In part 3 of our new mini-series on financial secrecy, we focus on the Corporate Tax Haven Index (CTHI), published by the Tax Justice Network (TJN) – the 2021 edition, released in March, is the second since 2019. Part 1 of the series looked at the definition of and gave information on secrecy jurisdictions and Read more >
Today, 3 May, is World Press Freedom Day, when the struggles and hostility faced by many whistle-blowers and journalists, especially in countries where freedom of speech and freedom of the press is restricted, is commemorated. This year’s event goes by the theme of Information as a Public Good. World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by Read more >
The term ‘secrecy jurisdiction’ might, for many, conjure up the image of a fortified bank vault deep underground in a Swiss city, or a tropical island teeming with wealthy individuals and located far away from troublesome laws and regulations. And indeed, the world’s greatest enabler of global financial secrecy is currently the sunny Cayman Islands, Read more >
In our new mini-series we’ll delve into the issue of financial secrecy – what it is, who enables it, how does it affect economies, which are the big culprits, and what role does corruption play? The series is based on two reports released by the Tax Justice Network (TJN) – the biennial Financial Secrecy Index, Read more >
Image: Mary-Anne Gontsana By Mary-Anne GontsanaFirst published on GroundUp Khayelitsha residents have raised their concerns over the long wait for an additional police station. But the South African Police Service (SAPS) says it cannot provide a timeframe for when the station will be built or when it will be fully operational. Delivering his budget speech Read more >
The latest national and provincial government audit outcomes, released by the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA) on 31 March, show “signs of improvement” in some auditees, according to Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke. The work was conducted under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and covered the financial year of 2019-2020. Besides the provincial and national departments, Read more >
By Janine Erasmus Fifty years ago the concept might have been taken from a science fiction plot. Now it’s one of the new technologies that become more sophisticated as time passes. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms to track down suspicious activity is a reality – but can we trust them to reveal illicit financial Read more >
Image: Centre for Environmental Rights By Matshidiso DibakwaneFirst published in City Press After receiving a number of reports from mining-affected communities in the North West, Corruption Watch undertook to advocate for the release of the Mafereka commission report, which has not seen the light of day, years after its submission to the premier’s office. The Read more >
Transparency International (TI) is encouraging citizens to get involved with their government’s Covid-19 vaccination regimes and systems. Any citizen has a right to know how their government’s decisions are made and taxpayer resources are spent. Especially when it comes to health issues, citizens are entitled to transparency regarding decisions and actions that are taken on Read more >