Entries by Corruption Watch

Extended deadline for submissions on basic education laws amendment bill

12th July 2022 in , /by

Comments are invited on the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, which is currently before Parliament. The deadline for comments from stakeholders and individuals has been extended to 15 August 2022. The Bill seeks to amend certain definitions, to strengthen enforcement mechanisms for offences and penalties, and to provide for financial and public accountability frameworks for governing bodies and provincial departments, among others.

Independence from executive interference will boost confidence in reforms

12th July 2022 in , /by

Should President Cyril Ramaphosa, after pondering Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s recommendations to deal with state capture, decide that an independent anti-corruption body is warranted, that body will have to be independent beyond just its description. Zondo’s recommendations go much further, in fact, to the elimination of the executive from all stages of public procurement.

African TI chapters urge AU to uphold its anti-corruption commitments

11th July 2022 in , , /by

To mark African Anti-Corruption Day, held every year on 11 July, Transparency International’s 28 chapters across the African continent have written an open letter to the African Union, reminding it of its anti-corruption commitments and urging it to accelerate action against the effects and perpetrators of corruption. The organisations emphasised the devastating effects of Covid-19-related corruption on the citizens of Africa, and demanded an end to impunity for those found guilty.

African Anti-Corruption Day: stories of progress from the continent

11th July 2022 in , , /by

Every year on 11 July, African countries commemorate African Anti-Corruption Day – this year’s theme is Strategies and Mechanisms for the Transparent Management of Covid-19 Funds. To mark the occasion, Transparency International has published a downloadable toolkit to help civil society organisations on the continent to push for good governance and transparency. The toolkit is based on the continuing work of organisations in Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.

South Africans have low trust in their police. Here’s why

8th July 2022 in , , , /by

Public confidence and trust in the South African Police Force has dipped sharply in the last year, while showing a decline overall, and now sits at an all-time low according to the Human Sciences Research Council. The council’s Evaluation of Public Opinion Programme has been running since 1998 and shows a national decline of seven percentage points in 2021, with more than 20 points in the Western Cape. If left unchecked, this situation will continue to undermine police legitimacy in the country.

The case for an international anti-corruption court, or not – part 1

7th July 2022 in , /by

One current hot topic in the news and elsewhere is that of the establishment of an international anti-corruption court (IACC). There are arguments for, and against, the proposal – and both sides make valid points. Our new mini-series takes a closer look at some of the factors that may influence the establishment of an IACC. In part 1 we present an overview of the concept.

NGOs condemn Motsoaledi attack on HSF

1st July 2022 in , , /by

The insults hurled by home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi at the Helen Suzman Foundation amount to nothing more than an abuse of power. Civil society organisations including Freedom Under Law, Section27, Defend Our Democracy Campaign, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, SERI and Corruption Watch, have demanded that Motsoaledi retract his unjustified statements and apologise to the foundation.