Law enforcement shortcomings hamper growing desire to curb graft, study finds

WEAK law enforcement and poor whistle-blower protection undermine public willingness to fight corruption, according to a recently released study into how South Africans can be encouraged to adopt an anti-corruption mindset.

The study also found that one of the main reasons people do not want to report corruption is a lack of trust in the legal system and law enforcement agencies.

This was revealed by Dr Steven Gordon, chief research specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), following the recent release of their report titled, ‘Corruption and Behaviour Change: Tracking Social Norms and Values in South Africa’.

According to the report, the proportion of adults who expressed an appetite for taking action in the fight against corruption increased between 2023 and 2025. 

The share of the public who said they would report corruption if they experienced or witnessed it grew by 7 percentage points. In 2025, roughly three-fifths of adults said they would be either likely (33%) or very likely (26%) to report.

“When asked why people did not report corruption, the most common reasons included lack of punishment for offenders, inadequate protection for whistle-blowers, and corruption within reporting structures themselves. It is clear from our data that perceptions of weak enforcement and poor whistle-blower protection undermine public confidence and discourage reporting, both of which are essential for meaningful citizen participation in the fight against corruption,” read the report.

It also highlighted that socio-economic status again plays a role, with economically advantaged individuals tending to report lower levels of workplace corruption. 

“We found that many people, including those currently working, believed that their profession was characterised by corrupt behaviour. Nearly half of employed adults reported instances of rule-bending to benefit friends or family, and over half observed corruption related to financial gain or bribery within their work environment. Public sector workers reported higher levels of corrupt practices than their private-sector counterparts,” read the report.

Gordon said: “What is concerning is that economically disadvantaged communities appear to be disproportionately affected. The good news is that there is a growing appetite among South Africans to confront and combat corruption. However, perceptions of weak law enforcement and poor whistle-blower protection undermine public willingness to fight corruption.”

To empower people to combat the cancer of corruption in our nation, we need to strengthen protection for whistle-blowers, publicise successful anti-corruption actions, and promote anonymous tip-off hotlines, he stated.

Devoshum Moodley-Veera, an integrity and anti-corruption activist and a member of ACCERUS at Stellenbosch University, said the HSRC report paints a grim picture, which she described as a ‘stagnant state in the fight against corruption’. 

“This longitudinal study reveals a country that, although it has implemented and advocated for the fight against corruption, in reality, we are not winning this fight. All levels of society are entrenched with corruption and other forms of violence against human dignity. This report not only reveals key forms of malfeasance that the country is facing but also the increase and different forms of corruption,” Moodley-Veera stated. 

The HSRC report, she said, is in alignment with the Auditor-General of South Africa’s reports, as consequence management is non-existent.

“Perpetrators are untouched, whereas those who expose corruption, for example, whistle-blowers, witnesses, civil society organisations, media, and activists, are targeted and silenced with gag orders or assassinated. Although the statistics reveal that individuals are afraid to expose malfeasance due to the fear of retaliation and safety, most whistle-blowers either remain anonymous or receive settlement amounts and sign off on non-disclosure agreements to remain silent. This would skew the results and provide an inaccurate reflection of reporting,” Moodley-Veera said. 

Cape Times