One of civil society’s crucial functions is to monitor government performance and make recommendations where necessary. But instead of rectifying issues to ensure better governance, the messenger is shot, writes Wayne Duvenage, CEO of Outa. Or the real and substantive issues are deflected with a deft display of ostrich mentality… if we ignore the problems for long enough, they must surely disappear.
The one major challenge that stands in the way of inclusive growth and sustainable development in Africa, is the nature, scale and complexity of corruption, write Stellenbosch Uni academics Prof Pregala Pillay (Economic and Management Sciences) and Dr Chris Jones (Unit for Moral Leadership).
Two clear opportunities emerge from the early days of the Covid-19 reality, says Transparency International in a new report. Firstly, the growing use by citizens and activists of online tools to participate and organise. Secondly, the opportunity to re-think basic concepts, such as the common good. Handled well, if both these potential opportunities became reality they would provide great momentum to anti-corruption efforts in the short and long term.
Walking home one night, a resident of Braamfontein wonders whether Covid-19 or muggers is the greater risk.
The South African Bureau of Standards said this week it was receiving high volumes of complaints from the public about essential products, like hand sanitisers, disinfectants, and surgical face masks, sold by some unscrupulous manufacturers under the SABS-approved mark although they haven’t been certified or approved for consumption by the organisation.
In his speech to the nation on Thursday, 23 July, President Cyril Ramaphosa gave encouraging signs of a renewed clamp-down on corruption, with actual consequences for those found guilty. Ramaphosa spoke of the establishment of a coordinating centre, comprising nine state institutions, that would “strengthen the collective efforts among law enforcement agencies so as to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute Covid-related corruption”.
Corruption Watch’s report on corruption in the health sector, released today, highlights the troubling reality that the most vulnerable in our society, namely the elderly, women, and children, are most likely to bear the brunt of the fall-out from corruption. The issue of corruption in our health sector should be of paramount concern as it prevents a vast section of the population from accessing their right to decent healthcare.
The Ipid Act needs to be reviewed and the parliamentary portfolio committee on police needs to be more accountable after the position of the watchdog’s executive director stood empty for 18 months, write Kavisha Pillay and Sabeehah Motala of Corruption Watch.
In light of the corruption allegations in the Eastern Cape regarding medical scooters procured for millions of rands, Caroline James and Karam Jeet Singh of CW’s legal and investigations unit ask if government put in any increased measures to fight corruption during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visit our GivenGain R20 for Change page and help us demand transparency in our systems, accountability in our leaders, and better empowerment and protection of whistle-blowers. By donating R20 a month, you’ll be supporting our work with communities across the country, helping them to know and access their rights and reduce the corruption that robs people of resources intended for their benefit.