President Ramaphosa appoints new Deputy Public Protector

• The nominated deputy public protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka. Image: Mail and Guardian. By Thato Mahlangu The Presidency announced on Friday that Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka is the new deputy public protector (DPP). President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement the new DPP, who succeeds Advocate Kevin Malunga, will start on 1 February 2020 and will serve a Read more >

Safety, corrupt tenders at health care centres under scrutiny

By Thato Mahlangu Tender irregularities and the lack of urgency in replacing a security company at a Durban hospital puts the lives of patients and staff at risk, warns a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) based medical association. The South African Medical Association’s (Sama) KZN branch said on 14 January 2020 it was worried about the violent incidents Read more >

Arrests made but more work needed at DHA

By Thato Mahlangu A sting operation by the police led to the arrest of a corrupt official of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) on 9 January 2020. Home affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said in a statement he welcomed the arrest of immigration official Sam Langa who was arrested for demanding a bribe from Read more >

Edelman Trust Barometer shows dwindling trust in SA govt

For the last few years, the South African government has been rated on the Edelman Trust Barometer (ETB) as the one least deserving of people’s trust, out of the jurisdictions polled. This year is no different. The ETB, which measures the level of trust in governments, the media, business and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), is launched Read more >

SA again a lacklustre performer on 2019 CPI

The 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released today by Transparency International (TI), does not bring any good news for South Africans weary of the never-ending looting, incompetence and malfeasance that have characterised the country in recent years. The darker the colour, the more corrupt the country is perceived to be. Using a scale of zero Read more >

Take our police research survey and help us make a difference

In November 2018, Corruption Watch was one of four recipients of the Google Impact Challenge award – a nationwide competition aimed at improving inequality through innovation. Our innovation seeks to improve transparency and facilitate public involvement in the South African Police Service. We are now in the process of developing the product and we’re asking Read more >

Doing business with corruption at border posts

By Sandra Sequeira First published on the International Growth Centre website When we think about the costs for the developing world to engage in international trade, what often comes to mind are the cost of tariffs, transport and non-tariff barriers, usually in the form of stringent regulatory requirements that the products they are trying to Read more >

Has Mthimkhulu paid back Prasa millions?

By Thato Mahlangu It is unclear if a former employee of the troubled state-owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), who was ordered to back millions by a high court last year after forging his university qualifications, has done so. Fake Prasa Dr Daniel Mthimkhulu loses bid for leave to appeal R5.7m judgment https://t.co/shZz0YPAbX Read more >

Why we will not engage with G20’s civil society process in 2020

• A group of protesters holding placards bearing the slogan Stop Arming Saudi Arabia. Image: Alisdare Hickson. Issued by Transparency International Secretariat The annual G20 summit often seems like a talking shop for the world’s most powerful governments. The leaders of 19 of the largest national economies plus the European Union get together, shake hands Read more >