Bribery is big business in SA

An average of 1.5 million South Africans pay bribes every year for some or other reason. Most of these were paid for speeding offences, matters related to policing and getting a particular job.

These were some of the shocking statistics announced at a Western Cape Government Anti-corruption Summit held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Tuesday. In his presentation, Willie Hofmeyr, head of the Special Investigation Unit, referred to the 2004 National Victims of Crime Survey that cited corruption as the most common crime after housebreaking. "It remains a huge challenge to totally eradicate corruption."

Hofmeyr said there was a worrying increase in serious organised crime where syndicates were infiltrating government departments.

Source: Die Burger