Released just before the local government elections of 3 November 2021, the latest Governance Performance Index from Good Governance Africa shows that in some areas, negative audit outcomes and repeated promises are having no effect on improving the lives of residents.
Swift action must be taken against those who benefited from an “elaborate corruption scheme” involving an airports project of the North West department of transport, according to the first report of the state capture commission, released in early January. Furthermore, an existing 6-year-old case into the matter must be wrapped up as soon as possible.
Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has determined, as shown in the first report of the commission of inquiry into state capture, that former South African Airways chairperson Dudu Myeni and her fellow board member and counterpart at the airline’s subsidiary SAA Technical, Yakhe Kwinana, oversaw a state-owned entity riddled with corruption during their terms, and fuelled a culture of bullying, fear and purging of executives who did not agree with their agenda.
Corruption Watch welcomes the commitment to transparency in making the just-released Zondo commission report available to the public. The organisation also commended recommendations such as an independent anti-corruption agency and increased protection for whistle-blowers, but expressed reservations about the length of time that will no doubt ensue before any real action or consequences can be seen.
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department wants you to become an anti-corruption ambassador. The organisation’s Internal Affairs Directorate has launched an initiative encouraging residents to blow the whistle on officers breaking the law, with the ambition of becoming ‘a JMPD that is free of corruption’.
Two senior officials at Nketoana Local Municipality have had their day in court. One, the former CFO of Nketoana, was sentenced to eight years in prison for money laundering and fraud. This sentence brings to an end a string of financial misdemeanours and hopping from one job to another without facing any significant consequences. The other, the current CFO, made his first appearance on fraud charges.
South Africa’s Constitution was signed into law 25 years ago today, on 10 December 1996. We take a brief look at the history and background of this historic document and, as a refresher, lay out the structure of the document, with links to further information.
Corruption is seen as presenting a significant challenge for the future growth of South African businesses, write Petrus Marais and Karam Singh, with 55% of executives (according to the FTI Resilience Barometer SA report) believing that it will increase from its already unacceptably high levels. But the current political climate provides a unique opportunity to reinvigorate the country’s fight against corruption and set it back on a path of growth.
In a report released on International Anti-Corruption Day, titled Daring to Act, Corruption Watch unveils the findings of an online perceptions survey towards whistle-blowing in South Africa. The survey explores the public’s trust in institutions, awareness of existing whistle-blowing and reporting channels, and views on suggested improvements to systems that would promote a safe environment for whistle-blowing.
Visit our GivenGain R20 for Change page and help us demand transparency in our systems, accountability in our leaders, and better empowerment and protection of whistle-blowers. By donating R20 a month, you’ll be supporting our work with communities across the country, helping them to know and access their rights and reduce the corruption that robs people of resources intended for their benefit.