Reveal beneficial owners of firms to stem graft

By David Lewis There is a head of steam building behind what must sound like an arcane, technical proposal – that companies be obliged to reveal their beneficial owners and that this information be placed on a public register. After intense lobbying by Transparency International and other nongovernmental organisations, this proposal was adopted by the Read more >

Integrity unit to keep eye on govt – part three

In part one of our series we introduced the Public Administration Management Act, and part two highlighted positive and negative reactions to its enactment. Part three gives more detail on the Public Administration Ethics, Integrity and Disciplinary Technical Assistance Unit, which is established in chapter six of the PAM Act – it will aim to “provide technical assistance and Read more >

Global corruption snapshots: 12 Feb 2015

'Kenyans' paying millions to shed off refugee status Millions of shillings are changing hands between people seeking national identity cards and registration officials in northern Kenya, a task force investigating double registration heard this week. The task force is seeking to establish the number of genuine Kenyans who registered with the United Nation High Commissioner Read more >

Public procurement overhaul

Public procurement management has been a major headache for the national finance department for a long time, and it's doubtless a welcome source of relief to many to know that systems are being re-established that will save government money and protect the interest of taxpayers. The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO), which is part of Treasury, Read more >

Open tender project under way in Gauteng

The Gauteng provincial government has delivered on its promise – made in November 2014 – of bringing unprecedented levels of openness and transparency to the murky waters of its tendering processes. The first public disclosure of a tender took place at the provincial treasury offices in Johannesburg on Friday, with that department being chosen to Read more >

Samwu corruption suspect now in custody

The Save Our Samwu (SOS) campaign, notes its website, came about following the dismissals, expulsions and suspensions of leading Samwu officials after the union’s national office bearers (NOBs) refused to answer questions on the organisation’s finances. In April 2014 a majority vote called for the suspension of the NOBs and for a forensic audit. "It was Read more >

R3-million to stay at home

Taxpayers generally like to see that their hard-earned money is being put to constructive use. So they would not be happy to know that the Department of Water Affairs, according to media reports, has been paying a suspended senior official handsomely for sitting at home – for two years. What’s more, the salary in question Read more >

Global corruption snapshots: 05 Feb 2015

Petrobras CEO steps down amid corruption scandal Embattled Brazilian oil company Petrobras said on Wednesday the company's chief executive officer and five other top figures stepped down amid a long-running and massive kickback scandal at the firm. Government-run Petrobras said in a one-line statement on its website that CEO Maria das Gracas Foster and five Read more >

Still too many barriers to information, says PAIA CSN

Corruption Watch is a member of the PAIA Civil Society Network, an organisation whose members have committed themselves to improving the implementation and usage of the Promotion of Access to Information Act in South Africa, raising awareness about the right amongst citizens, and working with bodies subject to the Act to improve understanding. The organisation Read more >