Africa COVID-19 Corruption and Deaths
In Africa the Covid-19 virus infected around 1 million people with 20,276 deaths in 47 countries many are embroiled in Covid-19 corruption scandals.
As of August 19, 2020, there were 2,071 new Covid-19 related deaths, a 15% decrease that occurred in 33 countries, with 73% of the deaths in South Africa at 1,513, followed by Ethiopia with 132 deaths and Algeria with 57 deaths.
South Africa is the hardest hit country with Covid-19 on the African continent and is ranked fifth globally, although with relatively low numbers of deaths, 2.1% fatality ratio. Health worker infections continue to increase gradually with 38,382 or 4.2% infections reported in 42 African countries since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to the WHO, These 10 countries collectively account for 88% of all reported Covid-19 cases.
| African Country | Reported confirmed Covid-19 cases |
| South Africa | 592,144 |
| Nigeria | 49,895 |
| Ghana | 42,993 |
| Algeria | 39,025 |
| Ethiopia | 32,722 |
| Kenya | 30,636 |
| Cameroon | 18,624 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 17,150 |
| Madagascar | 14,009 |
| Senegal | 12,305 |
South Africa has 62% of all reported confirmed Covid-19 cases in Africa, the fifth highest in the world and PPE Covid-19 corruption scandals.
South Africa has recorded more than half, 62% or 592,144 cases of all reported confirmed Covid-19 cases in the African region and is embroiled in a Covid-19 corruption scandal. There have been allegations of corruption scandals involving personal protective equipment (PPE) in South Africa as funds for Covid-19 meant for South Africans affected by the pandemic were looted by politicians and corrupt businesses.
Several high-ranking members and their families have been implicated in the looting of Covid-19 related funds through dodgy procurement deals worth millions. Director General of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus labels corruption around personal protective equipment as criminal and murder at press conference August 2020.
"Corruption related to PPE for me it's actually murder. Because if health workers work without PPE, we're risking their lives. And that also risks the lives of the people they serve", stressed Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has described Covid-19 corruption as an unforgivable betrayal for the millions of South Africans who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. He goes on to say, “What has caused the greatest outrage is that there are private sector companies and individuals including civil servants who have exploited a grave medical, social and economic crisis to wrongfully enrich themselves. This is an unforgivable betrayal for the millions of South Africans who are being negatively affected by the impact of COVID-19, experiencing hunger daily, hopelessness and joblessness.”
In Zimbabwe, the Minister of Health Obediah Moyo was fired, charged with corruption and arrested over illegally awarding a multi-million dollar contract for medical equipment over misappropriation of funds for COVID 19. He faces up to 15 years in prison for his role in a deal with a United Arab Emirtes based company to supply PPE and Covid-19 test kits.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation chairman Derek Hanekom said “Sadly, we live in a period where money set aside to save lives is looted by the political and business elite, without a flicker of conscience.”
As of August 19, 2020, 215 countries, territories, areas and one international conveyance have reported laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases. The 10 countries with the highest number of cumulative cases are:
United States of America 5,393,138
Brazil 3,359,570
India 2,767,273
Russian Federation 932,493
South Africa 592,144
Peru 541,493
Mexico 525,733
Colombia 476,660
Chile 388,855
Iran 347,835
