Eighteen months after the G20 set up principles to address the problem of beneficial ownership, not much has happened globally. However, in its third Open Government Partnership national action plan, launched last week, South Africa committed to taking concrete action to implement the principles.
As delegates prepare for the upcoming international anti-corruption conference in London, it’s worth remembering the menace corruption poses to development, human dignity, and global security.
This week at the Open Government Partnership meeting in Cape Town, South Africa launched its third national action plan which includes a high-level commitment to creating a public register of beneficial ownership information. The move has been welcomed by civil society organisations.
Corruption Watch is one of a group of civil society organisations which have written an open letter to South Africa’s special envoy to the Open Government Partnership, expressing their deep dismay at government’s inadequate efforts to implement and co-ordinate OGP policies in the country.
Local government elections will take place on 3 August this year. A recent survey highlights the best and the worst of local municipalities, but in such comparisons it’s important to factor in their various economic backgrounds.
Corruption Watch’s Bua Mzansi campaign aims to make sure that the next public protector has the same independence as the outgoing Thuli Madonsela. When her non-renewable term ends in September this year, we will do all we can to ensure Madonsela’s successor takes impunity as seriously as she does.
In a biting judgment handed down today, the Pretoria High Court has found that the decision in 2009 to withdraw corruption charges against Jacob Zuma was irrational and should be reviewed and set aside, and that Zuma should face the charges. The case was brought by the DA.
The Seriti Commission into South Africa’s arms deal is our zero for this week for its failure to expose and curb grand corruption. The commission released its 700-plus-page report last week, revealing that it could find no trace of corruption and declaring the deal to be completely above board.
Parliament’s joint standing committee on intelligence is paying lip service to transparency in the recommendation process for the new inspector-general of intelligence, writes AmaBhungane. This has important implications for Corruption Watch’s Bua Mzansi public protector campaign.