MOST AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS FAILING THEIR PEOPLE

1. CORRUPTION SEEN TO BE ON THE RISE

   The majority of Africans (58%) say that corruption has increased over the past year. This is particularly the case in South Africa where more than four-in-five citizens (83%) say they have seen corruption rise recently.

2. MOST GOVERNMENTS FAILING IN FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

   There is no government which is rated positively on its anti-corruption efforts by a clear majority of its citizens. Out of 28 governments, 18 are seen as completely failing to address corruption.

3. POLICE AND PRIVATE SECTOR SEEN AS MOST CORRUPT

   Across the region, the police and business executives are seen to have the highest levels of corruption. The police have regularly been rated as highly corrupt, but the strongly negative assessment of business executives is a new development.

4. BRIBERY AFFECTS MORE THAN ONE-IN-FIVE AFRICANS, HURTS THE POOR MOST

   22 per cent of Africans who came into contact with a public service in the past 12 months say they paid a bribe. The situation is worst in Liberia where 69 per cent paid a bribe. Across the region, poor public service users are twice as likely as rich people to have paid a bribe.

5. POLICE AND COURTS HAVE HIGHEST RATE OF BRIBERY

   Out of six key public services, people who come into contact with the police and the courts are the most likely to have paid a bribe. This is consistent with our previous surveys and highlights the lack of progress made in addressing bribery in these two institutions, which are crucial for citizen security and the rule of law.