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Arms deal commission FAQ, and CW and R2K’s challenge

What is a commission of inquiry? A commission of inquiry is one of many bodies available to the government to inquire into various issues. Commissions report findings, give advice and make recommendations. While their findings are not legally binding, they can be highly influential. Commissions must act strictly within their terms of reference and ensure Read more >

Arms deal and Seriti Commission FAQ

What was the arms deal? In December 1999, the South African government signed contracts with a number of European defence companies to buy a range of sophisticated military equipment. South Africa purchased: Gripen jet fighters and Hawk jet fighter trainers from the UK/Swedish partnership, British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) and Saab. corvette warships from the Read more >

Media advisory: Court reckoning for Seriti findings

The application of Corruption Watch (CW) and Right2Know (R2K) to review and set aside the findings of the Arms Procurement Commission (the Seriti Commission) finally comes to court on 11 and 12 June, after several years of dogged scrutiny of the flawed processes and ongoing efforts to hold those implicated in the alleged corruption in Read more >

Streamlined cabinet: gender balanced but still not clean

The cabinet of the sixth administration was announced last night, and President Cyril Ramaphosa kept to the expectation – to a degree, but not completely – that he would cull those found to be unsuitable, or that were surplus to requirements. “We have made progress in examining the size and structure of the state, and Read more >

Passports for sale: the risks of golden visa programmes

By Natalie Ritchie    First published on the Global Anticorruption Blog In 1984, the government of the small Caribbean island state of Saint Kitts and Nevis had a bright idea for attracting foreign capital: the country would grant permanent resident status to any foreign national who invested a sufficient amount in the country. The idea caught Read more >

Better times ahead for NPA, Batohi, Cronje assure public

The revitalisation of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is under way. On Friday the recently appointed national director of public prosecutions (NDPP), Shamila Batohi, briefed the media on progress in this regard, and also made way for Advocate Hermione Cronje, the newly appointed head of the investigating directorate within the NPA, to shed light on Read more >

Activists protest against Prasa corruption

By Mary-Anne Gontsana and Katherine Liu First published on GroundUp Simo Kwepe was 16 when he was killed on the Cape Town Metrorail line last month. Keeno Abib died last year after he fell off a moving train while trying to get away from gangsters trying to rob him. It’s deaths such as these that Read more >