News

Heroes & Zeroes

Corruption Watch takes a closer look at brave individuals fighting graft and exposes those caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

East Cape local government rewards mediocrity

Despite receiving unqualified audits with findings from the auditor-general, municipalities in Eastern Cape were rewarded for their “excellence” by the department of local government and traditional affairs, making the department our zero of the week.

Engineers set up 'war chest' to fight graft

South Africa’s association of consulting engineers this week took the corruption fight into its own hands by saying it would set up a R1-milllion "war chest" to take legal action against municipalities that award tenders to fly-by-night companies. This proactive approach of meeting government half-way in corruption-busting efforts makes South Africa’s body of consulting engineers the hero of the week.

Durban’s queen of bling goes down

Durban’s queen of bling Shauwn Mpisane stands accused of faking documents to secure R140-million in tenders from the Department of Public Works. Mpisane’s alleged corrupt ways of using taxpayer’s money to finance her extravagant lifestyle are definitely worthy of the zero title, but so is the system which enabled her to get away with these abuses.

Cogta, your silence is not so golden

For ignoring calls for answers by Corruption Watch, journalists and opposition parties on the Mvula Trust tender saga, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is our zero of the week.

Big spending puts Public Works back on zero list

A few months ago, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi warned corrupt officials that they could run but they could not hide. This week, it was revealed that his department spent millions of rand on renovating ministers’ houses. While this has not yet proven to be clear-cut corruption, it smacks of extreme wasteful expenditure, which means less public money is available to those who need it most.

Treasury flexes its muscles

After years of financial mismanagement and ignoring the requests and orders of the auditor-general, Nala Municipality has been hit where it hurts: the Treasury has cut off funding to the council. For this, the national Treasury is our hero of the week.

Hero and zero of 2012

The Corruption Watch zero of the year for 2012 is our country’s first citizen, President Jacob Zuma. The hero award goes to the lady who uncovered several corrupt senior officials in his administration, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.

Vote for your hero or zero of the year

Corruption Watch has reported on the good, the bad and the ugly sides of corruption over the past year. The good came from individuals and organisations that took a firm stand against corruption, despite the odds against them, the bad spent taxpayers' money for personal luxuries and the ugly went as far committing murder to cover up their corrupt ways. We ask you to vote for your top zero or hero for 2012.

eThekwini backtracks after dodgy appointment

Corruption Watch can confirm that eThekwini Municipality’s decision to appoint Slindokuhle Hadebe as deputy city manager for human settlements and infrastructure has been reversed.

Metro cops in hot water after hawker takes action

For laying a charge of intimidation and corruption against a group of Tshwane metro police officers, a Pretoria informal trader is our hero of the week. To stop this kind of behaviour, ordinary South Africans need to join the fight.