The role of political parties in South Africa’s newly established government of national unity should not be politically driven, but rather people-driven, encapsulating the national development agenda. This is one of the sentiments that came out of a recent National School of Government webinar titled Making Coalitions and Governments of National Unity Work: The Role of Professional Bureaucracies.
This year’s African Anti-Corruption Day, held annually on 11 July, is commemorated under the theme Effective Whistleblowers Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight Against Corruption. The African Union, under whose auspices the occasion falls, urges its members to highlight the significance of whistle-blowing in combating corruption and provide a space for stakeholders to reflect on the challenges, good practices, and recommendations to enhance whistle-blowing.
Corruption Watch has learned of the tragic death of the 13-year-old son of our colleague in Palestine. We, and the Transparency International community, extend our deepest condolences to the family in this time of indescribable grief. The global organisation calls for an immediate ceasefire and urgent, meaningful steps toward durable peace.
South Africa has a new addition to its Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act – one which criminalises the failure of companies and SOEs to prevent corruption. This could make prosecutions and convictions easier – provided the implementation is sound and a clear political will to enforce the provision is demonstrated.
Whistle-blowers in the business sector around the world are stepping up their game, according to a new report by risk and compliance firm Navex. The document, titled 2024 Whistleblowing and Incident Management Benchmark Report, shows that the use of internal reporting channels is increasing, a sign that reporters are more confident of using such channels without fear of retaliation.
Following the swearing-in of Parliament’s 400 members, the nation now waits for the final two portfolio committees to be constituted, that of judicial services and public accounts. Meanwhile, a group of civil society organisations have warned Parliament that it would be most unwise to appoint nominee and recently impeached former judge John Hlope to the judicial services committee, as only members of the highest ethical standing would be suitable.
South Africa has not yet managed to get off the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring for weaknesses in their anti-money laundering regimes. The country has been working on the weaknesses identified since 2021, but must still demonstrate a timely and enhanced accessibility of beneficial ownership information and a sustained increase in investigations and prosecutions of money laundering cases, among other requirements.
South Africa’s voters made their frustration plain on 29 May, writes Moepeng Talane for CW Voices, but the subsequent election to Parliament of several not-so-honourable members raises both eyebrows and questions. At what point, Talane asks, are standards going to be high enough that MPs who are undergoing or have undergone judicial processes against them, will be deemed unfit to serve in the legislature?
Former former sports, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa has been sworn in a member of Parliament for the ANC, Kodwa, who resigned his Cabinet post when he appeared in court on 5 June on state capture-related corruption charges, said he was just following party orders – but trade union association Cosatu says it would prefer that he resigned his parliamentary seat too.
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.