Gauteng Together: no one is safe unless we are all safe

South Africa’s inequalities have never been more glaring than now, during the Covid-19 global pandemic. The aggressive measures taken to slow the infection rate have brought South Africa’s economy – already in a frail condition – to a virtual standstill but worse, it has increased food insecurity for those who live in poverty or are Read more >

No forced evictions during lockdown, says minister

By Thato Mahlangu Forced evictions, allegedly carried out by the Cape Town and eThekwini municipalities during the national lockdown have been described as inhumane by a union. Since the start of the lockdown security forces in many parts of the Western Cape have forcefully evicted informal settlements from land they had occupied, even though human Read more >

To defeat the coronavirus, stop corruption

By Tammy Kupperman ThorpFirst published on the Foreign Policy website As the coronavirus spreads around the world, the rushed global response could create opportunities for graft, including fraud and bribery stemming from critical emergency cash flows and medical supply shortages. If safeguards are not put into place quickly, the scale of this corruption could be Read more >

Helpful Covid-19 resources in a time of uncertainty

Knowledge is power, and you can never know too much about the coronavirus that is sweeping the world – provided it is the correct information from a reputable or official source. We have gathered a set of data sheets and pamphlets focused on the South African situation, which may be freely distributed. These resources provide Read more >

Provincial health dept warns against fake news spread

Fake news is rife during the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa. Image by MSN. By Thato Mahlangu People spreading fake news during the Covid-19 pandemic will be prosecuted, warns the Gauteng Department of Health. The provincial health department said on Monday that members of the public should be vigilant of any misleading information and fake Read more >

SIU to probe tender irregularity allegations

By Thato Mahlangu Allegations of an irregular ICT tender awarded by the Gauteng provincial government has prompted Premier David Makhura to request the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to probe the matter. I am deeply concerned about allegations that a tender was irregularly awarded by the Department of e-Government. I view these allegations in a very Read more >

O’Regan appointed as Covid-19 designated judge

Minister of justice and correctional services Ronald Lamola has appointed Justice Kate O’Regan as the Covid-19 designated judge The regulations issued in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002, and as published on 2 April 2020 in Government Gazette No 43199, make provision for contact tracing and for a national database to Read more >

New Covid-19 solidarity fund is on a roll

It is important for the recently established Solidarity Fund, set up by government in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak in South Africa, to operate with transparency and to exercise good governance. This way, South Africans will have faith in its work, which is to respond urgently to the devastation brought on by the Read more >

CW annual report: Public fights corruption in key sectors

Corruption Watch (CW) today released its latest annual corruption report. Titled The Writing is on the Wall, it shows how throughout 2019, the public continued to expose corrupt individuals intent on abusing their power and looting public resources in key sectors. The 3 694 whistle-blower reports in 2019 highlighted how individuals were robbed of access to Read more >