SA 'less corrupt' than in 2003

2004-10-20 13:50

Cape Town - South Africa has improved slightly in terms of perceived corruption on Transparency International's (TI) latest perceptions index - moving up two positions on the list.

In 2004, South Africa was the 45th least corrupt nation in the world, with a score of 4.6 out of 10. Last year, the country scored 4.4.

A total of 146 countries were given a rating out of 10 for the level of corruption in the country. The country with the least corruption was Finland, with a score of 9,7. South Africa scored the same rating as Kuwait and Lithuania. The country with the most estimated corruption was Haiti, followed by Bangladesh.

According to the organisation, the amount lost due to bribery in government procurement is at least $400bn per year worldwide.

Haiti is most corrupt

A total of 60 out of 146 countries scored less than 3 out of 10, indicating rampant corruption. Corruption is perceived to be most acute in Bangladesh, Haiti, Nigeria, Chad, Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Paraguay, all of which have a score of less than 2.

China was among countries that recorded the biggest falls, slipping from 66th place with a score of 3.4 to 71st on 3.1, equal to Syria. India remained static with a score of 2.8.

Political analyst Robert Broadfoot, of the United States think tank Political and Economic Risk Consultancy which compiles its own corruption index, said such reports had often far-reaching effects on censured governments.

"These are taken very seriously indeed - I have been yelled at by prime ministers over some of the rankings we've given countries," Broadfoot said.

TI noted that oil-rich countries like Angola, Azerbaijan, Chad, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Nigeria, Russia, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen all got extremely low scores.

Draws on 18 surveys

The Corruption Perceptions Index is a poll of polls, reflecting the perceptions of business people and country analysts, both resident and non-resident. This year's Corruption Perceptions Index draws on 18 surveys provided to Transparency International between 2002 and 2004, conducted by 12 independent institutions.

Countries with a score of higher than 9, with very low levels of perceived corruption, are predominantly rich countries, namely Finland, New Zealand, Denmark, Iceland, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland.

On the basis of data from sources that were used for both the 2003 and 2004 index, since last year an increase in perceived corruption can be observed for Bahrain, Belize, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Oman, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Trinidad and Tobago.

On the same basis, a fall in corruption was perceived in Austria, Botswana, Czech Republic, El Salvador, France, Gambia, Germany, Jordan, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.

- News24