CORRUPTION NEWS

Political intervention needed to save local govt: Maluleke

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke on Wednesday revealed to Parliament that only 41 of South Africa’s 257 municipalities obtained clean audit outcomes in the latest Municipal Finance Management Act audit outcomes for the 2023/24 financial year – although this is an improvement from the previous reporting period’s 35 municipalities. Furthermore, 99 municipalities obtained unqualified outcomes with findings, Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

How CSOs can drive anti-corruption work during SA’s G20 leadership year

By Dr Sunday Israel OyebamijiFirst published on Democracy Development Programme Corruption is pervasive and undermines democratic governance, economic development, and social justice worldwide. In South Africa, corruption has significantly eroded public trust in institutions and hindered efforts to achieve sustainable development (Mungiu‐Pippidi, 2023). Civil society organisations (CSOs) play a crucial role in addressing corruption through Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Illegal wildlife crime is, at its heart, an economic crime, says WWF-UK

Image: Wikimedia Commons Despite growing awareness of and increasing measures against the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), it remains a serious global threat. This form of transnational organised crime, says the Wildlife Justice Commission, is estimated to generate at least US$20-billion in criminal proceeds each year, because it is largely low-risk and high-reward. Like corruption, IWT Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Gauteng ethics report: still a lot of ground to cover

In November 2014, the then premier of Gauteng David Makhura told an anti-corruption summit convened by his government in Midrand, Johannesburg, of plans to develop an ethics management strategy across all departments of the province. This was to build a corruption-free administration that values ethics and promotes an honest government. Underpinning such a strategy would Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

South Africa at the helm of Commonwealth Africa’s anti-corruption body

Image: AAACOA South Africa currently chairs the Botswana-based Association of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa (AAACOA). The country, in the person of Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head Adv. Andy Mothibi, recently assumed the chairperson’s seat from Ghana and will keep it throughout the 2025-2026 term. The handover took place during the closing session Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

There is no true freedom without press freedom

Image: Voice of America Global freedom of information watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) on 2 May 2025, and the picture it paints is not a pretty one. The report describes a marked deterioration of press freedom around the world, with violations such as physical attacks, restricted public Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Role of AI in media explored on World Press Freedom Day

Thirty-two years ago, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as an international day for press freedom, under the custodianship of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). Since then, says Unesco director-general Audrey Azoulay, a lot has changed – including the way the information universe works. The theme of this year’s World Press Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

The effect of social norms on bureaucratic corruption

South Africa is not alone in striving to address public sector corruption, which has been allowed to flourish over centuries of governance. Countries all over the world – yes, even those at the top of the Corruption Perceptions Index – struggle with the relentless tide of bribery, malfeasance, extortion, and more, that is sweeping over Read more >