DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

It’s hard to defame a South African politician

Dear Corruption Watch, Businessman Hugh Glenister’s Constitutional Court appeal calls President Jacob Zuma a “corrupt crook” and his government “extremely corrupt”. The president, in turn, calls this defamatory. Can you please explain the law of defamation? When does name-calling become illegal? What recourse do people have and are different standards applied to senior public officials? Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

OECD convention not just a nice-to-have

Dear Corruption Watch, I recently came across a report damning our lack of compliance with the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention that South Africa ratified in 2007. It says out of a mere ten foreign bribery allegations that have come to light our government has prosecuted exactly zero. We have until October to write a self-assessment report. What is the OECD convention Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

What happens when Thuli leaves in 2016?

​Dear Corruption Watch, I am a great supporter of our current public protector, who seems to have done her best to investigate and report on corruption in the government. What happens when her term of office comes to an end? How can we ensure that an impartial person is appointed to this important position? Non-biased Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Are Madonsela’s powers in jeopardy?

Dear Corruption Watch, Last week, members of Parliament’s justice portfolio committee made some worrying statements to the public protector. According to reports, ANC members accused Thuli Madonsela of “taking certain postures” and expressing “certain views” that were about the government and “political in nature”.  The ANC also suggested that there should be a review of Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

When attorneys take dirty money in trust

Dear Corruption Watch, You’ve been writing about tracking the proceeds of corruption. I’m told that law firms maintain large trust accounts for their clients. Is this not also a way of hiding, or laundering, the proceeds of corruption? Curious Dear Curious The trust account is an essential part of an attorney’s practice. By law, any Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Revive plan for bureau to root out corruption

Opinion: Nicola Whitaker New Public Service and Administration Minister Collins Chabane appears to be confronting head-on his department’s task of transforming the public service into an "effective service delivery machine". Last week, the Business Day reported that Chabane sees rooting out corruption as part of his department’s normal work. On this score, he highlights the Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Nepotism must be tackled

Dear Corruption Watch, I see that Deutsche Bank is under investigation to see whether it hired the children of Chinese government officials as a way to win contracts. This follows the arrest of the head of investment banking in China at JP Morgan Chase for the same possible violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Banks keep watch for ill-gotten gains

Dear Corruption Watch, We read a lot about the families of foreign dictators buying expensive properties in South Africa. No doubt many wealthy South Africans similarly have large personal bank accounts in other countries. How do we know that these inward and outward flows are not the proceeds of corruption? Neighbour Dear Neighbour, You are Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Getting a grip on irregular expenditure in municipalities

Dear CW I am constantly reading about ‘irregular expenditure’ and ‘fruitless and wasteful expenditure’. What does this all mean? The Financial and Fiscal Commission said recently a whopping R4.7-billion was wasted in public healthcare spending. While few public servants with their hands in the cookie jar are prosecuted, fewer still seem to be held accountable for what also seems to be a Read more >