Entries by Corruption Watch

Call for proposals: outdoor marketing and promotions

As part of the Bua Mzansi (Speak up South Africa) campaign, Corruption Watch will be embarking on outreach activities in the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo, Consequently the organisation seeks to appoint an agency / consultants to provide strategic outdoor marketing services in key cities in these provinces. Read the brief for further details.

Corruption Challenges Index: unexpected result for SA

The Corruption Challenges Index for 2017, released by global consultancy firm Risk Advisory Group, ranks 181 countries in terms of the markets that pose the most – and the fewest – corruption challenges for investing businesses. It presents an unexpected result for South Africa, one that is not as doom-laden as results from other indexes.

New arms deal allegations against Zuma and Thales

New court documents, filed by Pretoria lawyer Ajay Sooklal in support of Corruption Watch and Right2Know’s court case challenging the findings of the Seriti Commission, allege that President Jacob Zuma benefited handsomely from South Africa’s controversial arms deal and that he instructed Sooklal to withhold that information from the commission.

FIC bill signed into law at last

On Saturday 29 April President Jacob Zuma signed the long-awaited Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) bill into law. The amended FIC act is aimed at strengthening domestic regulations that deal with money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and illicit financial transactions. Corruption Watch was one of a number of civil society organisations which made parliamentary submissions regarding the content of the FIC bill.

The no-fee school which forced parents to pay

It is illegal for a no-fee school to charge fees of any kind to parents, although parents can be encouraged to make “voluntary contributions” of money or time to the school. But Corruption Watch has had many reports of no-fee schools like Mpumelelo Primary School charging fees to parents, and sometimes even withholding a child’s progress report or barring them entry to the school premises if the parent has not paid.

Don’t let corruption in SA become normalised

If corruption in South Africa becomes institutionalised, writes Prof William Gumede of Wits University’s School of Governance, it will be virtually impossible to tackle it. In a policy brief published recently, he outlines a number of steps that can be taken to combat corruption, but although they have all been suggested at one time or another, those in authority have been reluctant to adopt them.

From rainbow nation to junk status, via unethical leaders

When leadership power is used for self-enrichment and self-interest and to pursue corrupt ends, it amounts to a gross abuse of power, writes Cynthia Schoeman. But now is not a time to succumb to feeling powerless – we must remember the strength and resilience of the many social activists who fought for our freedom, and find that same strength within ourselves. Now is the time to be an ethics activist.

Nxasana willing to resume duties as NDPP

Former National Director of Public Prosecutions, Mxolisi Nxasana, has filed a revealing and potentially damning affidavit in response to an application lodged by Corruption Watch and Freedom Under Law. Nxasana reveals that he did not make a request to the president to leave office in terms of section 12(8) of the NPA Act and that therefore the president’s version of events is false, among other statements.