Entries by Corruption Watch

Can municipal corruption be likened to organised crime?

15 January 2026 in , /by

At the end of 2026, citizens will vote for their local government representatives. It’s not too early to start giving careful consideration to who gets that vote, especially in light of a new policy brief from ENACT and the Institute for Security Studies, which examines the patterns of corruption in local government and compares them to those found in organised crime. “The more organised, normalised, and profitable corruption becomes in local government across South Africa, the less incentive there will be for good governance.”

The global state of democracy is cause for concern

8 January 2026 in , /by

Towards the end of 2025 the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an organisation supporting democracy around the world, published the latest edition of The Global State of Democracy, an index that assesses democratisation across the world. The results show a global pattern of weakening democracy. South Africa, despite some low scores, for instance in Absence of Corruption, did not fare too badly overall.

Appointment of the new national director of public prosecutions

7 January 2026 in , , /by

Corruption Watch notes the surprise announcement of the appointment of Adv Andy Mothibi, current SIU head, as the new national director of public prosecutions. The organisation says that while Mothibi does bring a wealth of anti-corruption knowledge and experience, he was nonetheless not one of the six short-listed candidates and it would have been preferable for him to have been subjected to the same interview process as the others.

Government embarks on audits into farm worker equity schemes

6 January 2026 in , , /by

Land reform and rural development minister Mzwanele Nyhontso has revealed before the National Assembly that forensic audits into farmworker equity schemes are under way, with the aim of recovering funds lost to corruption and unethical practices and possibly extending the investigations into corruption. This follows years of activism and investigation by various stakeholders, including Corruption Watch.

Police corruption probes take break, but whistle-blower protection remains urgent

19 December 2025 in , /by

As we draw close to the anniversary of the surprising, but fateful, order by Senzo Mchunu at the end of December 2024 for SAPS leadership to disband the PKTT, it is important for the decision makers probing the allegations of political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system to prioritise accountability and, in the interest of public confidence, the urgency of whistle-blower protection and support.   

CW enquires into alleged irregular increase of STP salary

18 December 2025 in , , , /by

Corruption Watch has written to Parliament asking for answers regarding “alleged irregularities” that have been brought to its attention in relation to the recent salary increase of the current Secretary to Parliament (STP), Xolile George. Since George took office in June 2022, his salary has ballooned from R2.5-million to the current R6.1-million.

Two South Africans among 2025 Anti-Corruption Excellence Award winners

17 December 2025 in , /by

South Africa’s Dr Marianne Camerer – who is also Corruption Watch’s deputy chairperson – is one of the nine distinguished recipients of this year’s Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award. The ACE Award programme supports and inspires efforts in anti-corruption, through awareness, encouragement and challenge.

CW board appoints new ED, looks forward to next chapter

17 December 2025 in , , , /by

The Corruption Watch board is delighted to announce the appointment of its new executive director, Lebogang Ramafoko, who will commence her role on 5 January 2026. Lebogang is a veteran in the NGO and social justice sector, and is known as a leading feminist, activist and visionary leader, as well as a seasoned development, gender, and social justice expert. She has headed organisations such as Soul City Institute, Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa, and Oxfam South Africa.

State of Tax Justice 2025: it’s nowhere to be seen

15 December 2025 in , /by

Under pressure from corporate giants and the super-rich, governments have programmed tax and financial systems to prioritise the wealthiest over everybody else, wiring financial secrecy and tax havens into the core of the global economy, says the Tax Justice Network. The organisation recently released the 2025 edition of its State of Tax Justice report, which shows that justice is unattainable for many countries which continue to be cheated out of tax revenue by conniving corporates and greedy governments.