Entries by Corruption Watch

Civil society’s fight for transparency is vital for democracy

15 September 2022 in , , /by

Today, 15 September, is the International Day of Democracy. This year’s theme is Protecting Press Freedom for Democracy, and it is firmly tied to the notion that for people to be able to participate fully in their country’s democratic systems and processes, they need information to help them make informed choices. This is where the democratic right to freedom of speech helps the media, civil society, and whistle-blowers to inform and educate the public, and expose corruption and other misdeeds.

Leaders still failing SA in the fight against corruption, says CW report 

14 September 2022 in , , /by

Corruption Watch’s 2022 Analysis of Corruption Trends report, released today, is based on the 1 037 whistle-blower reports received between January and June 2022. The report reveals that the most prevalent types of corruption across the board are fraud, amounting to 35% of total reports, abuse of authority including victimisation of whistle-blowers and maladministration, both at 17%, bribery and extortion (including sextortion) at 16%, and procurement irregularities which count for 15%.

Whistle-blowers betrayed by govt failure to protect them, despite promises

9 September 2022 in , , /by

Despite grand promises from government to protect them, whistle-blowers simply do not feel safe in South Africa. Whistle-blower Martha Ngoye, group head of legal at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, shared this sentiment at a media and civil society briefing held at the end of August. Ngoye has been suspended because of her disclosure of corruption at the agency, pending the outcome of a disciplinary process.

Media advisory: EU REAP to take centre stage in the Free State

6 September 2022 in , , , /by

Corruption Watch (CW) embarks today on a series of community engagements in the Free State province, from Tuesday 6 – Friday 9 September 2022. These events fall under Project Larona, CW’s work as part of the European Union Rallying Efforts to Accelerate Progress project, or EU REAP, which focuses on directly supporting groups at the intersection of income, wealth and social inequalities – those most left behind in Kenya and South Africa, and more broadly in Africa.

Media advisory: Corruption Watch to engage with communities in KZN

5 September 2022 in , /by

Corruption Watch has embarked on a series of community engagements in KwaZulu-Natal, from Monday 5 – Friday 9 September 2022, with the aim of improving transparency in policing and empowering communities to hold police in the province more accountable, through the ground-breaking Veza tool. The organisation will hold 9 community engagements around eThekwini during the course of the week.

High Court dismisses Seriti application for leave to appeal, with costs

2 September 2022 in , , , /by

In the North Gauteng High Court on Wednesday, Judge President Dunstan Mlambo dismissed an application for leave to appeal a judgment of 21 August 2019, which set aside the findings of the Seriti commission into allegations of corruption and impropriety in the 1999 arms deal. The appeal application was brought by Judge Willie Seriti, the commission’s chairperson, and former commission member Judge Hendrick Musi against Corruption Watch, the Right2Know Campaign, and five other respondents.

Government response to KZN, EC floods was too slow, says AG

1 September 2022 in , /by

A compromised control environment, vacancies in critical positions, inadequate needs assessments, and lack of urgency – these are some of the factors contributing to government’s slow response to the deadly floods of April 2022 in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke named these, and more, when on 31 August she presented the first in a series of audit reports on the use of relief funds in these two provinces.