News & Views - Corruption Watch

SA police serve the ANC insiders, not the people: here’s how it happened

30 Jul 2025, 12:33

Image: Wikimedia Commons By Ivor ChipkinFirst published on The Conversation: Africa After South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, there was significant optimism about police reform in the country. Impressive steps were taken to bring the South African Police Service under civilian control and to create a service responsive to calls for assistance from the Read more >

Madlanga commission terms of reference gazetted

28 Jul 2025, 12:27

President Cyril Ramaphosa has gazetted, in number No. 53048 of 23 July 2025, the upcoming Madlanga inquiry into law enforcement corruption. The gazette also includes the terms of reference which lay out the scope of the inquiry, and other regulations which guide its work. Ramaphosa established the “Judicial Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference, Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

SA public largely indifferent to the party funding act, distrustful of politics

25 Jul 2025, 10:32

With local government elections coming up next year, it is important that voters do their research beforehand so they know their options and are clear about which party or candidate deserves their vote. One of the big issues is that of political party funding, where transparency and regulation are crucial components of an efficient democracy. Read more >

OPINIONS

South Africans are sick to death of persistent corruption by politicians

22 Jul 2025, 14:59

By Lonwabo Patrick KulatiFirst published on Daily Maverick Greg Mills, in his book Why States Recover, illustrates that the key reason behind economic failure is politics: “Today, the bulk of the world’s poor – totalling 1.1 billion of the planet’s seven billion people – live in failed or failing states,” he states. The continued failure Read more >

PRESS RELEASES

Corruption Watch condemns threats and attacks on Abahlali and SERI

21 Jul 2025, 16:37

Corruption Watch (CW) strongly condemns the recent threats, physical violence, and verbal attacks on human rights defenders Abahlali baseMjondolo (Abahlali), the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI), and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) by anti-immigrant organisation Operation Dudula and its allied groups. This follows Operation Dudula’s marches on 17 July to the Durban and Johannesburg Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Bribery in South Africa: law now puts a duty on companies to act

17 Jul 2025, 12:56

By Rehana Cassim, Unisa professor in company lawFirst published on The Conversation: Africa Bribery is one of the most common forms of corruption in South African companies and state institutions. This has a number of harmful outcomes. Firstly, research shows that it weakens democracy and slows down economic growth. It also creates expensive barriers for Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Have your say on the IEC’s e-voting discussion document by end Sept 2025

15 Jul 2025, 12:51

Image: IEC The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa calls on all South Africans to join the national dialogue on the potential implementation of electronic voting systems in the country’s electoral processes. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 30 September 2025. Electronic voting (e-voting) refers to any voting system where votes are cast or Read more >

PRESS RELEASES

Commission of inquiry into police corruption way overdue

14 Jul 2025, 17:23

Corruption Watch (CW) is disappointed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken so long to announce the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe the allegations of criminal infiltration into law enforcement agencies in South Africa, as he finally did on Sunday 13 July 2025. That this action comes only now, after the grave Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

AACD: Preserving human dignity in anti-corruption efforts

11 Jul 2025, 10:25

Human dignity (n): Human dignity refers to the intrinsic worth and respect that every individual deserves simply by being human. It is the foundation of human rights and serves as a guiding principle in fostering equitable and inclusive societies. In the context of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), human dignity ensures that all individuals, regardless Read more >