CORRUPTION NEWS

It’s not what you know, but …

By Janine Erasmus Nepotism, cadre deployment, patronage, cronyism – we hear those terms often, but what do they mean, not just literally, but for South Africa? Why are these practices so harmful, especially in the public sector? Read our new two-part series to better understand the consequences of not employing the right person for the Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Civil society asks for dissolution of arms commission

More than 30 local social justice organisations, including Corruption Watch, have issued a joint call for real arms deal accountability. Read their statement below: The 1999 arms deal represents up to R70-billion that should have been spent on housing, education, health and South Africa’s other pressing social needs. The arms deal corrupted our politics, weakened Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Minions merely follow the leader

By Kabelo Sedupane The resignation of IEC chairperson Pansy Tlakula reveals that there are consequences to the flouting of procurement rules and unethical conduct – however, the question remains as to whether the unauthorised expenditure of public funds should necessitate further investigations and harsher sanctions. Within a culture of rampant abuse of public funds, the Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Staff turnover costs money

We have another zero this week – this time it’s those government departments who, according to a recent Mail & Guardian study, waste millions of rands of taxpayers’ money on senior civil servants who are being paid for early termination of their contracts. The M&G reports that up to R44-million a year could potentially be Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Respond to subpoena, or face criminal charges

By Lee-Ann Alfreds Will they or won’t they? That is the question as the rumbling around the credibility of the Arms Procurement Commission becomes a roar. Will arms deal critics Hennie van Vuuren, Andrew Feinstein and Paul Holden appear before the commission as they have been ordered to do – or will they obey their Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Negotiating the RDP rules and regulations

“We will take back those houses if you sell them for profit, because we build them for a purpose. Put it away safely.” This was reportedly said earlier this year to a group of residents of the Sol Plaatjie municipality, who had gathered to witness the handing over of title deeds to beneficiaries of over Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Reporting on allegations can be in the public interest

Dear Corruption Watch, Journalists use the word "alleged" a lot – sometimes correctly, other times ensuring that reporters are pawns in a vicious game. Does someone involved in corruption have to be formally charged before one may say allegations have been made? Seeking Clarity Dear Seeking Let us start by confirming the importance of the Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Gordhan cracks the whip

Blacklisting of rogue municipal employees? This may very well become the reality in the future if a “back to basics” plan for local government, punted by minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) Pravin Gordhan, works out. The blacklists would carry a term of 10 years, during which the employees involved would be barred Read more >