Perceptions of Corruption in the South African Housing Allocation and Delivery Programme: What It May Mean for Accessing the State

Evidence from a recent study suggests that perceptions of corruption within the South African housing programme are widespread. This paper explores the pervasiveness of such perceptions and argues that they may reflect a range of factors, including the opacity, clumsiness and arbitrariness of the housing programme. Offering both positive and negative accounts, the paper considers the ways in which perceptions of corruption shape the manner in which residents access and respond to the state.