Tax havens will siphon trillions unless action taken

We know about the millions and billions lost to theft, corruption, maladministration, and other widely publicised causes – but what about the more insidious loss of similar amounts to the undeclared movement of taxable funds across borders? On 25 July the Tax Justice Network (TJN) published its annual State of Tax Justice report, and at Read more >

Victory for Abahlali and the Sheffield shack dwellers

Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko for GroundUp By Tsoanelo SefolokoFirst published on GroundUp A recent court settlement with the KwaDukuza Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal to include more than 300 shack dwellers in a new housing development has been welcomed by housing movement Abahlali BaseMjondolo. The agreement brings to an end nearly five-years of continuous evictions and court battles. Read more >

Using the law to frustrate, rather than support, whistle-blowers

Whistle-blowers and their challenges and potential hardships have been in the news lately. Plans to amend the legislation governing their protection are in motion – though not at the urgent speed we would like to see. Civil society organisations, including Corruption Watch, have been asking for meaningful changes for years, and it is only with Read more >

Lamola: Public must invoke Mandela spirit in guiding whistle-blower law changes

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Ronald Lamola urged members of the public to make meaningful contributions to the discussion document released by his department in June on amendments to whistle-blower protection legislation. Lamola delivered the keynote address at a symposium on the topic, hosted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Friday. In contributing, Read more >

CW adds voice to UN report on women human rights defenders

Corruption Watch (CW) heeded the call to input into the next report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly in October 2023. Submissions were to centre on the specific challenges faced by women human rights defenders (WHRDs) working in conflict, post-conflict, or crisis-affected settings. With Read more >

Parliament must take state capture complicity criticism on the chin

Image: Flickr/GovernmentZA By Karam SinghFirst published on News24 A strong constitutional democracy based on the model chosen by South Africa requires the legislature to play a vital role, beyond passing legislation, in providing oversight and holding the executive branch accountable. As part of the separation of powers, the legislature plays a vital democratic role in Read more >