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CORRUPTION NEWS

Cross-border punishment for corrupt companies

That the US Justice Department and Securities Exchange Commission are looking into Gold Fields’s controversial BEE transaction raises questions for me as a local shareholder. First, under what jurisdiction would they be prosecuted if they have contravened the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and/or South Africa’s Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act? Second, in Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Close doors to bad business

Dear Corruption Watch, In my work as a corporate advisor I am continually astonished that executives are only vaguely aware of the impact our anti-corruption laws and those particularly in the US and Britain might have on their business practices. I am often asked what top three things they should do to start assessing company Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Called to account…or court

Dear Corruption Watch, What is the difference between criminal and non-criminal corruption? Isn’t all corrupt behaviour a criminal offence? Where are the lines drawn? Mystified Dear Mystified, This question gets to the heart of what we mean when we talk about fighting corruption.  The answer depends on how you define “corruption”.  First, corruption can be Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Clean-up bureau can benefit SA

Dear Corruption Watch, I’ve been reading about Lindiwe Sisulu’s proposals to establish an anti-corruption bureau to clean up the public service at all levels of government and tackle businesses offering to corrupt its members. I want to believe this is not just an election year proposal – what do you think? Hopeful   Dear Hopeful, Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

The real cost of corruption – part two

By Lorraine Louw In part two of our three-part series on how much corruption is really costing South Africa, we reveal how financial misconduct is costing the country more and more every year. What is especially worrying is that it often goes unchecked and unpunished. The real cost of corruption – part one In a Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

We need a way out of this impasse

Dear Corruption Watch, I’ve read that an NGO has taken the President to the Constitutional Court to force him to appoint a permanent National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).  Why would they want him to be the one to make the appointment since President Zuma has a personal interest in the matter? Since the DA Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Errant civil servants should not be rehired

Dear Corruption Watch,   More than 50 people in the government department for which I work have clouds of corruption following them around. Many of them, as evidence mounts, are resigning before they can be charged or disciplinary procedures initiated against them. If they continue their behaviour in their next positions a corrupt public services becomes more entrenched. What can be done? Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

How school governing bodies should be run

By Lorraine Louw The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has released a policy document setting out the rules of school governance, and how schools need to be managed and run. The Basic Financial System for Schools is 80 pages of helpful information designed to assist school governing bodies keep within the law, and ensure well-managed Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Will to root out corruption still a challenge

Dear Corruption Watch, Is there no list somewhere of fraudulent and corrupt employees in government?  Disgraced public officials continue to be 're-deployed'. For instance, a chief director was dismissed for fraud but was still allowed to act as COO in the same department. The same official was then made chief director in local government. How Read more >