Has South Africa done enough to escape an appearance on the Financial Action Task Force grey list, asks James George, compliance manager at Compli-Serve SA. We will know later this month, when the FATF meets in Paris. “On the one hand, we’re amending legislation, while on the other, we have widespread corruption running wild.”
The Ibrahim Index of African Governance, released on 25 January, shows a continent that has made some gains, but is in danger of losing those gains as instability increases and democracy declines.
A statutory criminal offence for the “abuse of public power” – as recommended in the second Zondo Commission report – would be a potential game changer in South Africa’s legal framework and its anti-corruption efforts, writes Natalie Keetsi for the Global Anticorruption Blog. But it is important to get it right, by careful modification of the concept, and research into similar initiatives in other jurisdictions.
Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, released today, sees South Africa drop a point in the rankings and end up where it started 11 years ago. While this is disappointing, it must be noted that the index measures perceptions of corruption and therefore may not reflect the reality in every country.
In an ironic twist, the Auditor-General of South Africa has given National Treasury’s 2021/22 annual report a qualified audit opinion. This is because the financial entity failed to disclose fruitless and wasteful expenditure of some R68-million.
Over 330 civil society organisations and activists have demanded that the Eswatini government investigate the murder of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, who was gunned down at point blank range in front of his wife and children, at his home in Mbabane, on the evening of 21 January, 2023.
In part two of our new two-part mini-series on gold laundering, we look back into South Africa’s often shameful gold mining history and the role which gold laundering played in financing the apartheid government’s attempts to cling to power. Part one set the scene as it is today, and looked at possible measures to address the growing problem.
Global corruption watchdog Transparency International will launch its 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index on 31 January 2023. This year’s theme is Conflict, peace, and security and the report will focus on how violence and corruption impact one another around the world.
Our new two-part mini-series digs into a corruption topic not discussed as often as many others, but which is becoming more and more urgent – gold laundering. Part one sets the scene and looks at possible measures to address the growing problem, and part two looks back into South Africa’s gold mining history and the role gold laundering played in financing the apartheid government’s attempts to cling to power.
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.