School corruption tip-offs rising steadily

Since kicking off our schools campaign in January this year, the number of complaints about corruption in schools has increased dramatically. In March we recorded a total of 68 tip-offs, but by the end of July, this figure had passed the 200-mark. See our infographic explaining the trends here. The complaints indicate that principals and Read more >

Weighing in on public service clean-up bill

Corruption Watch recently made submissions on the Public Administration Management Bill, calling for an outright ban on civil servants doing business with the state, a cooling off period when an individual moves from the public to private sector, and prohibiting re-employment within the state if an individual is fired for corruption-related misconduct. The draft law, Read more >

Audit finds dirty deals at Pikitup

A corruption probe into dodgy tenders worth R360-million at Pikitup ground to a halt after the state-owned waste utility mysteriously pulled the plug on the investigation. The Sunday Times has established that Pikitup paid audit firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young) R6-million to investigate tender rigging – then halted the probe in October 2012 before Read more >

Procurement corruption rampant in schools

Here’s a snapshot of some of the schools incidents* we’ve received from the public recently, so you can get a feel for the kind of trends we're picking up: a power struggle at a school that resulted in a corrupt principal being appointed; a deputy principal at a college buying expensive software that never materialised; Read more >

Traffic tjo-tjo and HR nepotism on the increase

Here’s a snapshot of some of the corruption incidents* we’ve received from the public recently, so you can get a feel for the kind of trends we're picking up: a jobs-for-friends scheme by a senior HR manager, bribes in exchange for test passes at a certain Gauteng traffic department, a Harley Davidson biker targeted for Read more >

The trouble in Tlokwe: latest developments

Fourteen councillors in North West’s troubled Tlokwe municipality have been reinstated by the ANC after being dismissed in July. A provincial disciplinary committee had found them guilty of misconduct after they participated in a vote of no confidence against former mayor Maphetle Maphetle, in November 2012. The vote was prompted by allegations of corruption against Read more >

Corruption Watch joins construction cartel hearings

By Nicky Rehbock Corruption Watch today called for all those affected by the recently exposed collusive tendering in the construction industry – including municipalities, provinces and private entities – to institute civil claims for damages suffered. This was made in a submission by the organisation to the Competition Tribunal for the hearings into the R1.46-billion Read more >

Tlokwe’s forgotten community

By Valencia Talane Away from the political power drama that has made Tlokwe municipality in North West a hot topic recently, is the story of a small town – like many others in South Africa – where service delivery is seen to be compromised by corruption and non-accountability in the eyes of the community.   Read more >

Corruption and land: what the public have told us

By Valencia Talane Since launching in January 2012 Corruption Watch has received a sizeable number of complaints implicating the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform involving abuse of power, corruption in procurement processes and bribery. Because the majority of land changing hands between commercial farmers and formerly dispossessed communities is in the rural areas, Read more >