South Africa’s deteriorating rule of law poses one of the most significant risks to its future stability, prosperity, and global standing.
This was the core message from Thokozani Mvelase, CEO of the Communication Risk Information Centre (COMRiC), in a keynote address delivered at the Cape Town launch of the Institute of Risk Management South Africa’s 2025/26 Risk Report.
Speaking to an audience of business leaders, policy analysts, and risk professionals, Mvelase reflected on how weakening public trust in legal institutions, compounded by governance failures and political overreach, is eroding the foundation on which South Africa’s democratic order rests.
He noted that while the country’s Constitution and independent institutions remain intact on paper, the practical application of justice is becoming increasingly inconsistent – a trend that threatens everything from social cohesion to investor confidence.
Referencing international indices, he drew attention to South Africa’s concerning slide in global rankings. The country is now placed 57th out of 142 on the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index and 82nd out of 180 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.
Mvelase described these figures as more than just numbers – they reflect a growing perception among citizens that the legal system no longer applies equally or fairly, and that the boundaries between the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary have become blurred.
In a speech that was both reflective and sharply analytical, Mvelase asked tough questions about accountability within government. He cited the disbanding of the Scorpions as a turning point in South Africa’s institutional decline, arguing that effective structures can be dismantled when they challenge political power: “Crime fighting had no colour under the Scorpions,” Mvelase says. “But when independence threatens vested interests, the system moves to neutralise it.”
This article originally appeared on IT Online. Click here to read the full story.