Corruption at local government level

Barry Vosloo

According to Transparency International’s corruption perception index, South Africa was the fifty fourth (out of 178 countries surveyed) most corrupt country in 2010.

That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? However, if you live in South Africa and are consistently bombarded by the media citing one case of corruption after another, you can be excused for thinking that there is no more corrupt country on earth.

While corruption at central and provincial government level is bad enough, locals are annoyed by evidence of blatant dishonesty in the ANC-controlled Kouga municipality.

There are several types of corruption that occur in municipalities. Many of our own municipal officials have been accused of bribery, embezzlement and nepotism in the recent past. Patronage, which refers to granting favours, contracts or appointments to positions in the municipality in return for political support, also springs to mind.

But corruption doesn’t simply happen. There are a number of preconditions that facilitate the kind of dishonesty in municipal circles that drive local law-abiding residents up the wall. These preconditions include institutional issues as well as personal attributes.

Larger municipalities often have inadequate policing and prosecution of corrupt officials. So there is less likelihood of either getting caught or prosecuted.

Places with failing economies and poverty sometimes get loans or start aid programs to support the local economy and the people. So, public officials are often able to unlawfully take the money or goods for private gain.

A lower level of education is seen as an important factor which encourages corrupt local government practices. When local political leaders are less educated, they will be less likely to find legitimate ways to make the municipality well-structured, productive, and successful.

In municipalities with an undeveloped or underdeveloped political culture, accountability and legitimacy is usually low. Principles of ethics are also not well-established, which encourages corruption to take hold.

Is there such a thing as a personality type that tends to engage in corrupt practices? You bet there is.

People who are greedy, witty, cunning and charming, good at flattery and manipulating others’ emotions, lie, steal and fight often, are the ones engaged in corruption. It is not surprising to learn that psychologists say that corrupt officials show a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness when they lie, cheat or steal.

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