Corruption Watch has contributed to the the next report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly in October 2023. Our submission focused on the risks that whistle-blowers, particularly women, face on a daily basis in South Africa. We noted that during and since the state capture era, intimidation of whistle-blowers has increased.
In today’s gobalised settings, asks CW Voices’ Janine Erasmus, who are the real corrupt countries? Are they the mostly developing countries which have been ravaged by the East and West, or are they the developed countries that aid in the ravaging by knowingly providing channels for illegal financial flows – or are they both? In our new op-ed mini-series we look at the two sides of the corruption coin – the perpetrators, and the enablers.
Lower income countries are hardest hit by global tax abuse, writes CW Voices’ Janine Erasmus, and in part two of our new op-ed mini-series we take a look at the (mostly Western) countries which knowingly facilitate tax abuse, money laundering, and illicit financial flows.
Parliament may well be in the process of implementing the relevant recommendations of the Zondo Commission, writes Corruption Watch’s executive director Karam Singh, but it failed to inform the public of this progress – until Chief Justice Raymond Zondo rightly called it out for its apparent failure to act.
The launch of a new pan-African anti-corruption research network is expected to boost and co-ordinate efforts to combat corruption across the continent. Delegates at a recent workshop to brainstorm the concept discussed topics such as the importance of research in the fight against corruption, the connection between research and public policy and policy making, and the effective development of an African research agenda.
Former president Jacob Zuma has decamped to Russia for unspecified medical treatment, around the same time that the Constitutional Court handed down judgment upholding the Supreme Court’s order that Zuma’s medical parole was invalid. It remains to be seen what will happen next.
The preliminary list of candidates for the position of public protector is now available on Parliament’s website. Members of the public are encouraged to engage with the list and submit any comments or objections by 21 July.
JMPD officers will soon be wearing bodycams, writes Moepeng Talane for CW Voices. The official statement is that these will help discourage them from taking part in corrupt activities and help combat crime. But should we not start with an attitude check and strongly encourage integrity instead?
The discussion paper is out, and members of the public are encouraged to weigh in on proposed changes to whistle-blower protection legislation, by mid-August. Now is the time to air all those concerns and suggestions – the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development wants to hear from you.
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.