Community, collaboration make for better public institutions

Ten years ago Corruption Watch ran an investigation into the dire conditions at Macosa Junior Secondary School in the Mqanduli area of the Eastern Cape. The school had no furniture for its 500 or so learners, no proper ablutions, and the walls had not been painted in years. Those learners who had a place to Read more >

SA-France partnership will enhance local and regional anti-cyber-crime skills

By Kwazi Dlamini The South African government recently entered a partnership with the government of France to combat corruption, cyber-crime and to improve the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) cyber forensic division. South Africa justice and correctional services minster Ronald Lamola put pen to paper along with Catherine Colonna, the French foreign affairs minister signed a Read more >

New CSO to focus on protecting, advising climate whistle-blowers

Image: Flickr/crustmania By Kwazi Dlamini Newly established French-based civil society organisation Climate Whistleblowers seeks to bring to light the plight of whistle-blowers exposing environmental transgressions against governments and big companies. Launched on 5 June 2023 – World Environment Day – the organisation also aims to throw its weight behind protecting those who speak out against Read more >

Another NSFAS debacle puts students’ futures at risk

By Kwazi Dlamini The tale of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and corruption is almost as old as time. Corruption at the entity has historically gone unchecked because its biggest victims individually do not have a voice – they are often underprivileged young people, particularly black people. The nonchalant attitude at NSFAS and Read more >

New Zondo Explorer sifts through thousands of commission documents

News24’s recently launched Zondo Explorer is a valuable tool that facilitates exploring the reams of documents produced during the state capture commission’s tenure. With a particular focus on the the people and organisations named in testimony, the Zondo Explorer does the tough job of wading through all the documents for a certain name. “We are Read more >

Phala Phala findings ‘raise more questions than answers’ – CSOs

Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba, TimesLive By Khanyisile NgcoboFirst published on TImesLive Civil society organisations say “something doesn’t add up” in the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) findings on the Phala Phala matter and it “raises more questions than answers”. The Reserve Bank on Monday released its findings from a report into the matter after allegations by Read more >

Regulate big firms doing business with state, says Open Secrets

The South African government’s extensive, but sometimes redundant use of management consultants to help drive its strategic goals once again came under the spotlight recently with the online launch of The Consultants, a report by civil society group Open Secrets. Authored by Zen Mathe, Luvano Ntuli, and Mamello Mosiana, the report looks into the dubious Read more >