CORRUPTION NEWS

Respond to subpoena, or face criminal charges

By Lee-Ann Alfreds Will they or won’t they? That is the question as the rumbling around the credibility of the Arms Procurement Commission becomes a roar. Will arms deal critics Hennie van Vuuren, Andrew Feinstein and Paul Holden appear before the commission as they have been ordered to do – or will they obey their Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Negotiating the RDP rules and regulations

“We will take back those houses if you sell them for profit, because we build them for a purpose. Put it away safely.” This was reportedly said earlier this year to a group of residents of the Sol Plaatjie municipality, who had gathered to witness the handing over of title deeds to beneficiaries of over Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Reporting on allegations can be in the public interest

Dear Corruption Watch, Journalists use the word "alleged" a lot – sometimes correctly, other times ensuring that reporters are pawns in a vicious game. Does someone involved in corruption have to be formally charged before one may say allegations have been made? Seeking Clarity Dear Seeking Let us start by confirming the importance of the Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Gordhan cracks the whip

Blacklisting of rogue municipal employees? This may very well become the reality in the future if a “back to basics” plan for local government, punted by minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) Pravin Gordhan, works out. The blacklists would carry a term of 10 years, during which the employees involved would be barred Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Local govt going back to basics

The second presidential local government summit (PLGS) promised action in transforming the performance of municipalities from mediocre, in many cases, to excellent, and ensuring that efficient municipalities remain that way. Ministers, premiers, mayors, executive mayors, municipal managers, speakers, chief whips, technical officers, traditional leaders, and other senior local government officials convened in Midrand on 18 Read more >

PRESS RELEASES

Corruption Watch writes to Zuma, Madonsela

In light of recent malicious attacks on the Office of the Public Protector and in order to curtail various efforts to denigrate the institution, today the Chairperson of the Board of Corruption Watch, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, issued two letters in relation to the recent insulting and unlawful statements made by Deputy Minister of Defence, Kebby Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

When is a bribe not a bribe?

Dear Corruption Watch, In his testimony before the Seriti Commission on the arms deal, former president Mbeki suggested that a ‘facilitation commission’ is not a bribe. What is the legal distinction? Yours Concerned Middle-Man Dear Concerned Middle-Man Former president Mbeki's testimony decidedly records that the payment of a commission, in and of itself, is not Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Maphatsoe’s mouth misfires

Corruption Watch has often come out in support of the public protector, Thuli Madonsela, and this week was no exception. Our zero is the deputy minister of defence and military veterans Kebby Maphatsoe, who levelled some serious, and ludicrous, allegations at Madonsela and then the next day, following a massive public denouncement, retracted his statements Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

TI: national security, transparency can co-exist

South Africa is one of 15 countries featured in a new report from Transparency International UK’s Defence and Security Programme. Titled Classified Information (A review of current legislation across 15 countries & the EU), the report was launched by TI’s Indonesian chapter and is the latest in the global organisation’s Corruption Risks series. It deals Read more >