DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Blow whistle on border post bribery

Dear Corruption Watch I run a small business that requires some of my employees to drive through border crossings. They are often asked for bribes, but I tell them it is wrong and we should not pay. Last week, late on a Friday, one of my employees called to say he was being threatened with Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Firearm licence a target for graft

Dear Corruption Watch During February 2008, my wife and I obtained the necessary competency certificates and renewed our firearm licences. We were told then that we would not need to repeat any training when we renew our licences again five years later. But when we went to renew our licences in 2013, the South African Read more >

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Bribery in a culture of impunity

Dear Corruption Watch Some of my friends say that they have got out of trouble with the police or received improved service from a public servant by offering to pay a bribe. Aren't they committing a criminal offence by doing so? Are they putting themselves at risk? Wrong to Offer Dear Wrong to Offer, The Read more >

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Dotting i’s, not crossing palms

Dear Corruption Watch, Red tape is often a cover-up for corruption. I own a processing and exporting business. It seems I am always applying to renew various permits or paying this or that fee for a clerk to handle this or that document. Some of the permits seem to be arbitrarily withheld, costing me thousands Read more >

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Voting for them is easy, sacking them not

Dear Corruption Watch, Rarely has there been so much agreement in South Africa that Nkandla was wrong, an egregious expenditure of public funds, and that our leaders should be held accountable. Under what circumstances could the South African president or a member of the cabinet be disqualified from continuing to hold office? Yours Seeking Justice Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Independence key to vigilance, action

​Dear Corruption Watch, South Africa has three institutions with powers to investigate corruption in government: the Hawks, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the public protector. Who does what, and from where do they derive their powers? What does it mean that they are independent? Curious Dear Curious The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), its asset forfeiture Read more >

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School fee or foul a matter of funding

Dear Corruption Watch, The principal at a no-fee school is charging us R1 000 a year. I refused to pay and I’ve been victimised – even called a prostitute! What are my rights if I blow the whistle on him? Someone told me most of the whistleblower protection has to do with the workplace and is Read more >

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Bill balances wrongs and rights

Dear Corruption Watch, The most recent version of the Public Administration Management Bill has some significant changes to previous versions. The new bill removes the clause that would have enforced a “cooling off” period for public employees before going into the private sector. Surely this is important to manage conflicts of interest and the potential Read more >

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Grant saga needs probe for clarity

Dear Corruption Watch, The saga about the awarding of the social grants contract has been going on for a while. There was recently a Constitutional Court judgment about it and Corruption Watch intervened in the case. Why did Corruption Watch decide to get involved and what are the implications of the judgment? What Does It All Read more >