The Constitution and the principle of constitutionalism will continue to be politically contested territory, writes UCT’s Richard Calland. But so far it’s held, despite the challenges of the state capture era and various other attacks through the years.
South Africa’s democracy is under threat from politically motivated assassinations, which have increased significantly in recent times and particularly in election years. This is revealed in a new report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, whose South African crime observatory has recorded at least 10 politically-related murders between January and April 2024.
Regarding the ConCourt judgment handed down this week in the IEC/MK Party case, writes Moepeng Talane for CW Voices, politically some may find the solutions sought to deal with former president Jacob Zuma’s election controversies unnecessarily harsh and unbecoming, but in the juristic realm he is just one of us, the millions of South Africans who must play by the same rules every day, without fail. South Africa’s Constitution promotes equality before the law and makes some provisions to separate those who respect it from those who don’t.
Corruption Watch strongly refutes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s claim, made yesterday on 702, that corruption has gone down under his watch. Furthermore, we refute the president’s misleading statement that we said the same, and we object to being referenced in this way as part of an electioneering campaign.
The Constitutional Court yesterday handed down judgment in the IEC/MK Party case which contested former president Jacob Zuma’s eligibility to stand for election to the National Assembly as a member of the party. The court ruled that Zuma was ineligible for such an appointment in terms of Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution, because of his 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court in 2021. Corruption Watch was one of four amici curiae supporting the IEC.
Former state security minister Bongani Bongo has been embroiled in corruption cases for several years. Recently accusations against Bongo, relating to money laundering and corruption, were discharged – but the former minister still has to answer to charges of offering a bribe to the evidence leader in Parliament’s Eskom inquiry in 2017. The discharged charges relate to allegations of inflating the costs of land, worth around R74-million, which was sold to two Mpumalanga municipalities.
A change in political leadership would make little difference to development without a major reform of the public service, writes political science researcher and lecturer Dr Marcel Nagar. However, South Africans going to the polls on 29 May would do well to consider at least getting the right people into those leadership positions, so that the reform can begin in earnest.
Politicians often play on voters’ desperation and sensitivities to garner support, turning up at strategic times with food parcels and free t-shirts to distribute to vulnerable people, or invoking veiled threats and stereotypes in their messaging to appeal to gullible constituencies.
A new research report, released today by Corruption Watch, highlights the perceptions and experiences of corruption among ordinary people in South Africa. The report shows, among others, a widespread belief that government is not doing enough to address corruption in the provision of basic services, and a clear demand for stricter consequences for corrupt behaviour of government officials.
Visit our GivenGain R20 for Change page and help us demand transparency in our systems, accountability in our leaders, and better empowerment and protection of whistle-blowers. By donating R20 a month, you’ll be supporting our work with communities across the country, helping them to know and access their rights and reduce the corruption that robs people of resources intended for their benefit.