Min. Velenkosini Hlabisa leads review of White Paper on Local Government

Image: Flickr/National Cogta Source: South African government The minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa, on 20 May 2025 officially launched the review of the White Paper on Local Government during a high-level event held at the Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Kempton Park. This launch represents a pivotal step in reimagining Read more >

Min. McKenzie, your directives are morally repugnant and devoid of legal authority

Image: Wikimedia Commons By Civil Society OrganisationsFirst published on Daily Maverick We, the undersigned civil society organisations, write to express our deep concern and strong condemnation of the recent public statements and directives issued by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie. Speaking at a recent signing of stakeholder compacts with public entities Read more >

Illegal wildlife crime is, at its heart, an economic crime, says WWF-UK

Image: Wikimedia Commons Despite growing awareness of and increasing measures against the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), it remains a serious global threat. This form of transnational organised crime, says the Wildlife Justice Commission, is estimated to generate at least US$20-billion in criminal proceeds each year, because it is largely low-risk and high-reward. Like corruption, IWT Read more >

Gauteng ethics report: still a lot of ground to cover

In November 2014, the then premier of Gauteng David Makhura told an anti-corruption summit convened by his government in Midrand, Johannesburg, of plans to develop an ethics management strategy across all departments of the province. This was to build a corruption-free administration that values ethics and promotes an honest government. Underpinning such a strategy would Read more >

There’s more to anti-corruption speak than just words

By Moepeng Valencia Talane – CW Voices There is something worrying and unnervingly consistent in the messaging around corruption by members of the executive in South Africa’s government, mostly because of the tone that is set and the words that are used. Yes, it’s important to reflect truthfully and call a spade a spade when Read more >

South Africa at the helm of Commonwealth Africa’s anti-corruption body

Image: AAACOA South Africa currently chairs the Botswana-based Association of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa (AAACOA). The country, in the person of Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head Adv. Andy Mothibi, recently assumed the chairperson’s seat from Ghana and will keep it throughout the 2025-2026 term. The handover took place during the closing session Read more >

There is no true freedom without press freedom

Image: Voice of America Global freedom of information watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) on 2 May 2025, and the picture it paints is not a pretty one. The report describes a marked deterioration of press freedom around the world, with violations such as physical attacks, restricted public Read more >

Role of AI in media explored on World Press Freedom Day

Thirty-two years ago, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as an international day for press freedom, under the custodianship of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). Since then, says Unesco director-general Audrey Azoulay, a lot has changed – including the way the information universe works. The theme of this year’s World Press Read more >

The effect of social norms on bureaucratic corruption

South Africa is not alone in striving to address public sector corruption, which has been allowed to flourish over centuries of governance. Countries all over the world – yes, even those at the top of the Corruption Perceptions Index – struggle with the relentless tide of bribery, malfeasance, extortion, and more, that is sweeping over Read more >