An accountable government with a reliable criminal justice system is something all South Africans should work towards, because the corruption-free country we all wish for can only be achieved by all of society working together. This is what SAAC co-ordinator Bongani Mbokwana told his community in Bizana on International Anti-Corruption Day.
This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day, which is commemorated every year on 9 December, takes place – as it did in 2024 – under the theme Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity. The theme highlights the vital role young people play in the fight against corruption and their potential to become powerful agents of change as the world strives for a future that runs on integrity rather than corruption.
On 28 November the Independent Electoral Commission briefed the parliamentary portfolio committees on Home Affairs and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on preparations and increasing readiness for the 2026 local government elections. The commission addressed challenges such as voter apathy, the spread of disinformation, and technical problems, and shared the measures taken so far and that would be taken to combat these.
The newly green-lighted parliamentary committee on the Presidency will enable the National Assembly to scrutinise the Presidency’s operations and budget. This, says Parliament, will be the first time such scrutiny will be available through a dedicated, rule-based structure, as the Presidency’s budget was heretofore the only national budget not overseen by a committee.
Corruption Watch has successfully lobbied the Department of Justice to publish the CVs of the six candidates for national director of public prosecutions. The department is in search of a successor to Shamila Batohi, who retires in January 2026, and had revealed the shortlisted candidates but had neglected to publish their CVs to enable the public to meaningfully engage with and comment on them.
Bheki Cele is an extortionist, while Brown Mogotsi is a con artist. This is according to businessman and attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who on Thursday finished his second day of giving testimony before the parliamentary ad hoc committee investigating police corruption.
Baseless claims of police leaders and royal personages working in the interest of western countries while taking bribes from alleged criminals, and describing himself as a patriotic undercover operative for crime intelligence – these are the things that controversial North West businessman Brown Mogotsi’s testimony before the Madlanga commission are made of.
The world is at a crossroads when it comes to dealing with illicit economies, says a new GI-TOC research report on the global situation. Many types of organised crime show surges of growth while resilience takes a beating, lagging behind evolving crime threats. And in South Africa, criminality is on the rise while resilience remains stagnant.
Corruption Watch, with Social Change Assistance Trust and Transparency International and co-funded by the European Union, is driving enhanced accountability in South Africa through the Strengthening Action Against Corruption (SAAC) Project. This initiative specifically targets community advice offices/civil society organisations in the Eastern Cape province, equipping them with the knowledge and resources needed to identify and address corruption, and mobilise their communities.