There are key factors which have been overlooked in the international corruption survey which states that 47 percent of South Africans paid bribes to government officials, the police said on Sunday.
Three factors had been overlooked, Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale said.
The first, that only 1 000 urban residents were used as a sample group.
"One must wonder if a survey amongst 1 000 urban respondents is a true representation of overall country's perception," Makgale said.
The second was the association of the South African police service (Saps) with other government officials including traffic officers, metro police and municipal workers.
And the third, that it takes two to make a corrupt transaction, the corrupter and the corrupted, Makgale said.
On Friday, The Star newspaper reported that the Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer stated that out of the 74 percent of South Africans that had come into contact with a police official in the past year, 36 percent of them had paid a bribe.
The barometer also stated that 74 percent of South Africans viewed public servants as corrupt.
The police were seen as the most corrupt institution in the public sector by 83 percent of South Africans, The Star reported.
On Thursday, national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega launched an anti-corruption unit to fight fraud and corruption in the service.
It would start operating during the current financial year.
"If we are to successfully fight crime in the country, we must first get our house in order. We will therefore not shy away from taking action against our own," Phiyega said in a statement.
Factors overlooked in corruption barometer: Saps
There are key factors which have been overlooked in the international corruption survey which states that 47 percent of South Africans paid bribes to government officials, the police said on Sunday.
Three factors had been overlooked, Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale said.
The first, that only 1 000 urban residents were used as a sample group.
"One must wonder if a survey amongst 1 000 urban respondents is a true representation of overall country's perception," Makgale said.
The second was the association of the South African police service (Saps) with other government officials including traffic officers, metro police and municipal workers.
And the third, that it takes two to make a corrupt transaction, the corrupter and the corrupted, Makgale said.
On Friday, The Star newspaper reported that the Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer stated that out of the 74 percent of South Africans that had come into contact with a police official in the past year, 36 percent of them had paid a bribe.
The barometer also stated that 74 percent of South Africans viewed public servants as corrupt.
The police were seen as the most corrupt institution in the public sector by 83 percent of South Africans, The Star reported.
On Thursday, national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega launched an anti-corruption unit to fight fraud and corruption in the service.
It would start operating during the current financial year.
"If we are to successfully fight crime in the country, we must first get our house in order. We will therefore not shy away from taking action against our own," Phiyega said in a statement.