On Tuesday 6 November the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council removed Namibia from its blacklist of non-co-operative tax havens, after the Southern African country committed itself to changing its tax rules and practices, which were not aligned with EU standards and practices. The move brought the list down to five jurisdictions, from an original 17.
The Bua Mzansi – Know your Police Station allows people to report incidents of police corruption as well as provide information on the over 1000 police stations across South Africa. Corruption Watch launched the initiative to help improve transparency in the policing sector.
Corruption Watch has welcomed President Ramaphosa’s bold and decisive action in firing SARS Commissioner, Tom Moyane. The organisation laid criminal charges against Moyane in 2016 arising out of his conduct during the infamous Makwakwa affair, and is of the opinion that Moyane has done more damage to South Africa than any other individual.
Corruption Watch, Treatment Action Campaign and SECTION27 yesterday welcomed the resignation of Brian Hlongwa as ANC Chief Whip in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The organisations call on the ANC’s national executive committee to expel Hlongwa and Qedani Mahlangu, both of whom have recently fallen from grace, and prevent them from holding party or public office.
An environment not conducive to competition, high and rising costs of healthcare and medical scheme cover, disempowered and uninformed consumers, practitioners that are subject to little regulation, and failures of accountability at many levels – these and more scathing findings came out of the Competition Commission’s market inquiry into private healthcare, which released its interim findings recently.
Senior National Prosecuting Authority advocates Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi have been suspended – on full pay – and President Cyril Ramaphosa will set up an inquiry into their fitness to hold office, according to a statement released on Thursday by the Presidency. The two were disbarred in 2016 but appealed successfully in July 2018.
Read the Copenhagen Declaration, the document of intent issued at the close of this year’s International Anti-Corruption Conference on 24 October. The document targets, among others, money laundering and illicit financial flows, the role of activists and whistle-blowers, and the privilege – not right – of holding public office. “Those that hold public office must hold themselves to a higher standard of conduct, and should be obliged to disclose their financial dealings,” the declaration noted.
Finance minister Tito Mboweni delivered his maiden medium-term budget policy statement today. Mboweni prioritised urgent and pressing matters in education and health – including the zero VAT-rating of sanitary pads and free access to these necessities for all schoolgirls – the reformation of state-owned enterprises, and investment in municipal infrastructure, among others. Read the full text of his speech, and download a copy of the budget policy statement.
The process to choose a successor to Shaun Abrahams, former national director of public prosecutions, has begun. On Monday the panel tasked with selecting suitable candidates met for the first time. The panel expects to be able to send names to President Cyril Ramaphosa by 7 December. The public is encouraged to get involved by nominating people whom they believe would be right for the job.
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.