HEROES & ZEROES

Giving us the ‘silent treatment’ makes MEC a zero

Our zero this week is embattled Gauteng MEC for local government and housing Humphrey Mmemezi, who seems to be using the same delaying tactics for answering about his “spending sprees” as Gauteng speaker Lindiwe Maseko. In a rather surprise move following the media splurge about his alleged credit card abuse and car damage, Mmemezi submitted Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Fighting graft top of new police chief’s agenda

By Wilma den Hartigh South Africa’s new national police commissioner, General Magwashi Victoria Phiyega, addressed members of the media for the first time yesterday, 14 June, at a press conference in Pretoria. Phiyega’s appointment, announced by President Jacob Zuma earlier this week on Tuesday, came as a surprise as she is not from within the Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Will new top cop cut it?

Heated reactions have followed the appointment of our first female police commissioner, Magwashi Victoria Phiyega. These range from optimism that her experience will help staunch corruption within and beyond the force, to outright disdain over her being a civilian – something the South African Policing Union (Sapu) says is an “insult to the country's police”. Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Joburgers open up about cop corruption

In the weeks following our hard-hitting report on corruption within the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), a string cases of alleged bribery and assault by police have been publicised, with the Ivory Park hawker incident and The Star’s recent coverage of alleged cop corruption in Bryanston among the most damning. Corruption Watch went undercover in Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Feisty vendor helps snag crooked cop

Fed up with the rampant corruption within the SAPS, Durban cigarette vendor Kuben Govender took matters into his own hands and helped police apprehend a crooked cop and two other men impersonating police officers who allegedly robbed him of R1 000 worth of cigarettes and solicited a further R400 from him. The suspects included a Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Clean cops face dim fate – union

By Chantelle Benjamin Traffic officers who choose not to get involved in corruption face being ostracised, intimidated or edged out of their positions, according to researchers and unions involved with metro police departments. The situation is unlikely to improve without proper remuneration and training, and the political will to hold officials accountable, the sources say, Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Cosatu welcomes Mdluli judgment

Cosatu welcomed on Monday the Johannesburg Labour Court's decision to rescind the lifting of former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli's suspension. “The federation urges the SAPS (SA Police Service), Hawks and Public Protector to urgently investigate all the extremely serious allegations made against him,” Congress of SA Trade Unions spokesman Patrick Craven said in a Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Durban’s R2bn graft report handed over

By Chantelle Benjamin Ethekwini’s forensic Manase report, which implicated senior municipal officials and politicians in financial irregularities, fraud and corruption estimated at R2.2-billion, has been handed over to the special crime task team set up by the presidency. Meanwhile, the slow pace of internal disciplinary procedures against officials and councillors has been criticised, with only Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Ivory Park assault cops taken off streets

By Chantelle Benjamin Six Johannesburg metro police officers have been positively identified as having been involved in the April assault on Ivory Park residents Andries Ndlovu and Joseph Khumalo. The six, who took part in an identity parade on Wednesday 23 May, have been transferred to the metro police’s building in Loveday Street where they Read more >