Africa is not poor, we are stealing its wealth

By Nick Dearden First published on Al Jazeera Africa is poor, but we can try to help its people. It’s a simple statement, repeated through a thousand images, newspaper stories and charity appeals each year, so that it takes on the weight of truth. When we read it, we reinforce assumptions and stories about Africa Read more >

Focus on civil society funding rather than BEE, says CEO

By Aphiwe Deklerk First published in Business Day Magda Wierzycka‚ CEO of Sygnia Asset Management‚ has called on companies to ignore black economic empowerment (BEE) points and rather fund civil rights organisations fighting corruption in the country. She said that considering Sahara Computers, a business owned by the Gupta family, had a level 6 BEE Read more >

Weak state institutions boost private sector corruption

By Linda Ensor First published in Business Day The private sector, including legal and auditing firms, has been complicit in facilitating the illegal removal of money out of the country, says Prof Ivor Chipkin, director of the University of Witwatersrand Public Affairs Research Institute. Chipkin made a submission to Parliament’s portfolio committee of public enterprises, Read more >

How corruption is fraying SA’s social, economic fabric

By Sean Gossel First published on The Conversation  South Africans are not happy. According to the recent Bloomberg’s Misery Index, South Africa is the second-most miserable country on earth. Venezuela tops the list of emerging countries. This isn’t too surprising considering that the country is embroiled in multifaceted crises. It also has among the highest Read more >

Gauteng cops arrested for corruption

Two Gauteng Community Safety Department officials are due to appear in the Johannesburg Commercial Court on Monday on charges of corruption. Two female transport compliance officers, aged 41 and 36, were arrested at Langlaagte vehicle testing centre on Friday after allegedly taking R9 000 from a scholar transport operator who required a roadworthy certificate. The Read more >

Global anti-money laundering in four charts

First published on Transparency International Out of the hundreds of commitments governments have made to fight corruption and money laundering, one of the easiest to keep track of is the promise to implement the global anti-money laundering standards – the FATF recommendations. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the world’s leading anti-money laundering organisation; Read more >

New international centre to combat grand corruption

International agencies have joined forces to tackle grand corruption across borders. Earlier in July the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC) opened its doors, with the aim of clamping down on a crime category that can include bribery of public officials, embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering of illegal proceeds. The IACCC will be based, Read more >

Time for govts to accept that civil society is not the enemy

By Cathal Gilbert First published on Al Jazeera There is a growing list of critical problems in the G20’s inbox, namely a faltering global economy, terrorist threats in a majority of G20 member states, and a patched-up climate change agreement. Solving these problems will take more than 20 heads of state and their economic ministers. Read more >