DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Court oversight enhances democracy

Dear Corruption Watch A few weeks ago, the Constitutional Court declared the R10-billion contract for the payment of social grants between the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Cash Paymaster Services invalid. The court ordered Sassa to rerun its tender process and suspended the declaration of invalidity pending the new tender process. It also Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Reviewing a public protector’s report

Dear Corruption Watch Many targets of investigation by the public protector — for example, Tina Joemat-Pettersson in her handling of the state’s fishing vessels and Pansy Tlakula in her actions at the Independent Electoral Commission — demand that the courts “review” her findings. What is the role of a court in relation to the public Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Parliament has leeway on Nkandla

Dear CW Parliament has appointed an ad hoc committee to consider the public protector’s Nkandla report before the elections. What exactly does this mean? What powers does this committee have and what is Parliament’s role in relation to the public protector? Wondering Dear Wondering The speaker established an ad hoc parliamentary committee on 9 April Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Officials invoke imaginary rule

Dear Corruption Watch My organisation has submitted two applications for information under the Promotion of Access to Information Act. We have been told we cannot have the documents we requested because the issue will likely be the subject of criminal charges. Is this sufficient grounds for not disclosing information we believe to be in the Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Parties resist funding disclosure

Dear Corruption Watch, Thank you for clarifying the rules on public funding for elections, but we would like to know why private funds collected by political parties are not transparently disclosed. This matter was litigated and the parties agreed to enact a law promoting the disclosure of private funding, but it has not happened. When Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Party favours at public expense

Dear Corruption Watch, Last week you looked at how public funding designated for elections is monitored, but how can we be sure that political parties do not use other public funds for electioneering? Are ministers, premiers and MECs allowed to use their official cars and helicopters? Can they dispense food bought with public money while Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

How campaign funds are regulated

Dear Corruption Watch, As we head into national elections, I would like to know how public money allocated to political party funding is accounted for. Is it subject to the auditor-general’s scrutiny in the same way as all public funds are? And is there a requirement for the books of a political party to be Read more >

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Help for auditors who report crime

Dear Corruption Watch, Internal auditors often have to speak out against corruption and frequently face intimidation in doing so. Is South Africa’s whistleblower framework sufficient to encourage and protect internal auditors as they perform their vital governance functions? Afraid of Bullying Dear Afraid Internal auditors occupy a unique and important position when it comes to Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

You can mount private prosecution

Dear Corruption Watch The Constitutional Court has found that the social grants contract from the South African Social Security Agency granted to Cash Paymaster Services — and challenged by AllPay — was invalid. Its reasoning was partly that irregularities were all too often “symptoms of corruption or malfeasance”. The US criminal justice authorities are investigating Read more >