The Supreme Court of Appeal’s dismissal, with costs, of the appeal by corrupt Prasa contractor Siyangena Technologies is a victory for whistle-blowers Martha Ngoye and Fani Dingiswayo, as well as all those who supported them.
South Africa’s black rhino population, which has been decimated by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade in recent decades because of demand for its horn, has received a boost in the form of an innovative wildlife conservation bond – a world first – issued by the World Bank.
Members of the parliamentary standing committee on police did not mince their words when voicing their displeasure during a meeting held a few weeks ago, in which the the South African Police Service presented its disappointing annual report. The Auditor-General of South Africa also presented its audit outcomes on the police department, and members were even more infuriated to discover that the Saps and Agsa results did not agree.
Lack of transparency of procurement data drives corruption and the spread of corrupt activities, and diverts funds meant to be used for development and the supply of basic services. The inaugural edition of the Global Data Barometer shows that overall, most countries have not yet got to grips with making their procurement data fully and easily accessible.
A recent judgment handed down in the Western Cape High Court, stated that there is evidence that gang members have infiltrated the top management structures of the Saps in the Western Cape, and are accessing key documents and strategies on crime fighting. Now the police ombud in that province has been called on to establish the feasibility of a commission of inquiry to probe links between gangs and police members.
In part three of our summary of the government response to the Zondo commission’s recommendations, we highlight the lack of accountability for those implicated in compromising the country’s intelligence systems. Part one dealt with a permanent investigative directorate under the NPA, enhanced asset recovery capabilities, and better whistle-blower protection. In part two we discussed changes proposed for the public procurement system.
Read our multi-part unpacking of the South African government’s proposed response to the recommendations of the Zondo commission. In part two we highlight changes proposed for the public procurement system. Part one looked at a permanent investigative directorate under the NPA, enhanced asset recovery capabilities, and better whistle-blower protection.
The Civil Society Working Group on State Capture – of which Corruption Watch is a member – welcomes the government’s acceptance of the findings of the Zondo commission, as outlined in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s response of 23 October 2022. It cautions, however, that to think of state capture as being a thing of the past would be to make a grave mistake.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigative Directive has arrested former Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko, his wife Mosima Koko, and his stepdaughter Koketso Choma on charges of corruption relating to state capture. The trio is said to have benefited from an irregularly awarded contract worth R2.2-billion.
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