As South Africa anticipates the decision of the Constitutional Court as to whether it will hear President Cyril Ramaphosa’s challenge to the Section 89 report, we unpack the impeachment process that possibly awaits the head of state.
Corruption Watch sincerely thanks all those who donated to our 947 Ride Joburg campaign, and who continue to support our work – because of you we were able to exceed our fundraising target for this event. Our aim has always been to rally the public against corruption and to offer solutions to safeguard and improve the country’s systems against corruption.
The Phala Phala debate is just hotting up, it seems. President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged the report of the Section 89 independent panel into the possibility of impeaching him as a result of his conduct in the controversial matter, taking the matter directly to the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, his supporters and opponents are becoming increasingly vocal, while the public watches the proceedings like spectators at a tennis match.
The South African government is working on establishing a central register of employees implicated in misconduct who resign before having to account for their actions. This measure, which will track those who flee the scene before facing accountability, is one of those mentioned in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 77-page plan to address and implement the far-reaching recommendations of the Zondo commission.
With the recent release of the Section 89 independent panel, and the revelation that President Cyril Ramaphosa does have a case to answer for in the Phala Phala matter, Corruption Watch has called for full accountability The organisation stresses the importance of holding the president, who occupies the highest office in the land, to the same standards and processes as everyone else
The much-anticipated report of the Section 89 independent panel, released on 29 November 2022, has found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may indeed have violated the Constitution. The panel was established in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution, which allows the National Assembly, should it adopt the report, to remove a sitting president in the event of a serious violation of the highest law in the land.
The total estimated cost of material irregularities (MIs) to the public purse over the course of the past three years is a staggering R12-billion. Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has, however, noted in her latest audit report of provincial and national departments that her office’s ability to track and act on MIs as per the changes to its powers in 2019, has resulted in an increased number of state entities being more vigilant and responsive in that area of the audit process.
Anti-corruption activists in Madagascar face harassment, police questioning, imprisonment, and criminal records – merely for doing their job of exposing corruption and money laundering. Corruption Watch supports our Madagascan colleagues and calls for fairness and an end to the intimidation of activists.
Research conducted for Corruption Watch’s two new reports, released on 22 November 2022, has enabled the organisation to ascertain the veracity of the disclosure regime in South Africa, with specific application to extractive industries, and whether this regime creates a satisfactory framework for beneficial ownership transparency and tax benefit arrangements that ensure there is adequate State oversight and enforcement of accountability in the industry.
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