We need much more: strengthening protection for whistle-blowers

By Kwazi Dlamini Today, 23 June, is World Whistleblower Day. It is another chance for us to acknowledge and appreciate the immense importance of blowing the whistle on corruption, and salute the courage of those who choose to come forward. Because whistle-blowing is one of the most effective ways to detect and prevent corruption, malfeasance, Read more >

Commonly-cited global corruption statistics are flawed, says U4

By Kwazi Dlamini US$1-trillion paid in bribes every year. Up to 30% of development aid lost to corruption annually. Corruption costs about 5% of global GDP every year. We hear these statistics quoted often in articles, reports, interviews, and more, but do we actually know how accurate these frightening figures are? Oslo-based anti-corruption advice team Read more >

Auditor-General: 2020-2021 MFMA outcomes show continuing decline

Capable leaders should demonstrate change by strengthening transparency and accountability. This is the call from Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke, who earlier today tabled the 2020-21 Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) audit outcomes in the National Assembly. The usual five-year comparison period encompasses the entirety of the administration that took office in 2016, with local government Read more >

Parly committee shines the spotlight on corruption in local govt

Image: Flickr/GovernmentZA By Kwazi Dlamini Lack of will to deal with corruption cases at municipal level because they involve politically connected individuals remains a big hurdle for law enforcement agencies. This is according to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI). The three agencies answered for Read more >

Guptas arrested, but their return to SA may take some time

Image: Rosebank Killarney Gazette Two of the Gupta brothers may potentially see themselves being extradited to South Africa from the United Arab Emirates, following their arrest on Monday in that territory’s city of Dubai. The National Prosecuting Authority, however, warns that extradition is a long, complex process, implying that it might be a while before Read more >

Developed countries highly complicit in financial secrecy 

Illicit financial flows create an unjust society and further worsen inequality, especially for underdeveloped countries. This is the message from the Tax Justice Network (TJN), which released its 2022 Financial Secrecy Index (FSI) on 16 May.  The FSI is a ranking of jurisdictions which fuel financial secrecy by helping individuals to hide their finances from Read more >