"The buying of university spaces, if left unchecked, not only harms individual students but also reshapes the moral logic of education itself. It teaches young people that effort is optional and money is decisive. That is a lesson no society can afford to teach." These are the views of Nyaniso Qwesha, writing in the Sunday Independent about corruption in the allocation of places at our universities.

"The buying of university spaces, if left unchecked, not only harms individual students but also reshapes the moral logic of education itself. It teaches young people that effort is optional and money is decisive. That is a lesson no society can afford to teach." These are the views of Nyaniso Qwesha, writing in the Sunday Independent about corruption in the allocation of places at our universities.

Does merit still matter when places at university can be bought and sold?

Opinion

Although committees regularly invite public submissions, writes the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, stakeholder groups and ordinary citizens rarely try to influence committee programmes proactively. Yet the public has the right to do so, and citizens do not need to wait for a formal call for submissions to raise concerns or propose issues for scrutiny. Committees benefit from on-the-ground experience, specialist knowledge, and independent research that MPs and officials may not have, the organisation adds.

Although committees regularly invite public submissions, writes the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, stakeholder groups and ordinary citizens rarely try to influence committee programmes proactively. Yet the public has the right to do so, and citizens do not need to wait for a formal call for submissions to raise concerns or propose issues for scrutiny. Committees benefit from on-the-ground experience, specialist knowledge, and independent research that MPs and officials may not have, the organisation adds.

Let 2026 be the year you write to a parliamentary committee

Corruption news

Political party funding in the spotlight at last year's CoSP11

The 11th Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption took place last month in Doha, Qatar, ending on 19 December 2025. During the proceedings, states parties adopted 11 anti-corruption-related resolutions, ranging from the combating of corruption that facilitates the smuggling of migrants, to enhancing data collection to measure corruption and its impacts. Among these, they adopted a landmark resolution on combating corruption through transparency in political finance.

The 11th Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption took place last month in Doha, Qatar, ending on 19 December 2025. During the proceedings, states parties adopted 11 anti-corruption-related resolutions, ranging from the combating of corruption that facilitates the smuggling of migrants, to enhancing data collection to measure corruption and its impacts. Among these, they adopted a landmark resolution on combating corruption through transparency in political finance.

National Treasury has invited written comments from the public on the latest additions to the draft General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Bill. Submissions must be received by close of business on 13 February 2026.

National Treasury has invited written comments from the public on the latest additions to the draft General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Bill. Submissions must be received by close of business on 13 February 2026.

Public comment sought on the latest General Laws Amendment Bill

Corruption Watch, in collaboration with Social Change Assistance Trust or SCAT, and Transparency International, and co-funded by the European Union, has embarked on the Strengthening Action Against Corruption (SAAC) project which focuses specifically on empowering and educating community advice offices/civil society organisations in the Eastern Cape province. Follow our activities here.

Strengthening Action Against Corruption

Veza (a colloquial term for ‘reveal’ or ‘expose’) allows you to:
· Report incidents of police corruption and police misconduct,
· Access information on your rights when you encounter the police,
· Access information on SA's 1 150 police stations, such as locations, resources, budget and personnel,
· Locate your nearest Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit,
· And much more.

Report police corruption
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