One more step for incoming public protector

Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane is one step away from being named as South Africa’s new public protector. Last night the National Assembly gave her the 60% majority yes vote that she needed to make her appointment all but permanent. Her nomination was officially approved with 263 votes in favour to 79 against and one abstention. President Read more >

Technology can boost active citizenship – if chosen well

By Indra de Lanerolle First published in The Conversation – Africa Civic technology initiatives are on the rise. They are using new information and communication technologies to improve transparency, accountability and governance – faster and more cheaply than before. In Taiwan, for instance, tech activists have built online databases to track political contributions and create channels for public Read more >

Is this our new public protector?

Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, an analyst at the State Security Agency, was yesterday selected by the parliamentary ad hoc committee in charge of appointing a new public protector, as the most suitable candidate to take over from Thuli Madonsela. Madonsela’s non-renewable seven-year term ends on 19 October 2016. From the start Corruption Watch intended to ensure Read more >

SA should choose all public figures this way

By Serjeant at the Bar First published in Mail & Guardian Something strange happened in South African politics last week, which was not directly connected to the local government elections that have discombobulated the ruling party. For arguably the first time in 20 years a subcommittee of the legislature did its job without fear or Read more >

Puppets should be on TV, not working as the protector

In the build-up to the appointment of our new public protector, we have engaged the services of that irreverent puppet Chester Missing for a series titled Puppet vs Protector. In it, Chester conducts short interviews with Dr Makhosi Khosa, the chairperson of the parliamentary ad hoc committee tasked with selecting Thuli Madonsela’s successor, as well Read more >

CW urges public to have their say on PP candidates

12 August 2016 The interviews of all 14 short-listed candidates for the post of public protector were conducted yesterday by the Parliamentary ad hoc committee running well into the early hours of the morning. Corruption Watch has launched an online voting tool for the public to indicate which is their preferred candidates. The results of Read more >

Survey: what people want from our new protector

For the past six months Corruption Watch’s public awareness and engagement campaign, Bua Mzansi, has focused on the appointment of a new public protector as the incumbent, Thuli Madonsela, ends her term in office on 19 October 2016. The Office of the Public Protector is tasked with investigating improper practices at any level of government, Read more >

Meet the shortlisted public protector candidates

The shortlisted candidates vying for the public protector position have been announced by the ad hoc committee established to recommend a person for the appointment. The 14 shortlisted candidates are as follows: Judge Sharise Weiner Judge Sirajudien Desai Adv Kevin Malunga Adv Nonkosi Cetywayo Adv Mhlaliseni Mthembu Adv Madibeng Mokoditwa Adv Mamiki Goodman Adjunct Prof Read more >

CW urges public participation in selecting new protector

Following the recent announcement of the nominated candidates for the post of public protector by Parliament’s ad hoc committee, Corruption Watch urges the public to participate in the appointment process by endorsing or raising objections to candidates by 16h00 on 8 July 2016. The ad hoc committee placed adverts in newspapers across the country, calling Read more >