SONA 2026: Amnesty International slams rampant crime and corruption

As President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday night, Amnesty International South Africa has warned that the country’s worsening corruption, rising violence, and systemic human rights failures continue to erode public trust and threaten democratic stability.

“The nation is not in a good state and will not be while rampant corruption continues unabated, violence and crime persist, and there is an ongoing failure to protect basic human rights,” the organisation said ahead of Thursday’s address.

Amnesty’s Executive Director, Shenilla Mohamed, said many South Africans are experiencing growing insecurity in their daily lives as governance failures deepen.

“For many people across South Africa, daily life is becoming increasingly unsafe and uncertain. Corruption continues to drain public resources meant for basic services and social upliftment, and public trust in the police and justice system is steadily eroding,” she said.

Central to these concerns is testimony emerging from the Madlanga Commission, which is probing allegations of corruption, political interference, and criminality within law enforcement. The commission has heard claims that some police officers have colluded with criminals and shared sensitive information related to criminal investigations.

“People living in South Africa cannot feel safe knowing that this is happening. These allegations are concerning and add to the already eroded trust in law enforcement. The allegations strike at the heart of the criminal justice system and raise serious concerns about the state’s ability to protect people and uphold the rule of law,” Mohamed said.

Data from the Human Sciences Research Council’s South African Social Attitudes Survey shows public trust in police has declined sharply, with figures for 2022, 2023, and 2024/25 at 22%, the lowest recorded in 27 years.

Amnesty has also criticised the slow pace of implementing recommendations from the State Capture Commission, nearly four years after its final report was handed to the President in June 2022. Many recommendations remain outstanding, while individuals implicated in corruption and abuse of power continue to hold positions in government and state institutions.

“Without transparency, prosecutions, and institutional reform, the public’s trust will continue to erode. The Madlanga Commission must lead to necessary prosecutions and meaningful reform, rather than further delays and continued corruption and misconduct,” Mohamed said.

The organisation further linked justice system failures to South Africa’s persistent gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) crisis. Despite repeated commitments from the government, women continue to face alarmingly high levels of violence, with survivors encountering barriers to justice and support.

“The failure to effectively prevent violence, investigate crimes, and hold perpetrators accountable reflects a lack of urgency and political will within the state, and specifically in the justice system to act meaningfully,” Mohamed said.

She added: “The police and the state continue to fail all who live in South Africa by not acting with the urgency and seriousness that this requires. This failure to do more is violating people’s rights to safety, life, and dignity.”

Amnesty also raised concern about threats and intimidation faced by human rights defenders, noting that while whistleblower protections are being strengthened, there is no specific legislation safeguarding those who expose corruption and abuse.

With the president set to outline the government’s priorities, Amnesty said meaningful accountability and decisive reform are urgently needed.

“Announcements, plans, and commissions cannot replace decisive leadership, enforcement of the law, and accountability. Without urgent action on corruption, safety, and accountability, the state of the nation will continue to worsen,” Mohamed said.

For more stories from The Mercury, click the link THE MERCURY