International consultancy firm Bain & Company has been banned from doing business with the UK government for three years, owing to its part in state capture in South Africa between 2015 and 2018. The ban will apply retrospectively from January this year. In evidence heard by the state capture commission last year, Bain’s former South Africa Read more >
Image: UN Environment Programme In October 2021 Corruption Watch (CW), working with procurement law expert Prof Geo Quinot of Stellenbosch University, released its first report that analyses procurement information drawn from National Treasury (NT) data captured between 2016 and 2020. The analysis was made possible by CW’s online tool, Procurement Watch (PW), which was launched at the Read more >
Dear Mr President, The ongoing attacks on civil society organisations by government officials are concerning and must receive urgent attention. These attacks are unacceptable, go against our country’s Constitution, and undermine our democracy. This week, the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) announced that they are temporarily closing their offices after Councillor Nkululeko Mbundu, Read more >
By Steven FriedmanFirst published on My Vote Counts Academics who teach politics do not believe that their knowledge equips them to judge court cases or to represent parties in legal actions. But judges and lawyers tend to believe that legal training somehow equips them with a knowledge of politics greater than that of their fellow Read more >
By Tharin Pillay Metaphors do more than add colour to poetry — they shape our conception of abstract ideas. They are so embedded in our everyday communications that often we don’t notice them at all. They slide under the radar of our attention. But they are everywhere — I count at least four in this Read more >
Anonymous private wealth. Luxurious homes, state-of-the-art yachts and aircraft, priceless jewellery, valuable pieces of art, and more. Symbols of an ever-increasing global problem of financial inequality, and a proven driver also of corruption and tax abuse. Such wealth in the hands of a mere fraction of the global population is unsustainable – and as long Read more >
The Counter-Corruption Summit, happening today in Stellenbosch, brings together academia, government, civil society, international organisations, and business to continue to galvanise momentum, confirm broad-based support for those leading counter-corruption efforts, and create a shared platform for eradicating endemic corruption in our society. This type of gathering, like the beneficial ownership transparency conference held in Cape Read more >
Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s intention to subpoena Cyril Ramaphosa for answers about the Phala Phala burglary strikes the right chord at a time when the country is badly in need of accountability and transparency from its leaders, says Corruption Watch. This is a legitimate step in following due process and ensuring that the rule Read more >
By Tafi Mhaka First published on Al Jazeera On June 21, Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera fired the country’s chief of police, suspended several senior government officials and also took the extraordinary step of stripping his deputy, Saulos Chilima, of all powers after they were accused of receiving kickbacks from UK-based businessman Zuneth Sattar in exchange Read more >