Poor planning for Covid-19 relief funds left municipalities vulnerable to fraud

By Kwazi Dlamini  Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke continues to raise concerns with the way local governments have handled the Covid-19 relief funds. Maluleke released the third special audit report on Covid-19 related initiatives, together with the 2019/20 Municipal Finance Management Act report – which we cover in an upcoming article – and 43 municipalities were put under the microscope for several reasons.  They include municipalities which contributed the highest amount for irregular Read more >

African war criminals to be drummed out of global finance system

By Kwazi Dlamini American actor and humanitarian George Clooney has joined forces with Refinitiv, a global financial data provider, to clamp down on African war criminals laundering the proceeds of war crimes through the international financial systems. In effect, the Clooney Foundation for Justice – through its strategic partner The Sentry – will work with Refinitiv Read more >

Whistle-blowers – the brave watchdogs of corruption

Until South Africa learns to appreciate and applaud its whistle-blowers – those who take their courage into their hands and expose dubious deeds – the fight against corruption will not gain full momentum. Whistle-blowers provide an invaluable service to their communities and compatriots, by helping to uncover widespread or large-scale wrongdoing that affects other people. Read more >

Holding SA police accountable: your rights while engaging with them

The police are supposed to protect the public from crime and violence, but they sometimes engage in unlawful behaviour such as corruption, brutality and torture. Holding police accountable for wrongdoing is essential.   A comprehensive new factsheet has just been released, which helps people to understand police powers, their rights when they encounter police, and Read more >

CW, Casac support parliamentary process in Mkhwebane removal matter

Image: Flickr/GovernmentZA Corruption Watch (CW) and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) have joined, as amici curiae, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s application to have Parliament’s rules for the removal of the head of a Chapter 9 institution, declared unconstitutional. The two organisations are supporting the inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to Read more >