/ 28 March 2012

More South Africans believe politicians are corrupt

Forty percent of South Africans think members of Parliament and councillors are corrupt -- up from 25% four years ago, according to a recent survey.

Forty percent of South Africans think parliamentarians and councillors are corrupt, according to the Afrobarometer survey, the Star reported on Wednesday.

The figure increased from 2008, when 25% of South Africans thought “almost all” or “most” members of Parliament were involved in corruption, according to Dr Cherrel Africa of the University of the Western Cape, who presented the results of the survey in Durban on Tuesday.

According to the study, coordinated by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, most South Africans do not go to their councillor when they have a problem. Seventy-two percent of people in urban areas, and 74% of those in rural areas, said they never contacted councillors.

In addition, between 95% and 96% of people surveyed said they never contacted an MP or member of their provincial legislature.

The approval ratings of the country’s nine premiers were also measured.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Zweli Mkhize got the highest rating, at 72%, along with his Free State counterpart Ace Magashule. Western Cape premier Helen Zille got 61%.

Noxolo Kieviet of the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga’s David Mabuza got the lowest ratings. — Sapa