concerns remain over whistle-blower protection
The report paints a sobering picture of entrenched graft across multiple sectors, but also highlights the determination of whistle-blowers and civil society to hold institutions accountable.
It also says there remains an unanswered question as to how whistle-blowers are protected from corrupt networks that operate in the public service.