The allegations made publicly, a year ago today, by Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi were a pivotal moment in South Africa’s crime- and corruption-fighting history. They led to the establishment of the Madlanga commission and the parliamentary ad-hoc committee, both delving into those allegations of police corruption, and what has emerged in that year shows how deeply compromised the South African Police Force is.
Corruption Watch has noted with grave concern President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to appoint former communications minister Dina Pule as minister of social development, as part of this week’s Cabinet reshuffle. The organisation has called on Ramaphosa to share the rationale behind this decision, which places a politician with a well-documented record of ethical misconduct at the helm of a department that administers social grants for some 28-million South Africans and manages one of government’s largest budgets.
Advocate Chuma Mtengwane, the deputy national director of public prosecutions: Asset Forfeiture Unit, gave a stirring keynote speech at the launch of Corruption Watch’s Impempe campaign on Wednesday 24 June. Mtengwane, a seasoned legal professional and prosecutor with over 25 years of experience in the South African public sector, expressed her appreciation and support for the goals of the campaign, which are to bring the public and other stakeholders together in a united front to stand as a collective against corruption.
Corruption Watch (CW) on Wednesday 24 June launched its latest public awareness campaign in Sandton, Johannesburg, to an audience comprising civil society and public service partners, funders, and the media, among others. The Impempe Campaign, with a focus is public awareness and community mobilisation against corruption, is the culmination of a creative collaboration between CW and Avatar Agency Group, which hosted the event at its offices.
Every year on 23 June, designated as World Whistle-blower Day, Corruption Watch joins the world in honouring the brave patriots who have risked their lives and their livelihoods in pursuit of the truth. We also reflect on what we, as a society and as individuals, are doing to make the environment for blowing the whistle more enabling and encouraging.
A society should never become comfortable with being failed, writes Duduzile Zwane for CW Voices, and South Africa must demand a government that serves, not one that benefits from power. This Africa Public Service Day – held annually on 23 June – provides another opportunity to reflect on the quality of South Africa’s public service, and who it is really serving.
The Independent Electoral Commission has officially launched the 2026 local government elections, marking the commencement of the mass awareness campaign towards Election Day in November. This is after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced 4 November 2026 as the date for South Africa’s upcoming local government elections. Currently there are just under 28 000 000 registered voters on the roll.
The Civil Society Working Group on State Capture has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to publish a clear and substantive government response to the report of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, which was submitted in August 2025. This response must set out a time-bound implementation plan for reforming South Africa’s anti-corruption architecture, including a decision on the proposed Office of Public Integrity.
Corruption Watch has received no response to its urgent letter sent to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development last week, in connection with applications for a vacancy at the South African Human Rights Commission. The organisation cited concerns regarding meaningful public participation in the appointment process, and asked for clarity on other concerns.