Transparency in company ownership is recognised as an essential element in fighting corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, and threats to national security. In this article, Louise Russell-Prywata and Tymon Kiepe of Open Ownership reflect on the global situation as it stands now.
The benefit of adhering to the Financial Action Task Force’s recommendations on anti-money laundering and other financial corruption, writes Sanan Mirzoyev, is that South Africa can continue to be an easy destination and transit point for financial flows to and from the world’s richest democracies.
Test your knowledge of taxation, tax evasion, tax avoidance, bribery, corruption, and whistle-blowing, with this short but educational quiz developed within the project VIRTEU (Vat fraud: Interdisciplinary Research on Tax crimes in the European Union), an international research project funded by the European Commission – European Anti-Fraud Office.
The Supreme Court of Appeal’s dismissal, with costs, of the appeal by corrupt Prasa contractor Siyangena Technologies is a victory for whistle-blowers Martha Ngoye and Fani Dingiswayo, as well as all those who supported them.
South Africa’s black rhino population, which has been decimated by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade in recent decades because of demand for its horn, has received a boost in the form of an innovative wildlife conservation bond – a world first – issued by the World Bank.
Members of the parliamentary standing committee on police did not mince their words when voicing their displeasure during a meeting held a few weeks ago, in which the the South African Police Service presented its disappointing annual report. The Auditor-General of South Africa also presented its audit outcomes on the police department, and members were even more infuriated to discover that the Saps and Agsa results did not agree.
Lack of transparency of procurement data drives corruption and the spread of corrupt activities, and diverts funds meant to be used for development and the supply of basic services. The inaugural edition of the Global Data Barometer shows that overall, most countries have not yet got to grips with making their procurement data fully and easily accessible.
A recent judgment handed down in the Western Cape High Court, stated that there is evidence that gang members have infiltrated the top management structures of the Saps in the Western Cape, and are accessing key documents and strategies on crime fighting. Now the police ombud in that province has been called on to establish the feasibility of a commission of inquiry to probe links between gangs and police members.
In part three of our summary of the government response to the Zondo commission’s recommendations, we highlight the lack of accountability for those implicated in compromising the country’s intelligence systems. Part one dealt with a permanent investigative directorate under the NPA, enhanced asset recovery capabilities, and better whistle-blower protection. In part two we discussed changes proposed for the public procurement system.
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.