Corruption Watch report: 2,222 complaints expose entrenched graft and pressures on whistle‑blowers

Corruption Watch’s latest annual report records 2,222 complaints for the year, with nine out of 10 alleging corruption, underscoring widespread graft across policing, education, local government and business.

Numbers that paint a grim picture

Corruption Watch’s 2025 annual report, Ke Nako: Mobilising for Justice, shows that of the 2,222 complaints received during the year, 91% related to corruption. The most frequently recorded complaint types were maladministration (408), fraud (330) and bribery or extortion (245). Other recorded categories included procurement irregularities (235), dereliction of duty (214), misappropriation of resources (209) and abuse of power (197).

Which sectors and areas were most affected

On a sectoral level, policing was the most cited sector with 300 reports, followed by basic education (221) and business (219). Other sectors named in the report included state-owned enterprises, legal and financial services, construction, and traffic and licensing.

The report also provided a provincial breakdown: Gauteng reported 993 cases (45% of the total), with KwaZulu-Natal at 249, Limpopo 182, Eastern Cape 174 and Western Cape 173.

When grouped by authority level, local government accounted for 400 complaints, while national government and state‑owned enterprises were cited 133 and 116 times respectively.

Whistle‑blowers and the question of protection

Corruption Watch highlighted the role of whistle‑blowers in exposing abuses, but also raised concerns about their safety and how they are protected from corrupt networks operating in the public service.

“Their reports have played a critical role in exposing how corruption occurs and impacts the lives of ordinary people,” said Corruption Watch executive director Lebogang Ramafoko.

“We cannot leave it to law enforcement to fight corruption, as this sector is itself compromised,” Ramafoko warned.

Calls for action

Corruption Watch board chair Themba Maseko said the findings call for decisive action to shift South Africa’s standing on global corruption indicators. The organisation said it will develop a Vision 2030 to outline its priorities for the coming years.

What the report makes clear

The report presents a snapshot of entrenched graft across multiple sectors and provinces, highlights the courage of those who come forward, and stresses unanswered questions about how whistle‑blowers are kept safe from networks that operate inside the public service.