Bribery rules on SA’s roads

The most recent Citizens Bribery Survey published by the Ethics Institute reveals that over the past year bribery has increased, with payoffs for traffic and road offences at the highest yet.

The survey, now in its third year, asked 4 962 participants across five provinces questions about their perceptions and impressions regarding bribery in South Africa.

The main findings of the survey indicate that at least 37% of South Africans know someone who was asked for a bribe in the past year, and 24% know someone who paid a bribe in the past year. Both these figures are a 4% increase from 2016’s survey results.

Since 2015, however, 11% more people have reported they knew someone who asked for a bribe, therefore showing an incremental upward trend.

Professor Deon Rossouw, CEO of the Ethics Institute, said the standout takeaway from this year’s survey was that bribery was definitely on the increase.

“More people are being asked to pay bribes and more people end up paying those bribes when they are asked to do so,” he said.

However, the report showed that 35% of South Africans have refused to pay a bribe at some point. This is 8% up from last year.

The survey also found that in South Africa the top five reasons for bribery were related to traffic offences (39%), drivers’ licences (18%), getting jobs (14%), public services (8%) with the newest entry being police or criminal charges, at 7%.

The report indicated that the two most prominent types of bribes are both road related, which has obvious implications for road safety.

Together, they make up 57% of bribes, up from 51% last year.

Rossouw said the category of people who are most involved in bribing and soliciting bribes were law enforcers, traffic officers and policemen.

They are involved in 45% of all bribes, he said.

He said if traffic-related bribery could be stopped, we might be safe on our roads.

“People get away with driving irresponsibly, people get driver’s licences without deserving those licences and obviously they are a danger to others.

“So the first outcome, hopefully would be safer roads, otherwise more responsible road-users which leads to lower road mortality,” he said.

More people are being asked to pay bribes and more people end up paying. Prof Deon Rossouw CEO of the Ethics Institute