Information Bill gets a beating in parliament

The Protection of State Information Bill came in for a sustained pummelling in Parliament yesterday when organisations representing the fields of media, law, human rights and the fight against corruption unanimously rejected the bill in its current form. Corruption Watch, launched by Cosatu eight weeks ago, detailed how it believed the bill could undermine the Read more >

Institutions raise voices against Secrecy Bill

Several respected institutions yesterday mounted a renewed attack on the African National Congress’ so-called secrecy bill, as submission after submission to the National Council of Provinces called for significant changes to be made to the bill. The newly formed civil society led Corruption Watch warned that the bill as it stands would impede the fight Read more >

Info Bill will instil fear of reporting corruption

27 March 2012 – The Information Bill will further instil fear of reporting corruption, thus eroding public trust in state institutions, the executive director of Corruption Watch David Lewis told parliament today during the Information Bill public hearings.   Lewis said while the Bill’s purpose was to defend national security, the greatest threats and dangers Read more >

Fighting graft to advance human rights

22 March 2012 – Students added their voice to the corruption fight at a Human Rights Day event held yesterday at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Pietermaritzburg campus. All participants signed the anti-corruption pledge, committing to a bribe-free society and acting responsibly when in positions of power while encouraging others to do the same. The meeting, Read more >

Corruption insults those who fought for freedom

The high levels of corruption in South Africa should be seen as a form of sacrilege of the graves of those who died fighting for freedom in Sharpeville on March 21 1960 and elsewhere in the country. Corruption is undermining the very rights that many sacrificed to gain. Mind you, Sharpeville is the very place Read more >

Sekunjalo story won’t go away

Somehow, the Sekunjalo story won't go away. Now the Competition Commission has issued a statement saying that the multimillion-rand tender to combat illegal fishing along the South African coastline was being investigated. Competition commissioner Shan Ramburuth said the commission was particularly concerned about the allegations of bid rigging made against Sekunjalo after it emerged that Read more >

Watchdog body a hit with public

In its first month, Corruption Watch received 500 complaints from the public, the organisation said yesterday. Complaints about municipalities, traffic officers and the health sector featured the most prominently. The non-profit organisation was started by Cosatu in January. About a third of the cases involved industrial relations and consumer issues. It also received service complaints. Read more >

500 corruption complaints

Corruption Watch, the anti-corruption civil society organisation launched early this year, has already received 500 reports of alleged corruption. According to Corruption Watch spokesperson Bongi Mlangeni, 32% of the cases are related to grievances about banks, misconduct by lawyers, municipal mismanagement, and business-to-business fraud. Mlangeni said 25% of cases still required further assessment as they Read more >

Corruption ‘decreasing’

Gains were being made in the country's on-going battle against the scourge of fraud and corruption, civil society NGO Corruption Watch, yesterday reported. More than 500 complaints were received by the organisation after its launch in late January. The Cosatu-initiated organisation said that municipalities, traffic police officials and the health sector were at the top Read more >