CORRUPTION SNAPSHOTS

Global corruption snapshots: 20 Nov 2014

Portugal Interior Minister quits over corruption probe Portugal's interior minister has resigned following an investigation into alleged corruption linked to the allocation of residence permits. Miguel Macedo said he was not implicated in the scandal but was resigning to preserve the credibility of state institutions. Police arrested 11 people, including the head of the country's Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

No consciences in social grant fraud

A nursing sister at a provincial hospital is alleged to be receiving a child support grant for a child that does not exist. Through a connection at the home affairs department, presumably, the nurse managed to get a birth certificate made for this “child” so she could be eligible to receive a child support grant. Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

A step towards elimination of secret companies

Corruption Watch executive director David Lewis chatted to Moneyweb’s Siki Mgabadeli in the wake of the news that the G20 has adopted strict new principles to tackle money laundering and undisclosed beneficial ownership. Download this interview as an MP3 Siki Mgabadeli: G20 leaders over the weekend vowed to implement an anti-corruption action plan as part Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Chippy Shaik’s testimony full of denials

By Lee-Ann Alfreds Chippy Shaik, the former Department of Defence chief of acquisitions whom arms critics believe was central to the subversion and manipulation of South Africa’s controversial 1999 arms deal, has denied any wrongdoing. Testifying at the Arms Procurement Commission last week, Shaik insisted he had not:   *acted inappropriately to ensure his fraudster Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

G20 beneficial ownership principles: six points to note

Source: Transparency International This weekend G20 leaders adopted new high level principles on beneficial ownership transparency in Brisbane, declaring “financial transparency, in particular the transparency of beneficial ownership of legal persons and arrangements a ‘high priority’”. But just how good are these principles? Here are six take-home points: 1. They were adopted. And that’s a Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

No accurate stats for corruption in South Africa

By Hamadziripi Tamukamoyo, ISS Pretoria In South Africa, the South African Police Service (SAPS) reports corruption under the broad category of ‘commercial crimes'. This frustrates efforts to monitor and identify trends in specific cases of corruption. According to the 2011/2012 crime statistics report, in the decade preceding that period the number of commercial crime cases Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

G20 to tackle beneficial ownership, money laundering

The G20 summit might be over for this year, but for anti-corruption activists the work has just begun. Three prominent South Africans – Corruption Watch chairperson Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, and former Constitutional Court judge Richard Goldstone – joined the call earlier in November to the leaders of the Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Gautrain acts against would-be crook

Good on management of the Gautrain, Gauteng’s multi-billion-rand rapid rail system! Following the arrest of a former employee on Wednesday for alleged fraud and corruption involving its financial system, the company declared that it will in future conduct more stringent vetting of staff. The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), together with the Hawks, are our heroes Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

New anti-corruption strategy for Gauteng on the cards

A people-centred government that takes extra consideration to recruit dedicated staff, punishes wrongdoers sufficiently and protects and rewards those who report corruption within its ranks. This is how delegates at the recent Gauteng Anti-Corruption Summit expressed their vision for positive changes in the provincial administration, that will aid the quest to quell corruption. The one-day Read more >