Cross-border punishment for corrupt companies

That the US Justice Department and Securities Exchange Commission are looking into Gold Fields’s controversial BEE transaction raises questions for me as a local shareholder. First, under what jurisdiction would they be prosecuted if they have contravened the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and/or South Africa’s Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act? Second, in Read more >

Public works department squanders money

The Department of Public Works is our zero today for admitting to improper spending of almost R4-billion in public funds. Speaking at a joint meeting of Scopa and the public works portfolio committee on Wednesday, deputy minister Jeremy Cronin shared information on improper spending by his department. Cronin confirmed that between 2009 and March 2013, Read more >

Crime stats still don’t address corruption

The release of the latest crime statistics might show some progress in certain areas, but anti-corruption agencies still have little to rejoice over. Speaking in Pretoria this morning, police minister Nathi Mthethwa revealed that between April 2012 and March 2013, murder, attempted murder and property-related crime has increased, while common assault, crimes against women and Read more >

Our call centre is open for business

Remember this number – 0800 023 456. Keep it in your address book, write it down on a sticky note, display it on your fridge door, and spread it as widely as possible. It’s the number of Corruption Watch’s new call centre, which has just launched in its pilot phase and is targeting schools corruption Read more >

Our work is making an impact

Our ongoing work against corruption in three separate cases has been reported in several newspapers – a clear indication that we are making an impact. Corruption Watch’s recent report on bribery hotspots specifically involving the JMPD has prompted the police force into taking action. According to newspaper reports, an undercover police agent driving an expensive Read more >

Government managers are letting the country down

This week we have a hero amongst a whole lot of zeroes. Earlier this year we reported on the South African public’s perception of government corruption – in our article we revealed that, according to Transparency International’s global corruption barometer, 74% of respondents in South Africa believe that public officials and civil servants are corrupt. Read more >

Understanding roles of principals and governing bodies

By Lee-Ann Collingridge The roles of principals and school governing bodies in managing a school are complex and appear to overlap, which can cause conflict. In this article we unpack what these two jobs actually entail and look at the different laws that apply to schools. To give you an idea of where lines get Read more >

Corruption Watch fights tender case in ConCourt

Corruption Watch today appeared in the Constitutional Court, as a friend of the court, in the case of Allpay Consolidated Investment Holdings (Allpay) and Others v The South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Others. At the heart of the case is the award of a R10-billion tender by SASSA to a private company, Cash Read more >

Corruption Watch probes dodgy circumcision contract

Corruption Watch is investigating the Mpumalanga Health Department's decision to award a multimillion-rand contract "without tender" to circumcise 260 000 boys and men in the province, the Sunday Independent reported on the weekend. The civil society organisation is also querying why the contract was given to Mkhago Health Care Services, owned by Ebby Bongani Mkhabela, Read more >