Auditors have become the victims of a wave of violent attacks in South Africa.

The concern is that government experts, sent to check the books of the country’s increasingly corrupt municipalities, are being intimidated or worse, on the orders of local officials.

In one attack, thieves broke into a guesthouse south of Johannesburg, shot a female auditor in both legs and fled with her laptop, which contained sensitive information about the accounts of the local municipality.

In another town, auditors were chased away after they came looking for some $25m (£20m) that had vanished from the local budget.

South Africa’s government has angrily condemned these and other recent incidents – urging municipalities to co-operate with state auditors, not intimidate them.

There is a lot at stake.

In recent years, the fight against corruption has focused on former President Jacob Zuma and other high-flying figures.

But the alleged rot goes far deeper.

Government auditors say local municipalities are now failing to account for $1.5bn each year.

Unsurprisingly, most councils fail their annual audits.

When a provincial bank collapsed recently, the official report described it as a “heist” – and detailed how local politicians and officials had conspired to loot $130m.

South Africa’s new President, Cyril Ramaphosa, is promising to clean things up – and has targeted prominent figures and institutions.

But at the local level, auditing remains an unexpectedly dangerous job.