Corruption Watch launch trends on Twitter

Hundreds of tweets were sent out from the launch itself at Constitution Hill, mainly from journalists such as City Press editor Ferial Haffajee, New York Times Johannesburg bureau chief Lydia Polgreen and Eyewitness News reporter Alex Eliseev. But many other ordinary South Africans added their voices to the microblogging site’s Corruption Watch conversation.

Here’s a selection of the day’s top #corruptionwatch tweets.

Ferial Haffajee @ferialhaffajee  – #corruptionwatch Today Vavi becomes the face of the fight against corruption. Big, positive development for SA.

Adriaan Basson @AdriaanBasson  – Radebe: corruption, as apartheid was, is the new common enemy. Clap. #corruptionwatch

Lydia Polgreen @lpolgreen  – Full throated speech against corruption by Cosatu's Vavi: morality of our revolutionary movement is being threatened. #corruptionwatch

Jacquie Myburgh @JacquieMyburgh  – congrats to @JenKaroo and the team from Corruption Watch on the launch of a brilliant movement! #corruptionwatch

Ferial Haffajee @ferialhaffajee  – #corruptionwatch Now David Lewis, guy who's gonna run it all. Former competition czar; bright as a button; safe hands.

Sch… you know, bru @ikop  – Just checking the corruption time on my #corruptionwatch – yes, it's high time

Lydia Polgreen @lpolgreen  – Emergence of watchdogs from close allies of the ANC a sign of South Africa's maturing democracy? Civil society blossoming. #corruptionwatch

Deidre Tavares @DeidreTavares  – #CorruptionWatch great idea, hope it works, South Africa needs it now more than ever. Well done

CorruptionWatch @Corruption_SA  – #CorruptionWatch's first 'hero' gets applause for her story and standing up to corruption

Kgaugelo Mametja @De_Imperial  – #corruptionwatch We have a responsibility to the voting masses. Let's not fail in building a society that espouses accountability.

carien du plessis @carienduplessis  – Lewis: people can also report via sms at R1 each but we hope to reduce that with cell phone companies #corruptionwatch

Adriaan Basson @AdriaanBasson  – Lewis: whistleblowers will have choice to reveal their id's or not. Website central communications platform. Also SMS line. #corruptionwatch

CorruptionWatch @Corruption_SA  – #CorruptionWatch Exec Director David Lewis taking audience through www.corruptionwatch.org.za

Justin @JustinMBarnard  – Important day in the history of South Africa, #CorruptionWatch is being launched today. Only as civil society we can, yes we can!

Gavin Groenmeyer @GavinGroenmeyer  – “Vavi: we are a me-first, dog-eat-dog society.Must choose between life in service or in business.You can't choose both.” #corruptionwatch

Franny Rabkin @franstaar  – Lewis: might be a campaign for JSE to make anti corruption mechanisms as part of their listing requirements. #corruptionwatch

Sipho Hlongwane @comradesipho  – From the sound of it, #CorruptionWatch should be an invaluable data mining tool. People will have to use it a lot, obviously.

Alex Eliseev @alexeliseev  – Lewis says they've already received serious allegations. These will be investigated & passed to law enforcement agencies. #corruptionwatch

Ferial Haffajee @ferialhaffajee  – #corruptionwatch Lewis says @ushahidi is the inspiration. Chinese site publishes wrist-watches of civil servants to show. We can do cars…

Tahir Sema @TahirSema  – #CorruptionWatch – a victory for Municipal workers bit.ly/zgue3p. SAMWU Press Statement. @Corruption_SA

Adriaan Basson @AdriaanBasson  – Lewis: some corruption stories in media so complex, will use #corruptionwatch website to explain

them.

Jude Mathurine @newmediajude  – Gatvol with corrupt government, civil service & business? Out them on corruptionwatch.org.za via SMS, web, Twitter, Facebook #corruptionwatch

Pravina @pravluv  – bit.ly/Aa7W68 I signed the #CorruptionWatch pledge. Please do the same. #SouthAfrica

carien du plessis @carienduplessis  – Minister Jeff Radebe is the first to sign #corruptionwatch pledge yfrog.com/esblfrbj

laurence jones @troyevillelolly  – "@ferialhaffajee: #corruptionwatch Lewis: Unabashedly based in web-tech and social media. Follow @Corruption_SA" follow to show solidarity

carien du plessis @carienduplessis  – While everyone signs @Jay_Naidoo doles out hugs to Moeletsi Mbeki and others. It's like civil society reunited #corruptionwatch

Lindokuhle S. Mnisi @LindokuhleMnisi  – If you were to expose a person of corruption, who would you expose? #CorruptionWatch

Simon Griffiths @simon_g  – floods of tweets on #corruptionwatch – follow @ferialhaffajee @Jay_Naidoo

Johan E. @DieWilleboer  – Let's make @Corruption_SA the number one followed twitter account in #SouthAfrica #FollowSA #corruptionwatch

Sipho Hlongwane @comradesipho  – #CorruptionWatch Everyone gets free cooldrink. Proves that they really do have funding.

Tanja Hichert @TanjaHichert  – CorruptionWatch launches in South Africa. Yippee!! Follow #corruptionwatch on Twitter @Corruption_SA (inspired by @ushahidi amongst others)

Aislinn Laing @Simmoa  – I asked Min Radebe what gov did wrong for corruption to be so bad.He replied that it was the responsibility of all Saffers. #corruptionwatch

Adriaan Basson @AdriaanBasson  – Madonsela: we can't be spectators. It's success depends on all of us. No one person will end corruption. #corruptionwatch

GwenLister @GwenLister1  – Good to see an 'issue' trending rather than just silly social chatter .. #corruptionwatch now 2nd most trending topic ..

Cynthia Schoeman @ethicsmonitor  – Great anti-corruption initiative Cosatu. Now we need the political will to live this intention #CorruptionWatch #ethics

Alex Eliseev @alexeliseev  – I'd just like to thank everyone who spoke at #corruptionwatch today (Vavi, Radebe, Madonsela). You all spoke in beautiful sound bites.