The panel of adjudicators of the People’s Tribunal on Economic Crime have issued their preliminary findings, following on the close of the event on Wednesday evening. They recommended rigorous investigation into the evidence of corruption presented in connection with the apartheid era, the arms deal and the present-day state capture situation, and plan to hand their final report to government authorities.
Former arms deal insider Ajay Sooklal – mysteriously referred to as Witness X before his appearance – testified at the People’s Tribunal on Economic Crime in South Africa on Monday, and fingered a host of individuals from President Jacob Zuma to former French presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy.
Just before the launch of the The People’s Tribunal on Economic Crime, which is currently in session at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, NPO Open Secrets released a report titled Joining the Dots, which aims to interrogate the origins and legacy of economic crime in South Africa.
Corruption Watch will conduct dialogues at the 9th Alternative Mining Indaba in Cape Town. The M4SD project will examine the vulnerabilities in diverse mining sectors across various African countries, while the subject of mining royalty dispensation for the Bakwena ba Mogopa Traditional Community will be unpacked by representatives of: the royal family (elected and of royal lineage), mining companies, government and legal experts.
From 3-7 February, the People’s Tribunal on Economic Crime will examine the continuities between apartheid-era economic crime; the post-apartheid arms deal and contemporary state capture. The first hearings will focus on the arms trade over the past 40 years.
In a new study, researchers have demonstrated that it may be possible to predict who will play a role in future corruption scandals by modelling current scandals using networks. The results may provide a tool for detecting corrupt practices and reducing the high cost of corruption to society.
The theme of the 30th African Union summit, taking place this week in Addis Ababa, is ‘Winning the fight against corruption: a sustainable path to Africa’s transformation’, writes Liesl Louw-Vaudran of the Institute for Security Studies. Although a new wind seems to have been blowing across Africa in recent months, bringing with it new impetus to root out corruption, it remains to be seen whether African leaders will maintain the pace.
We are often frustrated in our attempts to uncover the story behind the reports we receive. Refusal to co-operate, silence on the other side, denial of Paia requests – these are all part and parcel of our investigative work and it is the reason that, in many cases, we cannot resolve a complaint to the satisfaction of a reporter. Take, for instance, the case of Joe Morolong local municipality.
Making the decision to blow the whistle on corruption and wrongdoing takes immense courage, when often it would be much easier to just turn a blind eye and say nothing. Whistleblowers often go through harrowing experiences on their way to vindication and the truth. Here are seven excellent films, mostly based on true stories, which document whistleblowers whose actions turned into huge stories.