No sustained youth development without transparency and accountability

Corruption is never beneficial – except to a self-serving few – but it adds an extra, unwanted challenge to those already facing South African youth, writes Mzwandile Banjathwa, Corruption Watch’s project coordinator. Unemployment is one of the biggest concerns, but when the very agencies that are tasked with helping young people gain skills and find Read more >

Digital Vibes saga shows importance of transparency, access to information

There is nowhere left to hide for former health minister Zweli Mkhize, his former deputy director-general Anban Pillay, and a number of other senior health department officials. With the eventual release of the 101-page report into the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) probe into the Digital Vibes, their corruption and lies are out in the open.  “This was done in the interest of fairness and in terms of the Promotion of Read more >

CW’s pocket guide to understanding local government

Local government elections are set to take place on 1 November 2021. These happen every five years, and it is important that citizens cast their vote to ensure they get the best representatives. However, it is equally important that all citizens have a good understanding of the structures and functions of local government, and to Read more >

Int’l Day for Universal Access to Information: the right to know

 “Access to reliable information saves lives. Misinformation and rumours can cost them.”   This is the message from Unesco director-general Audrey Azoulay today, on the International Day for Universal Access to Information, proclaimed at the Unesco general conference in 2015 and celebrated annually on 28 September.   This simple lesson is one we have learnt to Read more >

New survey shows decreasing public trust in govt anti-corruption efforts

A new report released on 15 September by research network Afrobarometer reveals that South Africans’ perceptions of the pervasiveness of corruption in the country have not improved. Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 476 (AD476) also shows respondents’ belief that high percentages of elected officials and civil servants are involved in corrupt activities. Corruption has been a major Read more >

Take our whistle-blower perceptions survey

Corruption Watch is a non-profit organisation launched in 2012. We rely on the public to report incidents of corruption to us and we use this information to fight corruption in South Africa and hold our leaders accountable. Over the last nine years, we have received over 30 000 whistle-blower complaints. In order to improve our Read more >