Corruption Watch has complained to both the National Prosecuting Authority and the Department of Justice about what it says is a threat from the NPA’s commercial crimes head, advocate Lawrence Mrwebi. In an e-mail, Mrwebi said he could be interested in investigating its finances.
Corruption is a leading indicator for political instability and unrest, says a new study from the Institute for Economics and Peace. The study also highlights the presence of a tipping point, where small increases in corruption result in large decreases in the levels of peace.
The new head of the National Prosecuting Authority has his work cut out in rebuilding the credibility and reputation of the organisation. But will he last the full 10 years of his tenure? None of his predecessors have.
Where are the voices of those leaders who put their lives on the line to secure South Africa’s freedom, writes Kavisha Pillay. They are needed now in this time of moral crisis.
It has been suggested the South African government might not have known that, in funding the “Diaspora Legacy Fund”, it was paying a bribe. Is this likely? And does it make a difference from a legal perspective? And is the minister of sport correct when he says it is none of the South African government’s business how the money was spent?
Our hero of the week is the national Department of Basic Education, which is making determined efforts to root out dishonest conduct at examination centres during matric exams.
The 2015 Corruption Risk Index, just published by Verisk Maplecroft, singled out one particular reason for the failure of politicians to fight bribery – senior officials responsible for addressing the issue profit from it most. The index points to sub-Saharan Africa as the region that poses the most risk of corruption for business.
In Zimbabwe’s city of Harare, the income of street vendors has been affected for years by police intimidation and corruption, and the recent decision to declare them illegal has only made their work harder.
The voices of African youth have resonated loud and clear from across the continent as the winners to Corruption Watch’s writing competition, My Corruption Free Africa, were announced on 16 June as part of the organisation’s youth month activities. Our winning entries came from Cameroon, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.