Government – for the few, by the few

A new nine-country survey by the Pew Research Center (PRC), a US non-profit organisation, has found a common perception that government is run for the benefit of the few rather than the many‚ both in emerging democracies and more mature democracies that have faced economic challenges. The survey probes the strengths and limitations of civic Read more >

CW now a full chapter of Transparency International

Corruption Watch has become a fully-fledged chapter of Transparency International (TI), the global movement against corruption. The news concludes a four-year accreditation process and means we are now TI’s official representative in South Africa. Established in 1993, TI is an NGO with more than 100 national chapters – for the most part locally established, independent Read more >

State capture report paves way for more investigation

Corruption Watch, in its response to the public protector’s State of Capture report, highlights the critical importance of the report in ensuring that a few, favoured individuals do not continue to abuse state resources and power. While the public protector has not made adverse findings against any of those implicated in the report, she does, Read more >

State capture report calls for commission of inquiry

The long-awaited state capture report was released yesterday, and one of the outcomes was the instruction by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that President Jacob Zuma must appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture. However, Zuma is not to choose the commissioner – that task falls to South Africa’s chief justice. State of Read more >

State capture report: PP must publish today

The second day of the state capture report hearings in the North Gauteng High Court brought more interesting developments. President Jacob Zuma withdrew his application to interdict the report, and the court ordered the Public Protector, whose report it is, to publish the document immediately. The hearings are focusing on various applications to interdict the Read more >

CW: SARS’ Moyane is not off the hook

On 25 October Corruption Watch wrote to the South African Revenue Service’s (SARS) commissioner Tom Moyane, informing him that we intended to lay criminal charges against him for not reporting corrupt activities – detailed in a Financial Intelligence Centre report and involving two senior SARS employees – to the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation, or Read more >

What is grand corruption and how can we stop it?

First published by Transparency International Grand corruption is one of the great unresolved legal challenges of our day. With its serious and often global effects, combating grand corruption must be the responsibility of the international community. For this to happen grand corruption should be treated as an international crime. Transparency International has developed a legal Read more >

A tale of moral shakedowns: #1 – Trouble with traffic

By Zola Valashiya Our socialisation conditions us to be law-abiding citizens. Generally, the majority of South Africans are. Despite the crime rate, despite reports of the blatant looting of public resources by politicians, many of us still remain and aspire to be the model citizen. In a country like ours, where corruption is rife, I Read more >

CW to lay criminal charges against SARS commissioner

Corruption Watch issued a letter yesterday to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) commissioner, Tom Moyane, concerning his failure to act decisively on the findings of a report from the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), detailing fraud and corruption by senior SARS employees, Jonas Makwakwa and Kelly-Ann Elskie. The anti-corruption organisation is disturbed by the manner Read more >