Steenhuisen points finger at Ramaphosa for SA's drop in corruption index
The DA on Tuesday responded to South Africa’s drop in a corruption perception index by labelling President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration as more corrupt than his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.
DA leader John Steenhuisen commented on the Corruption Perceptions Index report released on Tuesday.
South Africa's corruption perception index has dropped to its lowest in 12 years and was below the global average, global corruption watchdog Transparency International said.
READ MORE: SA sinks lower on corruption perception index
Steenhuisen believes Ramaphosa bears direct responsibility for the country’s poor showing.
"This crisis of corruption, which is having a severely negative impact on investment and job creation, is epitomised by the latest scandal involving Paul Mashatile, the deputy president of the country, who serves solely at the discretion of Ramaphosa.
“Instead of taking firm action against Mashatile based on reports of a pattern of corruption and capture that even exceed those involving former president Zuma, Rampahosa has cowered away from it.
"Just like Ramaphosa is now protecting Mashatile, the party also shielded Zuma for decades from consequences for his corruption, as recently admitted by (ANC secretary-general) Fikile Mbalula.
"It was only when Zuma started posing an electoral threat that the ANC suddenly decided to act against him.
"It appears that leaders in the ANC, like Zuma and Mashatile, are free to loot as much as they want, as long as they don’t break ranks from the party.”
The Corruption Perception Index scores 180 countries and territories around the globe on "perceived levels of public-sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople".
The country sits alongside Burkina Faso, Vietnam and Kosovo on the global index.
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