Implementing a social media code of conduct is one way the Independent Electoral Commission could decrease the risk of mis- and disinformation influencing South Africa’s upcoming local government elections, writes Dr Maxwell Maseko – but it must be done in a way that strengthens electoral integrity without compromising constitutional rights, and that reinforces rather than weakens the country’s democratic foundations.
The Subnational Corruption Index provides a novel way of tracking corruption, giving the numbers for both grand and petty corruption in 1 473 regions across 178 countries. This tool supplements indices such as Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and the World Bank’s Control of Corruption Index, which are useful for comparing and researching causes and consequences of corruption, but only provide this information on a country level.
The fourth episode of Corruption Watch’s new five-part podcast series on climate governance is now available. In this episode, the focus is on disaster management and the Disaster Management Act. Our research found that this important legislation fails at the local level by prioritising reaction over preparation.
Corruption Watch has released the third in its new five-part podcast series, titled In the Still of Night and based on its work in Transparency International’s Climate Governance Integrity project. This episode focuses on the responsible managing of climate-related budgets and projects, weak governance structures hindering the effective implementation of climate policies and community support programmes, deficiencies in the Climate Change Act, and more, against the backdrop of the 2022 closure of the Komati power station in Mpumalanga.
South African taxpayers are out of pocket to the tune of R18.98-billion in the water sector alone, as a result of ageing water infrastructure, weak governance, and poor oversight. Water losses to leaks, illegal connections, and billing failures have cost taxpayers the most money, according to the Auditor-General.
Corruption Watch has released the second in its new series of five podcasts, titled In the Still of Night, on its work in Transparency International’s Climate Governance Integrity project. This episode takes listeners through the concept of the ‘just transition’, with several experts explaining what needs to happen for the process to be truly just.
The National Treasury has called for public comment on the draft General Public Procurement Regulations and draft Public Procurement Tribunal Regulations, of 2026. These sets of regulations are required for the functioning of the Public Procurement Act which was signed into law almost two years ago. Deadlines are Monday 15 June for the former and Friday 15 May for the latter.
The OECD recently released the second edition of its Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook during a session at the 2026 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum, held from 23-27 March. The organisation said the publication aims to show how, in the face of evolving corruption risks, countries can better harness the integrity advantage to enable prosperous economies and resilient, trusted public institutions.
The South African Human Rights Commission in Gauteng is embarking on an investigative inquiry into the province’s water crisis and has called on the public to contribute their thoughts and experiences. Stakeholders and interested parties have until 30 April to make written submissions. Formal hearings are planned for May.